- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- Describe a time when you had to overcome a significant obstacle on a job.
- What is your greatest weakness?
- Walk me through your resume.
- If you had $2,000, how would you double it in 24 hours?
- Describe a time when you led by example.
Operations Leadership Development Program Interview Questions
Interviews for Top Jobs at Parker Hannifin
Leadership Development Program Interview
I applied through college or university. I interviewed at Parker Hannifin
Interview
I talked to a recruiter at a campus career fair to kill time because the other companies I was interested in had insane lines. The LDP interested me, so I filled an application out on Handshake, which for those that don’t know is a job portal a lot of universities use. Within a week I had a phone screening where they basically just repeated the application questions and confirmed I met the requirements (GPA, past internship experience, etc.). After that was another phone interview, this time stepping through my resume – pretty simple stuff. I then had several back-to-back in-person interviews and while it was exhausting, I didn’t think it was difficult. My interviewers included HR, managers, and past program alumni, so they asked a good mix of technical and soft-skill questions.After all of that, I was invited for a final round interview. It was the most nerve-wracking because I knew it was the last one, but it was also the easiest. It honestly felt more like a normal conversation than an actual interview. I got a verbal offer within an hour of that call ending, and the letter was in my inbox within the day.As long as you meet the program requirements, can talk about your resume, and don’t put your foot in your mouth, you’ll be okay.
- What kind of company do you want to work for?What drew you to a rotational program instead of a conventional full-time job after graduation?What was high school like?Typical STAR questions (tell me about a time, give me an example, etc.)
Leadership Development Program Interview
The process took 2 months. I interviewed at Parker Hannifin in Nov 2021
Interview
I first talked with an employee through career fair at my university. The employee referred me to an interview which was with corporate level leaders from 6 different teams. The total interview is about 4 hours. Brief introduction about the company, QnA session, and then 30 minute interview with each team. They mostly ask about behavioral questions. They asked a lot of questions about what kind of leadership style you have. They reached out to me in the following week after the interview with an offer.
- What would you do if you have a disagreement with someone?
What was a difficult decision you made as a leader?
When faced with an important decision, effective leaders know how to think through their options and the potential impact of their choices. Your answer should demonstrate your problem-solving, critical thinking and decision-making skills. Use a previous workplace situation to provide the interviewer with an idea of how you make decisions. Be sure to explain the results of that decision, and consider discussing how you can use that experience as a lesson in future leadership opportunities.
Example: “I once had the option to give my team a long holiday weekend. I knew how hard my team was working, but we had an important project that we needed to finish by Monday. My first thought was to give them the long weekend to rest, but we would have had to rush to complete the work. This decision risked impacting productivity and the quality of our work. I then thought of not giving them the long weekend and encouraging them to keep working on schedule. This option would avoid pressuring them to rush but also risked them feeling overworked or underappreciated.
I ultimately decided not to grant the long weekend and emphasized the importance of completing the project. On that Friday, I ordered a catered lunch and offered to let them take a long weekend next week to thank them. I think this compromise showed that I cared about my team’s well-being but also valued their reputation for providing quality work on time.”
How do you describe your leadership style?
Many different leadership styles can benefit a variety of workplaces and teams. Review the different types of leadership, and determine which best describes your approach. You may find that you prefer to mix two styles or that some situations call for one style and other situations need another. Understanding what these leadership styles entail can help you properly explain your own approach to leadership during your interview. Provide an example of your leadership and the results of your efforts.
Example: “I consider myself a transformational leader because I encourage my team to set goals that directly align with the company’s goals. In my previous position, I met with my team every quarter to review company objectives and track the progress of overall team goals. During one of our meetings, we discovered that our most recent goal was too department-focused, and we had lost sight of how it helped the company. We adjusted our team goal to clearly address quality issues that were affecting our company.
I also met with each team member individually to help them outline personal workplace goals. For instance, one of my team members wanted to produce twice as many deliverables, but we worked together to revise her goal to produce a lower number of deliverables with better quality assurance scores. This transformational leadership style enabled my team to address an overall company goal and improve the overall quality of our work.”
Common interview questions on leadership
While every interview will be different depending on your job title and industry, here are some leadership questions you should expect to address during your next interview:
The most effective answers to these questions incorporate grounded examples of your leadership potential and skills that qualify you for the position. Use the STAR answering technique to describe a situation where you exhibited quality leadership and identify the task you needed to complete. Outline the action you took to achieve results. This strategy can help you clearly show the interviewer how you put leadership into action.
Let’s take a look at each of the above questions in more detail with examples of how you might answer them.
You’re More Than Just Your Work Experience, So Let Them Know That
The reason you got an interview is because the recruiting team liked your resume. Remember, then, that the first interview is a chance for you to show them more than what’s on there. Don’t miss it.
Your resume told the recruiting team about your work and internship experience. While it’s important to use that experience as a base for some of your answers, you should also take the opportunity to go deeper.
The point of this interview, whether it’s in person or on the phone, is to show them a bit of who you are as an individual. Sticking too much to the script of your resume can be a major misstep. But, as Hannah stresses, there are ways to avoid that pitfall.
“One of the biggest things I see that people are missing is centered around their leadership experience,” Hannah says.
Given your experience level, chances are, you haven’t had too many opportunities to take on leadership roles at work. However, school organizations, extracurriculars, and even classroom projects are all great examples of places where you could have exhibited leadership skills. Regardless of what the leadership experience revolves around, the ability to demonstrate your potential is extremely valuable.
39. How did you a handle a time when you had to make an unpopular decision?
I would bring them together and state the news. I would explain as much as possible as to why it occurred and what steps we will need to take in the future. I would also open it up to the team to speak about their concerns, answer questions, and share their viewpoints to know how we can avoid a similar situation.
Being able to lead and inspire a team to perform their best and strive to achieve goals. I can do this through relationship building, being passionate about the goals, and influencing those around me.
I actively listen by paraphrasing what others say to me. That ensures that I am on the same page as the other person and keeps me attentive to the conversation.
The most important value that I have is my integrity. I demonstrate honesty and trust in all my actions to establish credibility as a leader. By having this conviction behind my words and actions, those who I lead are gain bought into the direction I take them. 2.How have you gained commitment from your team?
Definitely Prepare, But Don’t Over-Rehearse Your Answers (AKA Speak Naturally)
In any job interview, the recruiter or hiring manager wants to get a better sense of who you actually are—especially when they’re making such a major investment in you. That’s why over-preparation can actually hurt you.
“One of the things that we see that shoots people in the foot when they’re interviewing is that their answers seem really scripted and almost too perfect,” Hannah says. “And for us, that doesn’t give a sense of who they are. It doesn’t feel authentic. It doesn’t feel genuine.”
It’s true that you want to present the best possible version of yourself, but don’t let that rob your answers of you. Even if you prepared for a question, there’s no harm in taking a moment to think about your answer and move in a different direction. Speak from the heart, because according to Hannah, that’s what they’re hoping you’ll do.
FAQ
How do you interview for a leadership development program?
- Can you tell me about a time when you demonstrated leadership skills?
- Are you able to delegate responsibilities efficiently?
- What can you do to motivate a team?
- What values are most important to you as a leader?
- Are you able to collaborate with others and accept new ideas?
What are some leadership interview questions?
- Tell me/us about the time you demonstrated leadership skills at work? …
- What is your leadership style? …
- Which supporting skills do you think are more important for a leader? …
- How do you manage a conflict situation? …
- What was the hardest decision you have taken as a leader?
Why should we hire you for team leader?
Show the interviewer that you would be a good fit for this role by explaining why you are an effective leader. Tell them which leadership skills you possess. For example, you could tell them you are skilled at multitasking, collaborating with others and communicating your ideas.
How do you introduce yourself in a leadership interview?
Start by briefly introducing your professional story. Outline your experience, showing a trajectory from early career until now. Keep the focus on your current or most recent position—where you can speak directly to your proficiency as a leader – and stay away from personal details.
