Question: What is your opinion regarding having a manager who is significantly younger than you?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

How would you feel about reporting to a person younger than you?

Follow-up questions:

How will you manage conflict with this younger person?
What interpersonal skills have you developed that is going to help you the most in this situation?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Skills:

Basic – Active Listening,Social – Coordination (Adjusting one’s own actions in relation to others),Social – Rapport Buiding/Relating and Connecting with others,Social – Service Orientation (Customer Service/Focus),Social – Social Perceptiveness

Other Factors:

Big 5 – Openness to Experience (Open Mindedness),Personality-Team Fit,Rapport Building Question

Work Activity (Task):

Interacting with Others – Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates,Interacting with Others – Developing and Building Teams,Interacting with Others – Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships,Mental Processes – Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Work Context (Person-Job/Team/Org Fit):

Interpersonal Relationships – Interacting with Upper Management,Interpersonal Relationships – Relationship With Supervisor

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Adaptability/Flexibility

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

Look if they don’t care for the age difference and open to accepting new ideas. Look if they have brushed up the necessary skills to fit the role. Look if they would be using their interpersonal skills. Look for their willingness to work with whomever the position requires them to.

Red Flags to Watch For:

If the interviewee talks a lot about their achievements and sounds overqualified. If the interviewee cannot accept having a manager who is younger than them.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/top-interview-questions-and-answers