33 Interview Questions for Production
Planners (With Sample Answers)
By Indeed Editorial Team
September 30, 2021
When applying for a position as a production planner, preparing for the interview
process is important. Professionals who can confidently and succinctly answer an
interviewer's questions often demonstrate that they're a qualified candidate. Taking time
to review common questions and practice your answers can help you secure available
production planner roles. In this article, we share 33 interview questions that hiring
managers commonly ask when conducting an interview for a production planner
position, along with some sample answers for reference.
General questions
Employers typically ask general questions to learn about your personality and working
style. It can be helpful to research the company prior to your interview so you can
discuss their core values and how they align with your own. Here are questions that an
interviewer might ask in order to better understand your personality and interest in an
available position:
1. Why is production planning important to you?
2. What does production planning mean in your own opinion?
3. What can you tell us about our company?
4. How would you describe your approach to work?
5. How do you maintain a high level of motivation at work?
6. Can you describe your qualifications on your resume?
7. What would you like to achieve in the next two years?
8. Why did you choose to work in the production industry?
9. What are some challenges you think you would experience working
here?
10. How might your strengths factor into your work in this role?
Related: Interview Vocabulary Words To Use During a Job Interview
Questions about experience and background
An employer might ask these questions because they want to know how your
background qualifies you for an available position. Here are some questions an
interviewer may ask to learn more about your experience:
1. Have you performed tasks similar to the ones you'd perform in the
available role?
2. Can you describe a situation in which your innovation improved a
production process?
3. Can you list types of production systems with which you're familiar?
4. What steps would you take to ensure you adhere to a tight deadline?
5. Can you tell me about a time you felt stressed at work and what you did
to ease that stress?
6. Have you ever been in charge of a budget before? If so, how did you
handle that process?
7. What lessons have you learned in your previous positions that apply to
this role?
8. How have you maximized productivity in your previous positions?
9. What strategies have you used to excel in your previous roles?
10. How have you adjusted to using new equipment in the past?
Related: How To Win the Interview
In-depth questions
These questions allow you to discuss the methods you might employ to handle specific
situations. An interviewer often asks these questions because they want to gauge your
industry-related knowledge and how you approach problems. Here are a few examples
of in-depth questions an interviewer may ask you:
1. What's a strategy you might use to lower costs without affecting a
product's quality?
2. What would you do if an important component of production
malfunctioned unexpectedly?
3. Can you discuss some detailed examples of factors that can affect
production during each stage?
4. Can you describe the stages of production planning?
5. Can you define different types of production systems?
6. Can you explain how product design affects production planning?
7. Describe your process for prioritizing and planning your work.
8. Give an example of a time when your planning style worked optimally.
9. What's your approach to providing directions to your team?
10. Have you ever interacted with a difficult client? If so, what did you
do?
Related: A Guide to Acing the Interview
Interview questions with sample answers
Here are some questions with sample answers that you can reference when preparing
for an interview for a production planner role:
What would you do if one of your primary suppliers can't deliver an
essential product due to a shortage?
Production often depends on the availability of materials to function properly, so a
shortage can stall the a process and result in reduced production. An effective
production team often has contingency plans in case it encounters this situation. Try to
provide actionable steps you would take when answering this question.
Example: "If I learned of a shortage from one of my suppliers, I would immediately contact
an alternative supplier. It's important to possess more than one source of important
materials in case something goes wrong. If there isn't sufficient material from any available
source, I would acquire the largest amount I can and make necessary adjustments with my
logistics team. As soon as I notice any variation in supply, it's essential to inform relevant
teams at every stage of production so we can reduce negative impact."
What would you do to manage the impact of an absent team member?
Interviewers often ask questions that prompt you to describe ways in which you might
handle challenging circumstances. When answering this question, it's important to
demonstrate your adaptability, improvisation and leadership skills. Because production
planners schedule a production process, it's important to create flexible plans that can
change if a team member is absent.
Example: "When creating a production plan, it's crucial to make it flexible enough that a few
absences don't pause a process. If an employee is absent, the first thing I would do is ask if
anyone could work on their day off. If no one is available, I would let the team know that the
day is going to be more difficult than usual but that I would also work alongside them in this
effort. It would also be essential to highlight everyone's value and my appreciation for them
performing extra tasks that day."
Related: Guide to Production Planning: Benefits and Steps
Can you describe a situation in which you made a mistake that negatively
impacted production and how you learned from it?
An employer may ask questions like these because they want to know how you
overcome mistakes. When answering, it's important to present a situation in which your
mistake may not have been dire but was still an important learning opportunity for you.
Example: "During my previous role as a production planner, a project my team had been
completing for weeks was finally nearing completion. It was a crucial time in the production
cycle, and it was essential for the rest of the process to operate smoothly. On the last day of
production, my supervisor tasked me with conducting a final check. However, I also had a
meeting with a new client that day. I delegated the task to a team member who didn't
account for a crucial step.
As a result, I wasn't there to fix my colleague's mistake. I learned that it's important to
understand when to delegate and when to remain present with a team."
