Southwest Airlines Project Manager Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 9 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Candidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Southwest Airlines.
Southwest Airlines
Project Manager
Senior Easy Neutral experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen
Interview formats
Behavioral
I applied many times and was excited to finally get an interview. The recruiter call went really well, they mentioned multiple openings and thought I'd be a great fit. We both seemed excited! The recruiter said I'd get an email with the next steps within two weeks. I reached out a few times over the next couple weeks because I was very interested, but didn't hear back. Eventually, I was told they were doing internal interviews first. After multiple polite attempts to follow up, I just got a rejection email. I was really hoping to work at Southwest, it's been a long-term goal. Such an amazing company. I was more disappointed than anything. Felt like I got the run around.
Confirmed questions1 question
- What makes you want to work for Southwest?
Southwest Airlines
Project Manager
Mid Easy Positive experience Accept offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Technical screen Onsite Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
I hope giving these details about my interview helps others looking to apply, I tried to record all the questions I was asked at each stage! Everyone was very friendly on each call and the recruiter was responsive and helpful throughout the process. I applied on 11/30/2021, the same day the job was posted. Then had a phone interview on 12/13/2021. My first virtual interview was on 12/16/2021 with the hiring manager, his colleague, and the recruiter. The final virtual interview was on 1/7/2022 with senior manager and senior director for project management, no recruiter (it was delayed due to holidays otherwise I believe this interview would've happened sooner). On 1/10/2022, I received an offer contingent on background approval, and I wasn't given a start date until the background cleared.
Confirmed questions8 questions
- Can you tell me about yourself and your experience?
- Why are you interested in this role and Southwest?
- Tell me more about the project timeline or roadmap example you submitted.
Southwest Airlines
Project Manager
Mid Easy Negative experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call
Interview formats
Behavioral
This company is one to avoid. If you have more experience and technical/product knowledge than the hiring director, they see you as a threat. They prefer to hire people with lower skills they can control. I interviewed for a Project Manager role in February 2019. I have excellent experience with top companies, plus the education and certifications. The interview process seems designed to hire 'good old boys' rather than the best candidates. Just act dumb and they'll say you're a cultural fit. It's no wonder they have such a bad history with aircraft maintenance and service. I'm glad I'm going to American Airlines, a company twice their size, for a better position and more money. Southwest recruiters took about a week and a half to get back to me.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Standard questions were asked.
Southwest Airlines Project Manager Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from Southwest Airlines interview reports.
“Once a project is implemented, how do you assess its success?”
Read reports →“Do you take things personally?”
Read reports →“What are your hobbies or what do you enjoy doing in your free time?”
Read reports →“How do you prepare for and manage debrief meetings with project leaders?”
Read reports →“In your opinion, what is the most crucial element of being a project manager?”
Read report →“Describe your approach to managing project risks.”
Read report →“What aspects do you appreciate and dislike about your current team?”
Read report →“Could you elaborate on the details of this project?”
Read report →“What motivated your decision to go into project management?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 9 Southwest Airlines interview reports.