Most ICMA members have sat on both sides of the interview table. We have prepared our own answers, served on panels, advised colleagues, and considered how candidates might perform under public scrutiny long after the interview ends. Even experienced local government professionals can be surprised by the weight interviews carry.

It is not that the questions themselves have become more complicated. Many are familiar and predictable. Panels are listening for how candidates demonstrate judgment, credibility, and alignment with public service values. They are also observing how candidates support their teams and navigate governance expectations.

This applies across management levels, not only city or county manager searches. Whether the role is a department director, assistant director, or other management position, interviews offer the primary opportunity to convey both technical competence and leadership qualities, including decision-making, problem-solving, and navigating complexity.

A handful of interview moments often shape how candidates are perceived. Those moments reveal how a leader thinks, listens, and responds when the stakes are real. The eight sections below highlight the crucial moments that often stand out in an interview.

1. Accountability and Ownership

Questions about failures, setbacks, or missed goals are rarely intended to trap candidates. Panels are listening for how candidates take responsibility, explain outcomes, and reflect on their own role when things do not go as planned. In local government, where decisions are public and affect staff, teams, and the community, accountability carries particular weight.

Strong candidates describe their role clearly and provide context without defensiveness. They explain what they learned from the experience and how it shaped subsequent actions. The focus is not on the misstep itself, but on the insight gained and the positive influence on both team and organizational outcomes.

2. Self-Awareness and Feedback

It is common to encounter questions about development areas, past feedback, or challenging situations. Panels often use these discussions to gauge whether candidates understand themselves and can respond effectively over time, revealing self-awareness, accountability, and a growth mindset.

Candidates are most effective when they are candid about real areas for growth. They describe concrete steps they have taken to improve, such as adjusting habits, refining approaches, or seeking targeted mentorship. By showing that they reflect on their behavior and actively work to develop, candidates convey maturity, credibility, and readiness to take on complex leadership responsibilities.

3. Working Within Governance

Leaders at all levels often face questions about how they navigate policies, interpret regulations, coordinate team decisions, or engage with elected officials, boards, and other oversight bodies. These discussions reveal whether a candidate can balance governance expectations, organizational priorities, and team responsibilities while maintaining accountability to both internal and external stakeholders.

Candidates who stand out demonstrate awareness of their role within the team and organization, while understanding the perspectives and priorities of governing bodies and the broader community. They describe how they have provided recommendations, facilitated discussions, and balanced differing viewpoints to achieve results. By showing an ability to align with governance structures, exercise sound judgment, and lead across internal teams and external oversight bodies, candidates convey credibility, leadership, and the capacity to make decisions that are defensible, effective, and aligned with public service values.

4. Judgment Under Pressure

Interviews often explore how candidates handle challenging and high-stakes situations, from everyday operational decisions to urgent issues with significant consequences for staff, the public, or governing bodies. Panels listen closely for how candidates weigh competing priorities, make decisions under stress or uncertainty, involve their teams, and maintain composure when pressure is high.

Candidates stand out when they can clearly describe examples from both routine and high-pressure circumstances. Strong responses demonstrate thoughtful prioritization, steady judgment, and the ability to delegate effectively while keeping teams informed and supported. By acknowledging contributions, maintaining clarity, and guiding others through complex situations with confidence, candidates convey leadership presence, credibility, and the capacity to manage complexity while sustaining trust.

5. Managing Conflict and Difficult Relationships

Conflict is an inevitable part of local government work, whether involving colleagues, departments, unions, elected officials, or community members. Interviews often explore how candidates handle disagreements and navigate challenging relationships, offering insight into their leadership style, judgment, and ability to maintain organizational effectiveness amid tension or differing perspectives.

Strong candidates acknowledge that outcomes do not always go as planned and describe how they address conflict respectfully and professionally. Effective responses emphasize attentive listening, clear and transparent communication, appropriate boundary-setting, and a focus on shared goals rather than assigning blame. By demonstrating support for their teams, balancing competing viewpoints, and maintaining trust and collaboration during difficult conversations, candidates convey emotional intelligence, credibility, and the capacity to sustain productive relationships across the organization and with external stakeholders.

6. Career Transitions

It’s typical to encounter questions about career interruptions such as short tenures, job losses, or transitions. Panels are listening for candidates’ ability to recognize patterns in their own behavior, respond to guidance, and demonstrate maturity when reflecting on performance and career decisions over time. Organizations want leaders who can learn from experience, maintain credibility, and provide stability to their teams.

Candidates who are are candid about career transitions and acknowledge challenges without shifting responsibility onto others are those who stand out. They describe lessons learned from difficult experiences and how they’ve applied these insights to strengthen their effectiveness. By showing reflection, active development, and the ability to learn from experience, they convey readiness to grow in complex organizations while maintaining trust with both teams and oversight bodies.

7. Demonstrating Readiness Through Scenarios and Examples

Interviews often include situational questions, case scenarios, or requests for examples of past work. Panels are listening for evidence of judgment, problem-solving, and the ability to apply knowledge in context. These questions reveal how candidates think through challenges, sequence decisions, and anticipate consequences. They also provide insights into how the candidate is likely to fit within a community’s own organization and culture.

Answers that leave an impression show clear reasoning and a thoughtful approach to complex situations. They reflect candidates who are prepared, have considered relevant examples in advance, and can highlight how those examples connect to the needs of the community they hope to serve. Such answers show the ability to clarify expectations, weigh trade-offs, and communicate intended actions effectively. They convey preparedness, practical judgment, and the ability to navigate real-world challenges while keeping teams, the organization, and stakeholders in mind.

8. Adaptability, Technology, and Modern Expectations

Interviews increasingly explore how candidates respond to change, adopt new tools, or manage evolving work environments. Questions in this area often ask candidates to describe how they have implemented new technologies, adapted processes, or addressed emerging challenges. Panels are attempting to evaluate how candidates think through technical changes, integrate them responsibly, and ensure alignment with organizational and community needs.

Responses that resonate show flexibility and practical judgment. Candidates who can describe how they evaluated new approaches, introduced or supported specific tools, or helped their teams adapt to new workflows or organizational practices demonstrate readiness for dynamic roles. Highlighting experiences that connect technology, process changes, or evolving team structures to the organization’s mission or the community’s expectations reinforces awareness of impact, accountability, and leadership in modern local government environments.

Interviews are not only a review of past accomplishments. They give panels a chance to see how candidates think, make decisions, and interact with people across the organization. Candidates who prepare thoughtfully can highlight experiences that demonstrate judgment, adaptability, and leadership in real situations. Preparation also allows them to show how they support their teams, engage with stakeholders, and navigate complex challenges. When candidates convey reflection, readiness, and insight into their approach, panels gain a sense not only of what they have achieved, but also of how they are likely to contribute to the organization’s goals, culture, and mission.

MARY JACOBS is ICMA’s new managing regional director. A former ICMA board member with 28 years’ experience in city management, she was also a consultant and recruiter before joining the ICMA staff. (mjacobs@icma.org)