Are You Ready for a Management Position? Take This Quiz to Find Out!

I recently did a quiz test for an engineering management position and got the idea of sharing some of the questions with you guys. Here are 5 real questions you could get on a management quiz. Try to think through each one.

I left my answers at the end of each scenario for you to check out. I should note that whenever you’re doing an exercise like this, ideally you would’ve checked the company culture to understand their management style.

Note: These scenarios are hypothetical and meant as food for thought. Actual scenarios depend on a bunch of factors and should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

1st Scenario

John, a long-time employee, has been consistently performing poorly for the past few months. This is a problem because the team requires his full performance for the upcoming projects. His manager, Sarah, has spoken to him multiple times about improving his performance, but there has been no change. What should Sarah do?

a) Give John one final warning and let him go if he doesn’t improve in a month
b) Reduce John’s workload and give him a mentor to help him improve
c) Offer John a bonus if he improves his performance in the next quarter
d) Do nothing and hope that John’s performance improves on its own

Show Answer

b – Reducing John’s workload and giving him a mentor might seem counterintuitive but short wins can incentivize the employee for the upcoming projects. Offering a bonus is not a nice incentive as it opens up precedents, and terminating the contract might be a bigger hassle for the company (although it should be considered), especially if he plays a big role in the team.

2nd Scenario

Jane, a new employee, has been doing an excellent job and has received praise from her team and manager. However, she has been consistently arriving late to work. Company policy states that employees should arrive on time to work. What should her manager, Alex, do?

a) Give Jane a warning and possibly discount the missed time
b) Ignore Jane’s tardiness as long as she is doing a good job in other areas
c) Offer Jane a flexible schedule that accommodates her lateness
d) Fire Jane immediately for not following company policy

Show Answer

a – Although Jane’s doing a great job, arriving late in this company means she is breaking her contract. Because of that, the manager should enforce it by first warning the employee, with eventual repercussions.

3rd Scenario

David, an employee who has been with the company for two years, has been diagnosed with a serious illness and will need to take an extended leave of absence. What should his manager do?

a) Fire David and hire someone else to take his place
b) Offer David a severance package and wish him well
c) Accommodate David’s leave and work with him to ensure a smooth transition
d) Refuse David’s leave request and ask him to continue working through his illness

Show Answer

c – Accommodating David’s leave and working with him to ensure a smooth transition is an appropriate response to an employee’s extended leave due to illness. Terminating David’s employment or refusing his leave request would be unfair and could result in legal consequences.

4th Scenario

Eric, an employee who has been with the company for three years, has been consistently coming to work under the influence of alcohol. What should his manager do?

a) Ignore Eric’s behavior as long as it is not impacting his work
b) Confront Eric and offer him counseling or therapy
c) Fire Eric immediately for violating company policy
d) Offer Eric a flexible schedule to accommodate his drinking

Show Answer

c – Firing Eric immediately for violating company policy is an appropriate response to an employee coming to work under the influence of alcohol. Depending on the degree of the offense, offering counseling or therapy may also be helpful, however, that is not the responsibility of the company.

5th Scenario

Michael, an employee who has been with the company for five years, has been consistently missing work without giving prior notice. What should his manager do?

a) Fire Michael immediately for not showing up to work
b) Give Michael a warning and let him know that his behavior is not acceptable
c) Offer Michael a flexible schedule to accommodate his needs
d) Offer Michael additional training or resources to help him improve his attendance

Show Answer

b – Since it’s an old employee, giving Michael a warning and letting him know that his behavior is not acceptable is the appropriate response to an employee consistently missing work without prior notice. Terminating his employment immediately may not be the best solution, especially if he has the potential to improve.

That’s all for now folks! Let me know what you think in the comments, and definitely let me know your opinions and answers for these. Cheers!