Jones Position: General and Operations Manager

The summary of the position "General and Operations Manager" according to "O*Net," or the Occupational Information network is thorough but by no means exhaustive. In general, it involves planning, direction, and coordination of the operations of companies and organizations, public or private. Specifically, these tasks are built upon the formulation of policies, management of daily operations, and the planning and use of materials as well as human resources (O*Net). However, the exact requirements of the position vary by specific company, organization, and individual. Additionally, according to O*Net, this classification also includes owners and managers "who head small business establishments whose duties are primarily managerial."

Appropriate Interview Questions

Because the duties of managers within the company are so vital, it is imperative that the interview include questions that will separate the good from the bad. This includes specific task/experience related questions, as well as personality/behavioral questions. However, it must be remembered that some types of questions are either not productive, or illegal and unethical. Therefore, it is important to know the limits imposed on the formulation and implementation of interview questions.

Tell me about yourself.

Ideal answer: My academic background has been in business and management. So has my work experience. However, I believe that because I have a passion for business in general and management in specific, I am always prompted to learn more just from sheer interest. I think that this may...

Let me think. I am a hard worker...umm...detail oriented. I have a degree in business management.
Commentary: The question is open ended, prompting the interviewee to give more information than a simple "yes" or "no." Additionally, it gives insight into how the applicant thinks, what he or she places value on, as well as how he or she organizes thought. Additionally, the information contained in the answer can be useful.

Has there ever been a time when you did something in your management role that you were not proud of?

Ideal answer: Yes. There was a time when I jumped to a conclusion concerning some missing files and I blamed it on an employee. Later, when I learned of the true situation, I realized I was wrong, and it wasn't that employee's fault at all. Of course, the employee was very angry, and I understood that. I immediately apologized and briefly explained the situation to him, and assured him that I would not be so hasty in the future. Although it was hard and embarrassing for me to admit that I was wrong, I felt that I had to. I feel that I learned a lot from that experience.

Poor Answer: Hum. That's a tough one. Oh...Once I stole an idea concerning a proposal from another colleague. I am definitely not proud of that!

Commentary: This is both an open ended question as well as an experiential/behavioral question. It gives insight into the ethics and honesty of the interviewee as well as his or her capacity to learn from mistakes.

3. What are your long-range objectives?

Ideal answer: Of course…