Essential Work Sample Exercises for Hiring Top Project Managers

Project management is a multifaceted discipline requiring a unique blend of technical knowledge, leadership skills, and interpersonal abilities. While resumes and interviews can provide insights into a candidate's background and communication style, they often fall short in predicting how effectively someone will manage complex projects under real-world conditions.

Work samples and role-playing exercises offer a window into a candidate's practical capabilities, revealing how they approach planning, handle stakeholder communication, navigate obstacles, and lead teams. These exercises bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, allowing hiring managers to observe candidates' thought processes and problem-solving approaches in action.

For project management roles specifically, practical assessments are invaluable because the position demands both strategic thinking and tactical execution. A candidate might articulate project management principles eloquently in an interview but struggle when faced with competing priorities, resource constraints, or interpersonal conflicts.

By incorporating the following exercises into your hiring process, you'll gain deeper insights into candidates' capabilities across critical project management competencies. These activities simulate real challenges project managers face daily, providing a more reliable prediction of on-the-job performance than traditional interview questions alone.

Activity #1: Project Planning and Timeline Development

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to break down a complex project into manageable components, establish realistic timelines, identify dependencies, and allocate resources effectively. Strong project planning skills are foundational to project management success, as they set the stage for all subsequent project activities and deliverables.

Directions for the Company:

• Provide the candidate with a brief description of a realistic project relevant to your industry (e.g., product launch, system implementation, office relocation).
• Include key parameters such as project objectives, available resources, budget constraints, and a target completion date.
• Allow candidates 45-60 minutes to complete the exercise.
• Provide access to project planning tools (e.g., Excel, project planning templates) or allow candidates to use their preferred tools.
• Consider having the exercise conducted asynchronously before the interview, with a follow-up discussion during the interview.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the project description and requirements carefully.
• Create a comprehensive project plan that includes:
• Major phases and key milestones
• Task breakdown with estimated durations
• Dependencies between tasks
• Resource allocation
• Risk identification and mitigation strategies
• Prepare to explain your planning approach and the rationale behind key decisions.
• Be ready to discuss how you would handle potential obstacles or changes to project parameters.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the candidate presents their project plan, provide specific feedback on one strength (e.g., "Your risk assessment was particularly thorough") and one area for improvement (e.g., "The timeline for the testing phase seems optimistic given the complexity").
• Ask the candidate to revise a portion of their plan based on the feedback, such as adjusting the timeline for a specific phase or enhancing the risk mitigation strategy.
• Observe how receptively they incorporate feedback and their ability to adapt their approach.

Activity #2: Stakeholder Communication Exercise

This exercise assesses a candidate's ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, tailor messages appropriately, and manage expectations. Project managers serve as the central communication hub, translating technical details for executives while providing strategic context to team members. This skill directly impacts project alignment and stakeholder satisfaction.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a scenario involving a project challenge that requires communication to multiple stakeholders (e.g., a significant delay, scope change, or budget issue).
• Provide profiles of 3-4 key stakeholders with different priorities and communication preferences (e.g., a technical team lead, a non-technical executive sponsor, an external client).
• Give candidates 30-45 minutes to prepare their communications.
• Consider conducting this as a role-play exercise where interviewers play the stakeholders.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the project scenario and stakeholder profiles.
• Prepare appropriate communications for each stakeholder addressing the challenge:
• For each stakeholder, create a brief written communication (email or memo)
• Outline talking points for a verbal conversation with each stakeholder
• Consider the appropriate level of detail, tone, and focus for each stakeholder.
• Be prepared to explain your communication strategy and how you prioritized information.
• During role-play interactions, demonstrate active listening and adaptability.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on one strength in the candidate's communication approach (e.g., "You effectively translated technical issues into business impact for the executive") and one area for improvement (e.g., "The client communication could benefit from more emphasis on solutions rather than problems").
• Ask the candidate to revise one of their stakeholder communications based on the feedback.
• Evaluate their ability to incorporate the feedback while maintaining their authentic communication style.

Activity #3: Project Crisis Management Simulation

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to think critically under pressure, prioritize effectively, and develop practical solutions to unexpected challenges. Project managers regularly face unforeseen obstacles that threaten timelines, budgets, or deliverables. Their response to these situations often determines project success or failure.

Directions for the Company:

• Develop a scenario where a project is facing multiple simultaneous challenges (e.g., a key team member's departure, technical failure, scope expansion request, and budget constraint).
• Provide relevant background information about the project status, team composition, and organizational context.
• Allow 30 minutes for the candidate to analyze the situation and develop a response plan.
• Consider conducting this as a live exercise where new information is introduced during the simulation.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the crisis scenario and quickly assess the situation.
• Develop an immediate action plan that addresses:
• Prioritization of issues based on impact and urgency
• Specific actions to mitigate each challenge
• Resource reallocation if necessary
• Communication strategy for relevant stakeholders
• Be prepared to explain your decision-making process and the trade-offs you considered.
• Demonstrate how you would maintain team morale and project momentum during the crisis.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on one strength in the candidate's crisis management approach (e.g., "Your prioritization framework was logical and comprehensive") and one area for improvement (e.g., "Consider how you might leverage additional organizational resources in this situation").
• Ask the candidate to refine their approach to one specific aspect of the crisis based on the feedback.
• Observe their ability to quickly incorporate new perspectives while under time pressure.

Activity #4: Team Leadership and Conflict Resolution Role Play

This exercise assesses a candidate's ability to lead diverse teams, facilitate productive discussions, and resolve interpersonal conflicts. Project managers must often navigate team dynamics, balance competing perspectives, and maintain progress despite disagreements. Their leadership approach directly impacts team performance and project outcomes.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a scenario involving a team conflict or collaboration challenge (e.g., disagreement between technical and business team members about project priorities, team member not meeting commitments, or cross-functional friction).
• Provide background information on the team members involved, including their roles, perspectives, and working styles.
• Arrange for company representatives to role-play team members in a 20-30 minute simulation.
• Brief the role players on their characters' positions, concerns, and communication styles.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the team scenario and prepare to facilitate a discussion aimed at resolving the conflict or challenge.
• During the role play:
• Establish a productive meeting environment
• Ensure all perspectives are heard and acknowledged
• Guide the discussion toward constructive problem-solving
• Address underlying issues, not just symptoms
• Work toward concrete next steps and commitments
• Demonstrate active listening, emotional intelligence, and fair leadership throughout the exercise.
• Be prepared to explain your approach to team leadership and conflict resolution afterward.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on one strength in the candidate's leadership approach (e.g., "You effectively validated each person's perspective before moving to solutions") and one area for improvement (e.g., "Consider establishing more concrete action items and accountability").
• Give the candidate an opportunity to reflect on the feedback and describe how they would adjust their approach in a similar future situation.
• Evaluate their self-awareness and capacity for leadership growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should we allocate for these work sample exercises?

Each exercise typically requires 30-60 minutes for the candidate to complete, plus additional time for feedback and discussion. Consider spreading them across multiple interview stages rather than conducting all four in a single session. For more senior positions, you might use more complex scenarios and allow more time.

Should we use the same scenarios for all candidates?

Yes, using consistent scenarios allows for more objective comparison between candidates. However, you may need to adjust the industry context or technical details to align with candidates' backgrounds. The core challenges and competencies being tested should remain consistent.

What if our company doesn't have the resources to conduct elaborate role plays?

You can simplify these exercises while maintaining their effectiveness. For example, the stakeholder communication exercise could be conducted as a written assignment rather than a live role play. The key is ensuring the exercise still tests the relevant project management competencies in a practical way.

How should we weight these exercises compared to traditional interviews?

Work samples typically provide stronger predictive validity than traditional behavioral interviews. Consider giving these exercises significant weight (40-60%) in your overall evaluation, particularly for experienced project manager roles where practical skills are crucial. For entry-level positions, you might place relatively more emphasis on potential and learning agility.

Can these exercises introduce bias into our hiring process?

Any assessment method carries potential for bias. Mitigate this by using standardized evaluation criteria, training multiple evaluators, and ensuring scenarios don't unfairly advantage candidates from specific backgrounds. Consider how different cultural approaches to communication and leadership might influence performance in these exercises.

Should candidates receive the exercise details in advance?

For exercises testing planning and preparation skills (like the project planning exercise), providing details 24-48 hours in advance is appropriate. For exercises testing adaptability and thinking on one's feet (like the crisis management simulation), providing the scenario during the interview is more effective.

Project management excellence requires a unique combination of technical knowledge, leadership skills, and practical problem-solving abilities. By incorporating these work samples into your hiring process, you'll gain deeper insights into candidates' capabilities and identify those most likely to succeed in your specific environment.

Yardstick's suite of hiring tools can help you design and implement these assessments effectively, ensuring you consistently identify top project management talent. Learn more about optimizing your hiring process with our AI Job Descriptions, AI Interview Question Generator, and AI Interview Guide Generator.

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