Essential General Manager (GM) Interview Preparation Guide

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I tend to be more focused and aware under pressure, I thrive in a fast paced environment.

It provides me with constant new challenges to test my abilities.
Communicating and meeting with new people.
Able to use your initiative.
Working as part of a team.

What would you like to see me accomplish with this store.

Occasionally I have been told that I take longer than other colleagues to complete complicated projects or tasks. But this is only because I want to make sure the work I do is to the highest standards.
My MS PowerPoint skills are weak, so I have enrolled on a evening course to improve them.
I am sometimes accused of being over friendly.

I tend to be organized and clean i mthought its not strong point.

I can't really give you a accurate answer because at this time I don't know the scope of the job, it's responsibilities, hours, etc.
The job I perform, the salary I receive and the circumstances at my current company are not really comparable to the opportunity we are discussing today. However when I consider my skill sets, academic qualifications and work experience, I am confident that a salary between £25,000 - £33,000 would be appropriate.

I have been told that i am honest, reliable and ethical.
Your sense of urgency, if you know that a task is important, then you will work hard to get it done on time.
You are a fast learner.
Ability to communicate with people.
Flexible enough to handle changing environments.
Able to cope with setback and learn from my mistakes.

Give a solution that is related to work and if possible the job you are applying for. Demonstrate something that shows how you saved a previous employer money, made them more efficient or increased revenue.

Completely listen to their problem and come to a solution that will satisfy the guest.

The role of a manger is leadership; influencing others according to a plan. We do this by being assertive not aggressive or passive. A manager delivers a goal being direct, honest, and respectful.

No general manager's post comes without stress so you must ensure that you ask this question to know if the person who could potentially be your next general manager has the ability to deal with the stress that comes with the territory. When hiring someone for the post you are looking for an individual who is possibly a perfectionist, who has a fighting spirit and who is persevering, what you aren't looking for is a person that is very hot tempered and unapproachable. If you make the mistake of hiring someone who is unable to deal with stress in any form then you are making a huge mistake as general manager deals with a number of stressful situations on a daily basis

My present employer pays me well outside of the norm, however I would not like to limit my job prospects by using that salary as a comparison.
As a highly valued member of the company, I am paid on the very high end of current market rates.

If you have never interviewed someone for the post of a general manager before, then you shouldn't think that asking a question like this is inappropriate. It is always useful to know whether the individual was fired or has quit and it would possibly benefit you to call his or her previous employers and cross check the details just to make sure that there is no discrepancy. If the candidate quit the previous job to apply for a better one, then an answer like this is acceptable however if the individual was fired for something immoral and inappropriate in the work place then it would be better for you to steer clear of appointing such a person to your firm who could bring some disrepute to it.

Refer back to the key behavioral competencies for a management position. Relate them to management tasks that are impacted on by current economic conditions, such as planning and executing, cost-control, developing and motivating employees and communicating and managing change.

In four years time I aim to have improved my abilities and to be a leader in my field. This will mean that I can contribute more to my employers and their business.
That really depends on how well I perform in my job and also what career opportunities come my way. However the bottom line is that I want to have improved my skill sets and be making a ongoing contribution to any organization that i happen to be working for.

True leadership is about personal responsibility. That is why an effective answer to this question is, "I consider anyone who works with me to be an extension of my effectiveness as manager. I will discuss any problems with the employee individually and honestly, but if their work affects the bottom line of the company, their shortcomings are also my responsibility."

I have found in nearly 30 years of experience, those who read are stronger employees, more creative and can be more objective.

Asking this question to a potential general manager is a sure shot way of gauging how apt the candidate is for the job. If he or she is able to touch upon practically all the aspects of the job requirements then you know that he or she knows what the job entails. Based on the candidates words if you get a feeling that the person does not really have a grasp of all the weekly responsibilities of being a general manager then you know that this is not the person you are looking for.

Be positive but do not go over the top. For instance comment on how associates have in the past remarked on your friendly attitude, thoroughness and ability to get things done on time.

We can review if we can still do something to improve the taste, presentation and portion. Otherwise, remove it from the menu and replace it with something seemingly saleable.

There are a number of complex challenges that managers now face including having access to fewer resources, managing more specialized and more diverse teams and having to operate within a constantly changing and highly competitive environment. Relate your answer to the knowledge you have of the job, the company and the industry.

This really depends on what my co-worker is doing, the severity of their actions and the specific problems or disruption that they may be causing. Having said that no matter what the situation is, I would always remain in control of any situation and concentrate on my work. I would not take any arguments or heated discussions personally or hold grudges against work colleagues.
I would avoid them and only talk to them or cooperate with them when required to in the course of my daily duties.

You should answer this question with specific examples of methods you use to delegate tasks, "For each staff member I create a sheet of detailed, relevant tasks and estimated deadlines. I then meet with each staff member individually to ensure they also agree to the deadlines and answer any questions they have. I also schedule regular work in progress meetings to check in on their status."

I ask this instead of asking a job applicant where they see themselves professionally in five to ten years because their response allows me to determine the level of motivation and commitment for the position. If the response is overly ambitious, that's a red flag.

See if the guest would like a replacement or if they would like another entree to replace the one they do not like. Make sure to expedite the entree as quickly as possible and check to make sure the guest is happy.