Interview Questions to Facilities Managers

Facilities managers can work in various industries, but they usually manage the facilities of a particular building or location. They look after everything from building care and maintenance to the ordering of stock and inventory and setting up supplier, vendor, and service contracts. 

Facilities managers usually have an educational background in business or facilities or a related field. Look for candidates who have experience in a similar industry to yours and who demonstrate strong communication skills and business acumen.

Skill-based questions

It is good practice to ask various types of questions, including skill-based, role-specific, behavioral and situational questions, to identify strong candidates.

• How many buildings/locations have you had experience managing?
• What computer systems are you most familiar with using?
• How do you manage ongoing projects at a facility?
• Have you negotiated vendor and supplier rates previously?
• How do you prioritize tasks that need to be completed?
• How do you keep calm under pressure?

Situational & Behavioural questions

• You have a building with a leaking roof. What is the first thing you do?
• The building/company insurance is due to expire. What do you do?
• You have a feeling a supplier/vendor is overcharging you. What's your next move?
• Tell me why the security of a building is important.
• Have you ever had to respond to an out-of-hours emergency? What was it, and how did you deal with it?

General Questions

• What are some things you would like to achieve in your work career within the next five years?
• What have you done in your career so far to learn and develop yourself professionally?
• Why did you decide to enter the facilities industry?
• What are the top three skills you have that you think you can transfer to this role?
• Why have you applied for this role? How do you think you will benefit from working in the role?

Conclusion

The questions above will help you to identify quality candidates who are going through your recruitment process. Remember to look for candidates who demonstrate strong communication skills along with good negotiation skills, the ability to manage others, and previous experience in managing complex projects.