This practice City Manager job interview is from an actual civil service interview. 

The practice City Manager interview questions are provided by the Complete Civil Service Interview Guide.  The Guide is written by experts who have developed civil service exams, written interview questions, and conducted civil service interviews at all levels.  This step-by-step Guide will teach you how to succeed in the civil service interview including:

• How civil service interviews are different from private industry interviews and how to handle the differences.
• How to identify possible interview questions before your civil service interview.
• How to answer any civil service interview question confidently and without nervousness.
• Answers to the toughest interview questions and situations.
• How civil service interviews are scored and which words to say to raise your score.

Civil service test guides and more from the Complete Civil Service Interview Guide on governmentjob.us including more practice interviews and civil service interview questions and answers. 

Job Description   

• Directs and administers all departments, agencies, and offices of the City to achieve goals within available resources; appoints, removes and evaluates management staff directly and other staff indirectly; reviews operational progress and directs changes as needed.

• Establishes policies and procedures for the City in order to implement directives from the City Council

• Directs and evaluates the long-range operational needs of the City with respect to equipment, personnel, and services; directs the implementation of such plans across departments.

• Directs the formulation and enforcement of all City rules, regulations, and procedures in accordance with applicable City polices; handles grievances, maintains discipline and the general conduct of all City employees.

• Supervises and coordinates the preparation and presentation of the annual City budget; oversees the expenditure of City appropriations; evaluates the need for and recommends staffing levels and the purchase of new equipment, supplies, and services.

• Oversees the development and implementation of growth management, land use, economic development, and other community development programs and services to meet the City’s needs pursuant to adopted plans, regulations and budgets.

• Directs the preparation of monthly reports to the City Council regarding the activities of all departments and supervises a variety of other reports as appropriate.

• Attends conferences and meetings to keep abreast of current trends in the profession; represents the City in a variety of local, county, state and other meetings.

Practice City Manager Job Interview

• Tell us about yourself and what interests you in the City Manager position?

• Tell us about your qualifications.

• What do you see as the role of city government in keeping the cost of government down while providing essential services to residents?

• The citizens are diverse and are very involved in this community with many different perspectives. Have you ever been in a position where two people wanted you to take opposite positions on the same subject?

• Please tell us about one mistake you made in a previous job and how you handled it.

• What do you think you bring to this job that others might not?

• Do you consider your management style to be most like a commander or a coach? 

• Follow-up:  Give us an example.

• In this job every day is different, and even though you have a to-do list for the day, a telephone call or e-mail can change everything. How do you take care of the unexpected and still get your other work done?

• What do you see as the threats and opportunities facing our city?

• Thank you for your time today. Before we conclude, do you have any additional information regarding your qualifications for this position? 

• Do you have questions you would like to ask the council members present today?