The most experienced candidate is not always the one who gets hired. Time and again, across city and agency recruitments statewide and beyond, selection panels choose leaders who bring more than just longevity to the table. They choose leaders who combine sound judgment with the ability to lead and inspire. They choose individuals who connect the dots, build trust and bring a clear sense of purpose to the community they hope to serve.
City manager interviews are unlike executive interviews in other sectors. The inherent nature of the position is public-facing, rooted in values and shaped by local context. Hiring authorities are evaluating not only whether a potential candidate has the skill to do the job, but whether they can be trusted to steward the organization and community over time.
Thorough preparation for an interview is essential, but that alone won’t cut it. The most compelling candidates combine knowledge of the city with an authentic heart for the community, the ability to articulate their experiences with clarity and a clear signal of long-term commitment.
Start With Understanding the Community
Interview panels expect candidates to understand the city as a living organization, not just a position to be filled or a stepping stone to something bigger or better. Strong candidates take the time to learn about the community’s demographics, economic base, fiscal condition and current priorities. They pay attention to recent council actions, major projects and community conversations, and they arrive prepared to speak thoughtfully about both the challenges and opportunities the city is facing. For candidates who are not already deeply familiar with the community, this means going beyond online research: spending time in the city itself, observing neighborhoods and business districts and watching recent council meetings. Seeing how elected officials deliberate, how staff present information and how residents engage provides insight that cannot be captured through written information alone.
This level of preparation goes beyond baseline diligence. It communicates respect for the organization and seriousness about the role. Just as importantly, it creates space for candidates to demonstrate a genuine heart for the community. Interview panels are not only assessing competence; they are evaluating connection and fit. They want to understand why a candidate is drawn to this city, this organization and this particular moment in its history.
Especially effective candidates go one step further by answering questions from the perspective of the role itself. Using language like “As the city manager, I would…” signals that the candidate is already thinking like the organization’s leader. They strengthen this approach by tying their answers to specific local realities: for example, referencing a recent council priority, a major infrastructure project or a known fiscal challenge and outlining a first step they would take. This connects preparation to action and vision to reality. When that level of specificity is paired with a genuine, felt care for the community, interview panels can begin to imagine the candidate leading the organization and representing the city.
Just as important during the interview itself is the ability to communicate with intention and awareness. Strong candidates are attentive to nonverbal cues from panel members, maintain eye contact with each individual on the panel and are mindful that they are building a working relationship in real time. They may even go so far as to check in respectfully during the interview itself to ensure they have addressed a panelist’s specific question, reinforcing that clear, two-way communication is a priority to them and subtly demonstrating how they would partner with the council if selected.
Tell the Story to Make Experience Meaningful
One common misstep in interviews is when candidates recite accomplishments rather than explaining their leadership through real scenarios. Interview panels may not remember resumes in detail, but they will remember stories.
Effective storytelling allows candidates to bring their experience to life and to move beyond titles and outcomes. Through curated and relevant examples, candidates can demonstrate how they have navigated conflict, made difficult or unpopular decisions, remained calm under pressure and led effectively amid ambiguity. These examples give panels insight into how a candidate thinks, prioritizes and responds when conditions are less than ideal.
Storytelling also creates space for personality and humanity to come through. A well-told story can reveal judgment, humility, self-awareness and growth over time. These examples can allow panelists to see not just what the candidate has done, but how they engage with others and carry themselves.
This human element matters. When panelists can connect with a candidate’s story, they are better able to envision that individual building trust with staff, communicating effectively with the public and navigating relationships with elected officials and community stakeholders. A thoughtfully told story about a difficult council relationship or a complex organizational change often leaves a far stronger and more lasting impression than a polished list of successes, because it feels authentic, relatable and grounded in lived leadership.
Demonstrate Stability and Commitment
In city management recruitment, continuity and long-term commitment are important considerations, even when they are not always discussed explicitly. Governing bodies are making a significant investment when they hire a city manager, and they are understandably trepidatious about candidates whose career paths suggest short tenures and frequent moves.
Strong candidates address this proactively. They are prepared to explain career transitions clearly and confidently without defensiveness. They articulate what they sought to accomplish in each role, what they achieved and why the timing of each transition made sense professionally or personally.
Candidates should also communicate a rootedness in stability going forward. It is recommended that they speak to their interest in building long-term relationships with the council, staff and community, and in seeing initiatives through over the course of multiple years. When candidates express what they are looking for in a “long-term home” and how this city fits that vision, it reassures panels that the candidate is seeking commitment, not just the next best thing.
Equally important is how candidates bring the conversation to a close. A concise and thoughtful closing statement gives candidates the opportunity to reinforce their commitment, address any relevant experience or perspective that did not surface during the interview and clearly articulate why they are well suited for the role at this specific moment. A strong close also acknowledges the importance of fit and the council’s responsibility to select the best candidate for the organization, recognizing that other qualified professionals are under consideration. That careful balance of confidence with humility underscores respect for the profession.
Make Character Evident
Experience and technical skill are obvious qualifications for city managers, but a differentiating factor can be character. Panels are listening closely for evidence of judgment, integrity and gravitas — qualities that indicate a candidate can lead effectively in both complex, public-facing environments and in more mundane times.
The key in an interview is to demonstrate political acumen without being political. Speak respectfully about past and current councils, even when describing challenges, and frame difficult experiences as learning opportunities rather than assigning blame. By striking this balance, candidates convey emotional intelligence, professionalism and trustworthiness.
Ethical judgment is equally critical. Panels look for candidates who can articulate how ethics guide decision-making, particularly in moments of pressure or high stakes. A clear understanding of and commitment to the ICMA Code of Ethics reinforces that foundation, signaling that professional integrity is not situational but embedded in their leadership approach. Demonstrating a thoughtful commitment to transparency and accountability reassures panels that the candidate can be relied upon to uphold the organization’s values.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the process, panels are asking a simple but profound question: Is this the person we can trust to lead our organization? City manager interviews are not just an assessment of experience or skill; they are a measure of judgment, character and connection. The most successful candidates go beyond preparation; they bring authenticity, a genuine heart for the community and a sense of humanity that allows them to connect with people at all levels. They demonstrate integrity and the steadiness needed to lead with confidence and purpose. In a city manager interview, get ready to show not only that you are capable, but that you embody the character, commitment and leadership a city can trust to guide it forward.