recruitment for IT PM - task to resolve for Candidate

Another angle is for them to describe a time in their own career history where they passed that test.

Those types of situational questions are generally targeted to highlight specific priorities like ethics, technical problem solving, dealing with difficult stakeholders, etc. I could describe any number of theoretical fantasy situations where I saved the world, so long as they never have to actually work. That would make me a convincing story teller, not an amazing PM or engineer.

Instead, ask the question in the form of:
1) Describe a time when you were faced with this difficulty.
2) How did you handle the situation?
3) What was the outcome?

Now, either they are telling you about how they have demonstrated the critical abilities you need, or they are outright lying.

Sure - present the candidate with a project canvas or charter for a typical project they'd be responsible for managing and see how they'd do with facilitating a further decomposition or definition of the project scope.

This could be done with story mapping or a more traditional WBS...

Kiron