If you are well on your way and about ready for a leadership position, you have most likely completed several rounds of job interviews. You probably performed well in those interviews in order to get to where you are now. This time, you will find a different vibe and many leadership interview questions may be new to you. You can expect interview questions geared specifically towards leadership positions that center around your ability to inspire and influence others, your project management track record in addition to your communication and decision-making skills. This article will describe what you can expect in a leadership interview as well as an outline for how you can answer questions.

When Must You Prepare For Leadership Interview Questions?

When an organization is considering you for a promotion, you will need to prepare to respond to interview questions in regards to the leadership skills you possess. Potential employers want to assess if you are the right fit for a future leadership role and how quickly you might be ready for one. Most people change jobs for better opportunities so the quicker they can identify and place someone internally into a leadership role, the longer they will stay with the company. Employees with leadership skills are usually loyal in the scheme of organizational ups and downs.

What Are Common Leadership Positions?

If you are applying to one of these leadership positions, you will need to prepare strong responses to questions about your leadership skills:

• Branch Manager 
• Contract Administrator 
• Engineering Manager
• Manager & Assistant Manager 
• Marketing Director
• Operations Manager
• Product Manager
• Project Manager 
• Sales Manager

Guidelines When It Comes To Answering Leadership Interview Questions

1. Avoid Copying & Pasting

Interview questions for leaders will include “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” question. Make sure you don’t say “My biggest weakness is that I work too much.” Be upfront and read the job description beforehand in order to craft a personalized response. 

2. Provide Examples

Be prepared to answer situational and leadership behavioral interview questions . Make a note of the interview questions for leaders’ behavior and practice answering them with personal stories from your past job or life experiences.

3. Work Leadership Skills Into Your Answers

Your interviewer will look for relevant leadership expertise. Find creative ways to include how you have demonstrated these skills in the past:

• Behavioral Leadership: Provide relevant examples of how you have influenced the behavior or decisions of other team members.
• Project Leadership: Focus on how you led project team members in order to complete tasks in a timely manner and within budget parameters.
• Decision-Making Process: Work in related examples of recent times that you had to make tough decisions or when conditions were not ideal.
• Communication Skills: The interview will test your communication skills and this is why it is a good idea to practice potential leadership interview questions so you can speak about them with ease.

Common Leadership Interview Questions

1. Can you walk me through a specific project you were in charge of and what made it successful in the end?
2. Tell me about a decision that was difficult and how it was resolved?
3. Can you name a particular scenario where you utilized your leadership skills?
4. How would you increase communication across various departments?
5. Do you establish priorities for yourself and your direct reports?
6. Who is your mentor and when was the last time you met with them to ask for advice?
7. What is your leadership philosophy?

Question #1: Can you walk me through a specific project you were in charge of and what made it successful in the end?

This leadership behavioral interview question addresses your organizational skills, ability to delegate tasks and demonstrating overall leadership capabilities.

• Describe the reason for the project and the desired outcome by upper management.
• Talk about the team members, how you identified their strengths and delegated tasks to them appropriately.
• Report on the results of the project.

Question #2: Tell me about a decision that was difficult and how it was resolved?

The interviewer will ask leadership interview questions in order to learn how you make decisions and if you collaborate with team members and management before making a significant decision.

• Describe the decision and all of the possible outcomes you considered.
• Discuss how you came to that decision and who you asked for input. 
• Reveal the decision you made and how it was a success.

Question #3: Can you name a particular scenario where you utilized your leadership skills?

Leadership interview questions can apply to someone in a management position as well as someone an employer is considering promoting into a leadership role.

• Explain a specific challenge you faced.
• Describe how you collaborated with fellow team members.
• Talk about the outcome of the situation.

Question #4: How would you increase communication across various departments?

When departments communicate and work together, things get done quicker and without delays. Department isolation is a common problem that adversely affects organizations. Listen for interview questions regarding cross-functional communication and how you contributed towards streamlining that process at previous places of employment.

• Use conversational language such as lack of communication.
• If you have experience managing cross-department communication describe the situation in depth and how your actions contributed towards a positive outcome.
• If you have not had experience within this particular area, acknowledge the lack of communication and provide an example of how it could affect an organization in the long run. Make sure to propose a solution in order to increase communication. 

Question #5: Do you establish priorities for yourself and your direct reports?

One of your leadership interview questions will most likely be about priorities. Leaders need to be organized, know how to prioritize multiple projects and delegate effectively to the right people. 

• Describe the criteria of a particular model that you know works best.
• Go in depth and explain how that model works.

Question #6: Who is your mentor and when was the last time you met with them to ask for advice?

An employee who has a good mentor is a better individual in the workplace. Leadership interview questions about mentors can show how well you take advice and whether you are ready to mentor someone.

• Talk about the importance of having a mentor.
• Briefly describe your relationship with your mentor, the last time you met and their advice.
• Provide details regarding if you are currently mentoring anyone or if you are looking forward to being a mentor in your next position.

Question #7: What is your leadership philosophy?

This is a leadership-style interview question where you can answer whether or not you have had experience managing a team.

• Read up beforehand on leadership roles and particular styles.
• Describe your specific style.
• Talk about why that philosophy or style works for you and your team.

Is your workplace beginning to feel like it is coming to a bitter end? Are your work accomplishments being pushed under the rug and your efforts aren’t being appreciated? If you feel like you are slowly being pushed out of your workplace, you could be right as your supervisor might be “quiet firing” you. Here are the signs to look out for and what you can do to take charge of your career.

What Is Quiet Firing?

Quiet firing refers to when an employer indirectly influences an employee to resign by failing to provide support and career development. This usually creates a negative work environment where over time, the employee feels a lack of motivation and appreciation. 

• You receive mostly negative or receive very little feedback.
• Your wage remains stagnant and you get overlooked for promotions despite producing a solid work ethic.
• You get assigned the least desirable job tasks compared to other colleagues who have similar job titles.
• You are suddenly burdened with a heavier workload.
• Your employer takes advantage of the fact that you are an hourly employee.
• You are excluded from department meetings that others in similar positions are invited to.

If you are wondering whether you are being fired, it is important to look at the big picture. Consider if things are changing compared with your past experience at work and with your colleagues. For example, if everyone is overworked, you might have a negative work environment due to understaffing. On the other hand, if you are being personally targeted to a level that goes beyond potential quiet firing, you might be experiencing workplace bullying.

Why Would Companies Quiet Fire A Current Employee?

Quiet firing can reflect a larger problem in the work culture at your current company or it could potentially be specific to the ongoing relationship between you and your supervisor. Here are some of the most common reasons that employees might be quiet fired:

• An inexperienced or overworked supervisor who fails to help their subordinates thrive.
• A negative workplace environment due to a toxic supervisor or one who reflects the larger culture within the company.
• An intentional strategy that will get an employee to resign in order to avoid paying unemployment as a retaliation for a lawsuit or related dispute.
• Discrimination that can be based on your race, sexual orientation, gender or even your religion.

What Is Quiet Hiring?

If you already know about quiet firing, you might also know about quiet hiring. Quiet hiring is not a negative concept. It involves temporarily shifting employees around within the company itself in order to fill a pressing need for additional headcount during times that are slow in their own department. In some cases, this can be a benefit for you to try out new tasks and gain more experience, but it can also be a sign of a financially stressed or disorganized workplace.

Quiet hiring can also be used as a strategy to get someone to quit their job. It becomes a problem if:

• The assigned tasks are easy so in turn you become unmotivated and unchallenged over time.
• The new tasks are very difficult and you don’t have enough qualifications or guidance to do them well.
• The additional workload is too high and you feel burned out.
• The new tasks are different from the job you were hired for and you resent taking them on.

What Is A Quiet Promotion?

A quiet promotion is like getting promoted but without the higher status, title and pay. Needless to say, a quiet promotion is not a great deal for an employee. Employers often give out quiet promotions to employees because they value cost-cutting in order to avoid paying a higher salary but it can also be used as a strategy to push someone to quit. This is because it can make you as the employee feel unappreciated. If you are suddenly assigned tasks that usually belong to a higher-level employee, you might have gotten a quiet promotion. A quiet promotion is similar to getting a really promotion but without a salary increase. It actually differs in that the “promotion” is only implied and never discussed officially, your title and pay remain the same.

How To Respond To Quiet Firing

If you are being quietly fired, you may have done nothing wrong. It is often a direct result of an unhealthy work environment and it is beyond your control. Quiet firing can be a response to an employee becoming disengaged at work and doing the bare minimum. Quiet firing is always a bad management strategy overall. It results in a negative work environment and dampers productivity in the workplace. An open and honest supervisor should discuss their concerns directly with their employees.

If you think your employer is quietly firing you in response to your reduced work performance, consider changing your work ethic and putting your best effort in while still maintaining your boundaries. 

In most other cases, being quiet fired might be difficult to manage but you can try the following strategies:

• Keep track of everything. If you have a toxic work environment to the extent that it could be illegal, this can later be used as evidence in a lawsuit.
• Discuss your concerns openly with your manager or supervisor. It is best to use specific examples during your conversation. 
• If talking one on one with your supervisor is not an option, discuss your concerns with higher management. If you have a toxic boss, you may need to go beyond them in order to get help, such as to their supervisor or even the HR department.
• File a lawsuit. If the employer is making the workplace intolerable to the point that you feel forced to resign, you might consider contacting an attorney about whether you have a case.
• Involve your union. If you are a union member, contact them for further support.

If you are unable to change your work situation, your best bet is to look for another job where your contributions will be valued. Do not look at quitting in terms of winning and losing. If you quit, you may give the employer what they want. Think about it…do you really want to stay at a workplace where you are not valued? Quitting can give you new opportunities which will increase your job satisfaction, performance and even your quality of life. In the end, you will be the winner.

Employment projections for the best earning positions in finance are positive and have shown demonstrated growth. If you think finance is the right industry for you, then read on to discover the highest paying jobs in the US finance market, their associated salaries and requirements.

Requirements

In order to achieve any of the best-paying jobs in finance you have to have the corresponding education, skills and work experience. A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement for most career trajectories within this industry, but an MBA, other master’s degree or Ph.D. gives you better chances of advancement up the career ladder. 

Essential skills for individuals wanting to land the best earning finance jobs include:

• Financial Planning & Reporting
• Computer & Technology Skills
• Mathematics & Statistics
• Great Verbal & Written Communication Skills
• Close Attention To Detail & Problem Solving

Once you satisfy the main objectives required for any of the best-paying jobs in finance, you need to prepare to find a job. Before you can start applying, you should make sure you have an optimized resume and cover letter. 

What Do Finance Jobs Normally Pay? 

Chief Financial Officer 

Chief financial officers oversee the implementation of procedures that make sure organizational funds are utilized efficiently and are accounted for. A bachelor’s degree can help to find employment. However, an MBA or other master degree increases your chances. On top of an optimal education, chief financial officers need several years of relevant work experience and it can take most people 10 to 15 years to become eligible for this position.

Chief Financial Officer Salary & Career Path

There are several career paths you can take in order to obtain a high paying finance job, like working as a company controller or corporate treasurer. Being a Chief Financial Officer is the highest finance position within a company with only the CEO above you. The national chief financial officer salary ranges from $83,000 to $156,000 and averages at $119,000.

Tax Director & Senior Tax Manager 

Depending on the work environment, tax directors and senior tax managers are two high paying jobs in finance that are often considered the same type of position but with different responsibilities. Some companies act as if these two have similar but different roles. The tax director is usually further along on the career path.

Tax directors are responsible for their company remaining in tax compliance, planning and income tax accounting. To pursue a career as a tax director or senior tax manager, you need to have at least a bachelor’s degree in tax accounting and several years of experience in the financial industry.

Tax Director & Senior Tax Manager Salary & Career Path

Most tax directors or senior tax managers have previous work experience in the tax industry as a tax manager, tax accountant or tax analyst. Potential career paths after working as a tax director include finance jobs like corporate controller, finance director and chief financial officer.

The national senior tax manager salary ranges from $91,000 to $148,000 and averages $117,000. 

Financial Quantitative Analyst

Financial quantitative analysts are experts in subjects like math and statistics are a requirement in order to analyze financial data, develop financial models while conducting research on relevant products and assessing risks. Quantitative analysts can work in banks, insurance companies, asset management firms and other financial institutions.

In order to be considered for a career in this field, financial quantitative analysts need to have a bachelor’s or master’s degree and a Chartered Financial Analyst certification. 

Financial Quantitative Analyst Salary & Career Path

After meeting all of the educational requirements and becoming a Financial Quantitative Analyst, you need to learn how to apply these skills in the field through an internship or assistant position. Once you are ready to move up the career ladder, financial quantitative analysts can become data scientists, directors or other senior managerial roles within the industry.

The national financial quantitative analyst salary ranges from $76,000 to $125,000 and averages at $98,000. 

Finance Manager

Finance managers are in charge of making long-term planning and investment decisions for their clients. They work closely with many departments and executives in addition to usually having the last word on important financial decisions. Like other highest-paying finance jobs, finance managers have at least a Bachelor’s Degree even if a Master’s Degree is preferred.

After filling the educational and work experience requirements, finance managers make an effort to attain a Financial Analyst Certification. 

Finance Manager Salary & Career Path

Finance managers begin their career as Financial Analysts or Accounting Managers. In order to land entry-level finance manager roles you usually need at least five years of experience in both finance and accounting. Some common career paths for finance managers include senior management positions such as Corporate Controller and Director of Finance.

The National Finance Manager salary ranges from $59,000 to $124,000 and averages $93,000. 

Financial Risk Manager

A Financial Risk Manager's main responsibilities include developing and implementing risk management, compliance policies and procedures while identifying potential risk exposure and promoting loss prevention. Similar to other jobs within finance, the skills needed to excel in this role include superior organization, interpersonal, project management skills and a strong attention to detail. Besides obtaining a post-secondary education degree, you need to be accredited by the Global Association of Risk Professionals.

Financial Risk Manager Salary & Career Path

A majority of Financial Risk Managers begin their career as Risk / Insurance Analysts or Consultants. Possible career paths for Financial Risk Managers include becoming a Risk Management Director, Chief Financial Officer, Vice President of Operations, etc.

The National Risk Manager salary ranges from $67,000 to $117,000 and averages $93,000. 

Accounting Manager

Accounting managers are responsible for the day-to-day accounting operations within their department. Their work is usually reviewed by Finance Managers who determine the company’s overall financial strategy. Accounting Manager candidates need to have at a minimum a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or a similar field. While a Master’s Degree is not commonly required to work as an Accounting Manager, it is easier to achieve this role, which is one of the highest-paying jobs in Finance.

Accounting Manager Salary & Career Path

Many Accounting Managers begin their career in positions like Accountants, Bookkeepers and Financial Analysts. Popular career paths for Accounting Managers include moving into becoming a Finance Manager, Cost Accounting Manager, Tax Manager, Assistant Controller and Senior Managerial roles within Accounting and Finance.

The average national Accounting Manager salary is $89,000 in a range that goes from $63,000 to $119,000. 

Economist

Economists are financial analysts who track, observe and analyze major economic trends. They can work within different environments in the public and private sector in addition to easily switching between various types of employers. Economists are not the same as Finance Analysts but they share similar duties. They focus on research and analysis while Finance Analysts advise on how to increase profits. To begin working as an economist, a bachelor’s degree might suffice for entry level positions. In certain work environments and for more senior roles, you will need a Master’s or a Ph.D.

Economist Salary & Career Path

The most common careers prior to becoming an Economist include Economic Research Assistant and additional types of Economic and Finance Analyst jobs. Besides moving up the ladder to a Senior Economist Role, Economists can become consultants, directors, managers and VPs.

The average Economist salary ranges from $58,000 to $123,000. 

Investment Portfolio Manager

An Investment Portfolio Manager is in charge of how clients money is invested and takes care of day-to-day tasks with the help of a team of Financial Analysts. They are also the ones who communicate with and explain investment decisions to clients in addition to providing updates and reports on portfolio performance.

The minimum educational requirement in order to become a Portfolio Manager is a Bachelor’s Degree but it is not uncommon to find employers requiring a Master’s Degree. Similar to other jobs in finance, Investment Portfolio Managers need to hold Financial Analyst Certifications like the one awarded by the CFA Institute.

Investment Portfolio Manager Salary & Career Path

Many Investment Portfolio Managers begin their career as Financial Analysts and move into senior management or a leadership position. Salaries range on average at $82,000 within a range of $61,000 to $106,000.

Underwriter

Loans, insurance and security underwriters work to assess the risk behind credit and lending decisions. It is one of the highest paying jobs in finance. Within five to ten years, you can work your way up to a senior position. Underwriters earn at least a Bachelor’s Degree and have great analytical, communication, math and computer skills. 

Underwriter Career Path

Underwriters usually start by taking entry-level jobs in their chosen industry sectors. Underwriters climbing the career ladder typically become senior underwriters, underwriting directors or take on other roles in management like Account and Portfolio Managers, Branch Managers and Risk Managers. The median Insurance Underwriter salary ranges from $48,000 to $90,000 and averages $69,000 while the Senior Insurance Underwriter salary ranges from $64,000 to $96,000 and averages $78,000.

Trader

Traders are among the highest paying jobs in finance due to superior skills and knowledge. These professionals have the potential to earn an increase in salary every year. Their job consists of buying and selling securities in order to earn a profit on behalf of their clients. They can be found working in different environments including banks and hedge funds. It’s possible to become a successful Trader without a college degree, having one makes it easier to land a job and work your way up.

Trader Salary & Career Path

Depending on the type of Trader career you pursue there are different ways to start. The easiest route is to get an undergraduate degree, a license from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and an entry-level position in the industry, like an assistant to a Senior Trader or Analyst.

Traders moving forward in their career can become senior managers, directors, or even a VP of Finance. Securities and Commodities Trader salary ranges from $48,000 to $104,000 and averages $78,000. 

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts study market trends in order to understand and predict how they can affect company performance, securities, bonds and stocks. Through their financial reporting, Financial Analysts help companies set up the right financial strategies in order to increase revenue and manage their assets.

In order to work in this role, they are similar to other high paying jobs in finance. To begin a career as a Financial Analyst, you are normally required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree and obtain two to four years experience in the industry. 

Financial Analyst Salary & Career Path

Many Financial Analysts start working in the industry via an internship or as Accountants or Business Analysts. Their next step is becoming a Senior Financial Analyst which offers an increase in pay and more responsibilities. Other trajectories pursued by Financial Analysts include Finance Manager, Finance Quantitative Analyst, Controller and Data Analyst.

The median Financial Analyst salary ranges from $48,000 to $87,000 and averages $67,000 while the Senior Financial Analyst salary ranges from $72,000 to $97,000 and averages $83,000.