Leadership is an important topic to discuss in any interview.
Regardless of your industry, background, or experience level, employers want to know how you’ve served as a leader in your career and how you can use those skills in the role you’re interviewing for. But figuring out how to discuss your leadership experience can be tricky.
Employers ask about leadership skills in a variety of ways; you may get questions like:
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How would you describe your leadership style?
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How do you resolve conflicts on a team?
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Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision as a leader?
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Explain how you would lead a team in meeting a challenging goal.
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Tell me about a time when you helped an underperforming team member improve their work?
While preparing for your next interview, remember to think of your experience in different ways. Leadership isn’t just about assuming a high-level position with a great deal of responsibility; you can find examples of leadership in your part-time and full-time jobs, volunteer work, passion projects, and other experiences. Preparing to talk about your leadership skills from different angles will empower you to make a positive impression on the interviewer and position yourself as a top candidate.
8 leadership examples to use in an interview
Leadership experience from an early job
Employers tend to be most interested in your current or recent work experiences, but you can also discuss older jobs during your interview. If you haven’t had the chance to lead in your recent roles, for example, share relevant examples from your earlier positions.
“In my previous role as a Training Specialist at Bliss Business Services, I led a team of five trainers and consultants in providing technical training for up to 250 employees. Leading this team taught me how to delegate responsibilities, build relationships, and resolve conflicts. Although I have gained a great deal of experience from my recent positions, I am excited to get back into a role where I can lead a team and oversee projects, which is why I applied for this opportunity.”
Leadership experience from volunteer work
Discussing your volunteer work is a great way to share how you’ve flexed your leadership skills while being of service to others.
“As a volunteer at Hope Horizons, I prepared care packages for first-generation college students with few resources. When we ran out of items to put in those packages, I went to the operations manager and we made a plan to get more items. I contacted local community members about donating products, marketed the initiative on social media platforms, and coordinated pick-ups for the items. By the end of that week, we provided care packages for more than 100 students. Leading those efforts was really satisfying because I was able to help other people, but it was also fulfilling to adapt to an unexpected situation, execute a plan, and get results. Because of that experience, I am a more resilient and effective leader today.”
Leadership experience as an entry-level employee
Everyone’s career starts somewhere, so don't overlook your entry-level jobs when discussing your leadership experience. Focus on what you learned in those early roles and how it’s shaped you as a productive team member and leader.
“As a project assistant for a small startup, I had to do a lot of outreach, resolve administrative and operational issues, and onboard our contractors on up to fifteen projects each quarter. All of this helped me to become a more proficient leader because I had to quickly figure things out and deliver results with minimal guidance and supervision.”
Leadership experience as a student
As a current or recent student, you may have leadership examples you can discuss from working on class projects, participating in clubs, playing sports, or completing internships.
“When I was a student at Brookstone Community College, I started a mentorship program where local professionals and business owners could mentor our students. I started this program because me and my friends wanted to have someone we could talk to about building a career we were proud of. I pitched the idea to our student activities center, recruited mentors and mentees, and served as the ambassador for the program. I graduated last winter, but Brookstone students are still benefiting from the program today.”
Read more: 25 Companies That Help You Pay Off Student Loan Debt
Leadership experience from a side-hustle
Whether you are working a side gig to make extra money, build your skills in a new field, or expand your network, you can gain professional experience from contract work that employers will find valuable.
“As a freelancer for C&C Communications, I created content for the company’s blog and email newsletter. In doing so, I became proficient in using multiple content management systems and mastered creating SEO-optimized content. I also strengthened my leadership skills. As a freelancer, there was no one to stay on top of me about deadlines or find the resources I needed to complete a project. It was up to me to build relationships with internal staff, meet all deadlines, and market the content effectively while tracking my own productivity.”
Leadership experience from an unrelated job
Even jobs that are in a different industry or area than the one you’re applying for can exemplify your leadership skills. Consider the transferable skills you’ve gained from unrelated jobs and be sure to include them as you discuss leadership skills.
“In my previous role as a recruiter, I was responsible for designing and updating job descriptions, coordinating interviews, and marketing three to five jobs at a time. For each of these functions, I was the primary point of contact for the applicants and the hiring team, so my role was public-facing and I had to positively represent the company. This experience helped me become a stronger communicator, process manager, and collaborator—all skills that I believe are vital to strong leadership.”
Leadership experience from social groups
Joining a social group is a good way to meet new people, build your communication skills, and channel your creative energy in a positive way. If you’ve already joined a social group, such as a parenting club, sorority, or support group, you can talk about your role in the group during your interview.
“I've been fortunate to lead some great groups in my professional career but I’ve also become a leader in my book club. Me and a group of 10 other women meet biweekly to discuss books we like. I serve as the group’s administrator, so I maintain our meeting calendar, manage our reading list, and send updates to the group via email. Overseeing this group has strengthened my leadership skills in a new way; the members are not paid employees, so there is no financial incentive for them to be there. Instead, I work diligently to keep them engaged by selecting quality book titles, moderating good discussions, and making room for everyone to participate, which is what a good leader does.”
Leadership experience from parenting
Creating a plan to achieve a common goal is a big part of leadership, and moms—who are reportedly working more now than in 2020—understand this. Whether you’re planning a family trip, coordinating a carpool, or delegating household tasks, your parenting skills reflect your leadership abilities.
“Serving as a leader in my family allows me to be a stronger leader in my career. My recent role as a program manager required me to travel nationally throughout the year. To show up for those trips while causing as little disruption to my household as possible, I would schedule grocery delivery, coordinate laundry service, and make a plan for getting everyone to work and school during that week. It’s very similar to how I lead teams at work; the key is clearly communicating the plan and remaining flexible in case something goes awry. But because I’ve been an effective leader in my home, I feel more confident to lead your teams to success.”
