behavioral question problem solving

• Customer Service
• Graduate Jobs
• Information Technology
• Cover Letter
• Interview Process
• Interview Type
• Social Media
• What Should I Wear
• Job Related
• Personal Brand
• Previous Job
• Problem Solving
• Weakness and Strength
• Questions to Ask
• Interview Skills
• Common Mistakes
• Salary Negotiation

Behavioral Interview Questions About Problem Solving

“A problem is a chance for you to do your best .” Duke Ellington

Great problem solvers tend to be people with a healthy attitude to change and an open mind when it comes to new ideas. You either drown in the problem or you look at it as an opportunity for you to do your best work. Every workplace has problems, that’s life. Employers look for people who have solid problem solving strategies that they use to work through any workplace problems that arise.

Basic Questions About how You Go About Problem Solving:

Every job interview will have one or more questions about how you go about problem solving. If the role you are applying for is comprised largely of routine work you may just be asked a basic interview question like the ones below.

Off course the answer is always – ‘Yes I am a problem solver” but you need to do much more than just that. You need to explain how you go about problem solving. What is your strategy? What steps do you follow? These things matter.

• Are You a Problem Solver?
• How Do You Go About problem Solving?

Specific Behavioral Interview Questions About Problem Solving:

Most interviewers will ask very targeted behavioral interview questions to understand exactly how you go about problem solving. The following are 9 behavioral interview questions about how you approach problem solving in the workplace.

Before you click to see sample answers, see if you could answer these behavioral interview questions by yourself first.

1. Tell me about a situation where you had to solve a difficult problem. What did you do? What was the outcome? What do you wish you had done differently?

Sample answer to how you are a problem solver .

2. Describe a situation in which you recognized a potential problem as an opportunity. What did you do? What was the result? What, if anything, do you wish you had done differently?

Sample answer to how to show that problems are just opportunities in disguise .

3. What steps do you follow to study a problem before making a decision? Why?

Sample answer to how you would problem solve before making a decision .

4. Give me an example of a time you discovered an error that been overlooked by a colleague. What did you do? What was the outcome?

Sample answer on how you would tell colleagues they made a mistake .

5. What problem solving strategies do you use to stay aware of problems and resolve them in your work area? Can you give me an example of how this has worked for you in your current role?

Sample answer to show your problem solving strategies .

6. Describe the biggest work-related problem you have faced in the past 12 months. How did you handle it?

Sample answer to show how you handle biggest work related problems .

7. Can you tell me about a time where you have been caught unaware by a problem or an obstacle that you had not foreseen? What happened?

Sample to show how you deal with unexpected workplace problems .

8. Tell about a time when you were able to develop a different problem-solving approach. What steps did you follow?

Sample answer to show how your problem solving strategies .

9. Tell us about a time when you identified a potential problem and resolved the situation before it became a serious issue.

Sample answer to show you can identify problems and solve them .

10. Give a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.

Sample to show how you use logic to solve work problems .

Related Posts

• Making The Right Decision When You Have Multiple Options April 1, 2018
• 5 Types of Decision Making Skills You Need To Know July 31, 2017
• How To Answer Behavioral Interview Questions July 26, 2017
• The Secret to Setting Goals and Achieving Them July 11, 2017

MORE JOB INTERVIEW TOPICS

• Achievements
• Behavioural
• Communication
• Company Research
• Difficult Questions
• Interesting
• Outside Work
• Personal Skills
• Presentation Skills
• Prioritisation
• Question Type
• Quitting Your Current Job
• Repetitive Tasks
• Scheduling an Interview
• Time Pressure
• Tips and Interview Process
• Uncategorized
• Unemployment

ACE YOUR JOB INTERVIEW

Top 20 Problem Solving Interview Questions (Example Answers Included)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

When candidates prepare for interviews, they usually focus on highlighting their leadership, communication, teamwork, and similar crucial soft skills . However, not everyone gets ready for problem-solving interview questions. And that can be a big mistake.

Problem-solving is relevant to nearly any job on the planet. Yes, it’s more prevalent in certain industries, but it’s helpful almost everywhere.

Regardless of the role you want to land, you may be asked to provide problem-solving examples or describe how you would deal with specific situations. That’s why being ready to showcase your problem-solving skills is so vital.

If you aren’t sure who to tackle problem-solving questions, don’t worry, we have your back. Come with us as we explore this exciting part of the interview process, as well as some problem-solving interview questions and example answers.

What Is Problem-Solving?

When you’re trying to land a position, there’s a good chance you’ll face some problem-solving interview questions. But what exactly is problem-solving? And why is it so important to hiring managers?

Well, the good folks at Merriam-Webster define problem-solving as “the process or act of finding a solution to a problem.” While that may seem like common sense, there’s a critical part to that definition that should catch your eye.

What part is that? The word “process.”

In the end, problem-solving is an activity. It’s your ability to take appropriate steps to find answers, determine how to proceed, or otherwise overcome the challenge.

Being great at it usually means having a range of helpful problem-solving skills and traits. Research, diligence, patience, attention-to-detail , collaboration… they can all play a role. So can analytical thinking , creativity, and open-mindedness.

But why do hiring managers worry about your problem-solving skills? Well, mainly, because every job comes with its fair share of problems.

While problem-solving is relevant to scientific, technical, legal, medical, and a whole slew of other careers. It helps you overcome challenges and deal with the unexpected. It plays a role in troubleshooting and innovation. That’s why it matters to hiring managers.

How to Answer Problem-Solving Interview Questions

Okay, before we get to our examples, let’s take a quick second to talk about strategy. Knowing how to answer problem-solving interview questions is crucial. Why? Because the hiring manager might ask you something that you don’t anticipate.

Problem-solving interview questions are all about seeing how you think. As a result, they can be a bit… unconventional.

These aren’t your run-of-the-mill job interview questions . Instead, they are tricky behavioral interview questions . After all, the goal is to find out how you approach problem-solving, so most are going to feature scenarios, brainteasers, or something similar.

So, having a great strategy means knowing how to deal with behavioral questions. Luckily, there are a couple of tools that can help.

First, when it comes to the classic approach to behavioral interview questions, look no further than the STAR Method . With the STAR method, you learn how to turn your answers into captivating stories. This makes your responses tons more engaging, ensuring you keep the hiring manager’s attention from beginning to end.

Now, should you stop with the STAR Method? Of course not. If you want to take your answers to the next level, spend some time with the Tailoring Method , too.

With the Tailoring Method, it’s all about relevance. So, if you get a chance to choose an example that demonstrates your problem-solving skills, this is really the way to go.

We also wanted to let you know that we created an amazing free cheat sheet that will give you word-for-word answers for some of the toughest interview questions you are going to face in your upcoming interview. After all, hiring managers will often ask you more generalized interview questions!

Click below to get your free PDF now:

Get Our Job Interview Questions & Answers Cheat Sheet!

FREE BONUS PDF CHEAT SHEET: Get our " Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet " that gives you " word-word sample answers to the most common job interview questions you'll face at your next interview .

CLICK HERE TO GET THE JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS CHEAT SHEET

Top 3 Problem-Solving-Based Interview Questions

Alright, here is what you’ve been waiting for: the problem-solving questions and sample answers.

While many questions in this category are job-specific, these tend to apply to nearly any job. That means there’s a good chance you’ll come across them at some point in your career, making them a great starting point when you’re practicing for an interview.

So, let’s dive in, shall we? Here’s a look at the top three problem-solving interview questions and example responses.

1. Can you tell me about a time when you had to solve a challenging problem?

In the land of problem-solving questions, this one might be your best-case scenario. It lets you choose your own problem-solving examples to highlight, putting you in complete control.

When you choose an example, go with one that is relevant to what you’ll face in the role. The closer the match, the better the answer is in the eyes of the hiring manager.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“While working as a mobile telecom support specialist for a large organization, we had to transition our MDM service from one vendor to another within 45 days. This personally physically handling 500 devices within the agency. Devices had to be gathered from the headquarters and satellite offices, which were located all across the state, something that was challenging even without the tight deadline. I approached the situation by identifying the location assignment of all personnel within the organization, enabling me to estimate transit times for receiving the devices. Next, I timed out how many devices I could personally update in a day. Together, this allowed me to create a general timeline. After that, I coordinated with each location, both expressing the urgency of adhering to deadlines and scheduling bulk shipping options. While there were occasional bouts of resistance, I worked with location leaders to calm concerns and facilitate action. While performing all of the updates was daunting, my approach to organizing the event made it a success. Ultimately, the entire transition was finished five days before the deadline, exceeding the expectations of many.”

2. Describe a time where you made a mistake. What did you do to fix it?

While this might not look like it’s based on problem-solving on the surface, it actually is. When you make a mistake, it creates a challenge, one you have to work your way through. At a minimum, it’s an opportunity to highlight problem-solving skills, even if you don’t address the topic directly.

When you choose an example, you want to go with a situation where the end was positive. However, the issue still has to be significant, causing something negative to happen in the moment that you, ideally, overcame.

“When I first began in a supervisory role, I had trouble setting down my individual contributor hat. I tried to keep up with my past duties while also taking on the responsibilities of my new role. As a result, I began rushing and introduced an error into the code of the software my team was updating. The error led to a memory leak. We became aware of the issue when the performance was hindered, though we didn’t immediately know the cause. I dove back into the code, reviewing recent changes, and, ultimately, determined the issue was a mistake on my end. When I made that discovery, I took several steps. First, I let my team know that the error was mine and let them know its nature. Second, I worked with my team to correct the issue, resolving the memory leak. Finally, I took this as a lesson about delegation. I began assigning work to my team more effectively, a move that allowed me to excel as a manager and help them thrive as contributors. It was a crucial learning moment, one that I have valued every day since.”

3. If you identify a potential risk in a project, what steps do you take to prevent it?

Yes, this is also a problem-solving question. The difference is, with this one, it’s not about fixing an issue; it’s about stopping it from happening. Still, you use problem-solving skills along the way, so it falls in this question category.

If you can, use an example of a moment when you mitigated risk in the past. If you haven’t had that opportunity, approach it theoretically, discussing the steps you would take to prevent an issue from developing.

“If I identify a potential risk in a project, my first step is to assess the various factors that could lead to a poor outcome. Prevention requires analysis. Ensuring I fully understand what can trigger the undesired event creates the right foundation, allowing me to figure out how to reduce the likelihood of those events occurring. Once I have the right level of understanding, I come up with a mitigation plan. Exactly what this includes varies depending on the nature of the issue, though it usually involves various steps and checks designed to monitor the project as it progresses to spot paths that may make the problem more likely to happen. I find this approach effective as it combines knowledge and ongoing vigilance. That way, if the project begins to head into risky territory, I can correct its trajectory.”

17 More Problem-Solving-Based Interview Questions

In the world of problem-solving questions, some apply to a wide range of jobs, while others are more niche. For example, customer service reps and IT helpdesk professionals both encounter challenges, but not usually the same kind.

As a result, some of the questions in this list may be more relevant to certain careers than others. However, they all give you insights into what this kind of question looks like, making them worth reviewing.

Here are 17 more problem-solving interview questions you might face off against during your job search:

• How would you describe your problem-solving skills?
• Can you tell me about a time when you had to use creativity to deal with an obstacle?
• Describe a time when you discovered an unmet customer need while assisting a customer and found a way to meet it.
• If you were faced with an upset customer, how would you diffuse the situation?
• Tell me about a time when you had to troubleshoot a complex issue.
• Imagine you were overseeing a project and needed a particular item. You have two choices of vendors: one that can deliver on time but would be over budget, and one that’s under budget but would deliver one week later than you need it. How do you figure out which approach to use?
• Your manager wants to upgrade a tool you regularly use for your job and wants your recommendation. How do you formulate one?
• A supplier has said that an item you need for a project isn’t going to be delivered as scheduled, something that would cause your project to fall behind schedule. What do you do to try and keep the timeline on target?
• Can you share an example of a moment where you encountered a unique problem you and your colleagues had never seen before? How did you figure out what to do?
• Imagine you were scheduled to give a presentation with a colleague, and your colleague called in sick right before it was set to begin. What would you do?
• If you are given two urgent tasks from different members of the leadership team, both with the same tight deadline, how do you choose which to tackle first?
• Tell me about a time you and a colleague didn’t see eye-to-eye. How did you decide what to do?
• Describe your troubleshooting process.
• Tell me about a time where there was a problem that you weren’t able to solve. What happened?
• In your opening, what skills or traits make a person an exceptional problem-solver?
• When you face a problem that requires action, do you usually jump in or take a moment to carefully assess the situation?
• When you encounter a new problem you’ve never seen before, what is the first step that you take?

Putting It All Together

At this point, you should have a solid idea of how to approach problem-solving interview questions. Use the tips above to your advantage. That way, you can thrive during your next interview.

FREE : Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet!

Download our " Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet " that gives you word-for-word sample answers to some of the most common interview questions including:

• What Is Your Greatest Weakness?
• What Is Your Greatest Strength?
• Tell Me About Yourself
• Why Should We Hire You?

Click Here To Get The Job Interview Questions & Answers Cheat Sheet

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

Copyright © 2024 · TheInterviewguys.com · All Rights Reserved

• Our Products
• Case Studies
• Interview Questions
• Jobs Articles
• Members Login

Everything You Need to Know About Answering Behavioral Interview Questions

Interviews can be high stakes. I get that. But bear with me here for a minute when I say this next thing: Some interview questions can actually be fun. And I don’t mean in the zany-but-realistically-kind-of-stressful “ How many golf balls will fit in a bus? ” kind of way. I mean that some interview questions are really just asking for a good story starring you as the main character.

Behavioral interview questions are non-technical, focused on you, and 100% something you can prep for in advance. You actually have the answers already. We just need to find the right stories and polish them up a bit.

Here’s your ultimate go-to guide for answering behavioral interview questions—including common behavioral questions you might hear and example answers.

What are behavioral interview questions?

Behavioral interview questions are questions or statements that ask job candidates to share examples of specific situations they’ve been in. Usually interviewers want to know about an experience where you had to use certain skills— soft skills especially—or had to navigate certain types of scenarios. (Read: It’s the “Tell me about a time when…” genre of questions .) 

Why do interviewers ask behavioral questions?

Interviewers like these questions because it can help them get a more realistic and nuanced sense of how you work. It’s a way for them to see what you’re capable of accomplishing based on your actual past professional performance. Think about it: What would convince you of someone’s ability to work on a team better—them saying they totally love working on a team or them telling a story that shows exactly how they worked on a team of five for several months to implement a website redesign for a major client?

30 common behavioral interview questions

As much as I wish I could tell you exactly which behavioral questions you’ll get, I sadly cannot. But this list will give you an idea of the types of questions you might be asked. As you read through, think of stories you can share in response to each subset of questions—they can often be tweaked on the spot to answer any variation an interviewer might throw at you.

Teamwork questions

Almost any job requires you to work with others, so be prepared to talk about your experiences as part of a team. You’ll want a story that illustrates your ability to work with others under challenging circumstances. Think resolving team conflicts, dealing with project constraints, or motivating others.

• Tell me about a time when you had to work closely with someone whose personality was very different from yours.
• Give me an example of a time you faced a conflict with a coworker. How did you handle that?
• Describe a time when you had to step up and demonstrate leadership skills.
• Tell me about a time you made a mistake and wish you’d handled a situation with a colleague differently.
• Tell me about a time you needed to get information from someone who wasn’t very responsive. What did you do?

Customer service questions

If you’d be working with clients, customers, or other external stakeholders in this role, definitely be ready for one or more of these. Be prepared with at least one story about a time you successfully represented your company or team and delivered exceptional customer service.

• Describe a time when it was especially important to make a good impression on a client. How did you go about doing so?
• Give me an example of a time when you didn’t meet a client’s expectation. What happened, and how did you attempt to rectify the situation?
• Tell me about a time when you made sure a customer was pleased with your service.
• Describe a time when you had to interact with a difficult client or customer. What was the situation, and how did you handle it?
• When you’re working with a large number of customers, it’s tricky to deliver excellent service to them all. How do you go about prioritizing your customers’ needs

Adaptability questions

Times of turmoil are finally good for something! Think of a recent work crisis you successfully navigated. Even if the outcome didn’t ideal, find a lesson or silver lining you took from the situation.

• Tell me about a time you were under a lot of pressure at work or at school. What was going on, and how did you get through it?
• Describe a time when your team or company was undergoing some change. How did that impact you, and how did you adapt?
• Tell me about settling into your last job. What did you do to learn the ropes?
• Give me an example of a time when you had to think on your feet.
• Tell me about a time you failed. How did you deal with the situation?

Time management questions

When an interviewer asks about time management , get ready to talk about a specific instance when you had a few things in the air, prioritized, scheduled, organized, and completed everything—preferably before the deadline.

• Give me an example of a time you managed numerous responsibilities. How did you handle that?
• Describe a long-term project that you kept on track. How did you keep everything moving?
• Tell me about a time your responsibilities got a little overwhelming. What did you do?
• Tell me about a time you set a goal for yourself. How did you go about ensuring that you would meet your objective?
• Tell me about a time an unexpected problem derailed your planning. How did you recover?

Communication questions

You use communication skills so regularly you’ll probably have plenty of stories to choose from. Just remember to talk about your thought process or preparation.

• Tell me about a time when you had to rely on written communication to get your ideas across.
• Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully persuade someone at work to see things your way.
• Describe a time when you were the resident technical expert. What did you do to make sure everyone was able to understand you?
• Give me an example of a time when you had to have a difficult conversation with a frustrated client or colleague. How did you handle the situation?
• Tell me about a successful presentation you gave and why you think it was a hit.

Motivation and values questions

A lot of seemingly random interview questions are actually attempts to learn more about what motivates you. Your response would ideally address values and motivations directly even if the question didn’t explicit ask about them.

• Tell me about your proudest professional accomplishment.
• Describe a time when you saw a problem and took the initiative to correct it.
• Tell me about a time when you worked under either extremely close supervision or extremely loose supervision. How did you handle that?
• Give me an example of a time you were able to be creative with your work. What was exciting or difficult about it?
• Tell me about a time you were dissatisfied in your role. What could have been done to make it better?

How to answer behavioral questions

So how do you go about actually answering behavioral questions? It’s actually pretty simple.

• Quickly identify the hard or soft skill or quality the interviewer is trying to learn more about.
• Choose a relevant story.
• Share your story while emphasizing the details that speak to the relevant skills.
• Sum up your answer with how you generally approach situations like the one the interviewer presented.

Example answers for top behavioral questions

Check out these example questions and answers to see our advice in action and get more specific tips on some of the most common behavioral questions.

1. Give me an example of a time you faced a conflict while working on a team. How did you handle that?

Ah, the conflict question. It’s as common as it is dreaded. Interviewers ask because they want to know how you’ll handle the inevitable: disagreements in the workplace. But you might be nervous because it’s hard to look good in a conflict even when you’re not in the wrong. The key to getting through this one is to focus less on the problem and more on the process of finding the solution.

For example, you might say:

“Funnily enough, last year I was part of a committee that put together a training on conflict intervention in the workplace and the amount of pushback we got for requiring attendance really put our training to the test. There was one senior staff member in particular who seemed adamant. It took some careful listening on my part to understand he felt like it wasn’t the best use of his time given the workload he was juggling. I made sure to acknowledge his concern. And then rather than pointing out that he himself had voted for the entire staff to undergo this training, I focused on his direct objection and explained how the training was meant to improve not just the culture of the company, but also the efficiency at which we operated—and that the goal was for the training to make everyone’s workload feel lighter. He did eventually attend and was there when I talked to the whole staff about identifying the root issue of a conflict and addressing that directly without bringing in other issues, which is how I aim to handle any disagreement in the workplace.”

2. Tell me about a time you needed to get information from someone who wasn’t very responsive. What did you do?

Hiring managers want people who can take initiative and solve problems . Many workplace problems boil down to a communication breakdown, which is what this question is getting at. Try not to get too bogged down in the nitty-gritty details of the story and make sure to finish with a clear lesson learned.

A good answer to this question might be:

“Back when I was just starting out as an assistant to a more senior recruiter, I once needed to book interview rooms for several different candidates with a few sessions each, all on the same day. The online system the company used to schedule conference rooms was straightforward enough, but the problem was that it allowed more senior people to bump me out of my reservations. I had to scramble to get them back. When I didn’t get responses to my emails, I literally ran around the office to find the people who took my rooms and explain why I needed them. It was stressful at the time, but it all worked out in the end. Most were happy to move to a different room or time to make sure the interviews went smoothly. I also met a bunch of people and earned early on that talking to someone in person when possible can often move things along more quickly than an email can.”

3. Describe a time when it was especially important to make a good impression on a client. How did you go about doing so?

A perfect answer to this question has an outstanding outcome and illustrates the process of getting to that result. But even if you only have a decent outcome to point to instead of a stellar one, spelling out the steps you took will get you a strong answer.

For instance:

“One of the most important times to make a good impression on a client is before they’re officially a client. When the sales team pulls me into meetings with potential clients, I know we’re close to sealing the deal and I do my best to help that along. That’s probably why I was chosen to represent the research team when we did a final presentation for what would become our biggest client win of the year. I spoke with everyone on the sales team who had met with them previously to learn as much as possible about what they might care about. The thing I do that sets me apart is that I don’t try to treat all the clients the same. I try to address their specific questions and concerns so that they know I did my homework and that I care enough to not just give the cookie-cutter answers. In this case, having the data pulled and ready for every question they had made all the difference in building their confidence in our company.”

4. Describe a time when your team or company was undergoing some change. How did that impact you, and how did you adapt?

Interviewers want to know how you handle organizational change. Your story doesn’t necessarily need to be about some massive company reorg, it could even be about a new system for sharing files. The key is to make sure you clearly describe the steps you took to adapt and then generalizing your experience.

So you might say:

“This past year my manager left and the company was unable to fill her position for several months. This completely upended the way our team operated since she’d been the one who made sure we were all on the same page. After a couple of weeks of missed deadlines and miscommunications on the team, I sheepishly suggested we do a quick daily check-in. It took no more than 10 minutes a day, but it helped us get back to working efficiently again and really reduced the frustrations that had started brewing. It helped me understand that adapting to change requires understanding the gaps a change creates and thinking creatively about how to fill them.”

5. Tell me about a time you failed. How did you deal with the situation?

For broad questions like this, it can be helpful to narrow the scope a bit. For a question about failure , you can do that by defining what it means to fail in your own words before sharing your example.

For example:

“As a team manager, I consider it a failure if I don’t know what’s going on with my staff and their work—basically if a problem catches me by surprise then I’ve failed somewhere along the way. Even if the outcome is ultimately fine, it means I’ve left a team member unsupported at some point. A recent example would be this training we do every year for new project managers. Because it’s an event that my team has run so many times, I didn’t think to check in and had no idea a scheduling conflict was brewing into a full-on turf war with another team. The resolution actually ended up being a quick and easy conversation at the leadership team meeting, but had I just asked about it sooner it would never have been a problem to begin with. I definitely learned my lesson about setting reminders to check in about major projects or events even if they’ve been done dozens of times before.”

6. Give me an example of a time you managed numerous responsibilities. How did you handle that?

Multitasking. It’s impossible and yet we’re all expected to do it. Your job is likely going to involve more than one responsibility and the hiring manager is going to want to know how you plan on juggling a number of tasks, projects, or deadlines.

You could say:

“This is almost a cliché, but being part of an early-stage startup meant I wore a lot of different hats. One second I was recruiting, the next I’d be in front of potential clients, and then I’d be meeting with the cofounders about the product. Switching gears so quickly often felt like getting whiplash. I realized that it wasn’t necessarily the juggling that was the problem, it was the constant switching back and forth. I started chunking my work so I could spend several hours focused on similar tasks. One block for recruiting. One block for sales. One block for product. Once I figured out the secret to multitasking was to not multitask, it got a lot more manageable.”

7. Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully persuade someone to see things your way at work.

No matter your role, communication skills are critical and interviewers are going to keep asking related questions until they’re sure yours are up to snuff. When asked about persuasion, emotional intelligence and empathetic listening can be good pieces of your communication skill set to emphasize.

A good answer could sound like:

“I once was tasked with pulling the plug on a project. Of course, this can be incredibly disappointing for those affected. Done poorly it could destroy a team’s morale. I can’t discuss the project too much, but suffice it to say that everyone on it worked really hard and it took some serious convincing for them to agree this was the right choice. Rather than letting the idea take hold that months of their work was being scrapped, I proactively shared with everyone all the ways their work would still be utilized by different parts of the company. It’s not what they had intended, but seeing that their work wasn’t wasted softened the blow and allowed me to share the hard truth that we wouldn’t be able to realize our original goals. Taking the time to consider what negative reaction they might have and making the effort to be empathetic allowed me to directly address their concerns and show them that this was the best way forward.”

8. Tell me about a successful presentation you gave and why you think it was a hit.

You can probably predict whether or not you’ll get this question based on the job description . If the job requires frequent public speaking , be sure you have an example ready to go. For questions like this that have an “and why” part, make sure you give evidence for how you know you did a good job. In this case, an engaged audience is pretty good evidence you gave a strong presentation.

“Presenting is definitely something I’ve gotten better at over time. At my previous lab, I presented pretty often at the weekly research meeting where we all kept each other up-to-date on the progress of our work. When I first started, I would just pick up where I left off last time and spoke like I was talking to a room full of experts—which I was, but they weren’t necessarily experts in my specific project. It’s obvious in hindsight. The nature of research is that it’s inherently novel. I started doing more in my presentations to give context, like a more compact version of a conference presentation. It was more work, but I could tell everyone was engaged based on the questions I got. They were more thoughtful and challenging and actually helped push my work forward. Now, whether I’m presenting formally or informally, I try my best to scaffold my conclusions with relevant context.”

9. Tell me about your proudest professional accomplishment.

This question can sometimes make people freeze up. Proudest? Like literally the thing I am proudest of ever? It’s a lot. A more manageable way to think about it is that it’s essentially a freebie to talk about anything. So you can choose a story that showcases a relevant skill, passion, or experience you haven’t been able to talk about yet or want to emphasize more and set it up as one of your proudest accomplishments! If you’re applying to an entry-level role, feel free to talk about school accomplishments.

“There’s a lot that I’ve done over the last few years at Major Telecom that I’m proud of, but one thing we haven’t had a chance to talk too much about is my work in the parents employee resource group. As the company has become more family friendly, I’ve worked hard to guide the conversation as the co-lead of the parents ERG. This year, I spearheaded an effort to improve our flexible work policy, first writing a letter on behalf of the ERG to the leadership team and then later drafting a proposal which ultimately led to a better work environment and more flexible work for everyone, not just parents.”

10. Tell me about a time when you worked under either extremely close supervision or extremely loose supervision. How did you handle that?

This question is getting at how you like to be managed, but it’s phrased in a way that may tempt you to speak negatively of a previous employer. Stay focused and keep your response neutral to positive.

So you could say:

“As an intern at Online Content Co., I felt like my every move required approval, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I really appreciated it back when I had no idea what I was doing. I actually credit the close supervision I got for helping me pick things up so quickly. After I officially joined the team as a staff writer though, it started to feel a bit restrictive. I thought once I “proved myself” it would get better, but after a few more months with no significant change a mentor helped me see that I wasn’t being proactive about communicating with my manager. Rather than going to my one-on-one meetings with nothing prepared and being peppered with questions, I started arriving with an update of all my ongoing work. All the same information got conveyed, but instead of feeling micromanaged, I felt empowered and it made all the difference in my experience.”

4 tips to prep for—and ace—a behavioral interview

I’m taking my own advice and concluding this article with a few general takeaways. If you remember nothing else, make sure you do the following when you’re getting ready for an interview:

1.  Prepare a few stories based on the job description.  

Maybe you’ll use them, maybe you won’t, but trust me that you’ll feel more prepared and less nervous if you’ve spent some time thinking about this. Scan the job description for anything that seems to be mentioned more than once or is otherwise emphasized—say, “takes initiative,” or, “works independently.” Then come up with some stories about those things! 

2. Brush up on the STAR method.  

Stories can get big and unwieldy, especially when we’re nervous. It’s important to keep your answer concise and relevant to the question. Using the STAR interview method can help you to craft job-landing responses to many interview questions that require a well-structured example story.

3.  Wrap up your answers with a conclusion.

Some stories don’t fit super neatly into the STAR method and that’s fine. In any case, just make sure to wrap up your story with a nice summation so that the interviewer knows what they were supposed to learn from it. In other words, tell your story and then tell them what to think about it. “I did this to solve the problem, so in general, this is the process I use for solving problems.”

4. Practice aloud before your real interview.  

I’ve worked with thousands of job seekers and written hundreds of job search articles, and my advice on interviewing can pretty much be summed up with one word: practice. To be more specific, practice answering possible interview questions out loud. Do not memorize your answers. Just say them a few times. If you want to be fancy, do it in front of a mirror to get a better sense of how you’re presenting yourself.

Brushing up on your interview skills in general will also help you to answer these questions with ease and sail through to the next round. So get those stories ready and—I’m going to say it one more time for good luck—practice!

Regina Borsellino also contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article.

Every other Tuesday, you’ll get actionable tips to land your dream job.  Subscribe

• Behavioral Interviews

40+ Behavioral Interview Questions (Tips + Sample Answers)

If you have a job interview coming up, you’re guaranteed to hear behavioral interview questions.

Behavioral interview questions assess candidates’ behavior and skills in specific situations. You’ve probably heard them a million times without even knowing: “Describe a situation when…” or “Can you recall a time when…”.

Each question aims to evaluate several skills important for the position you applied for — and the best way to answer and showcase those skills is to use the STAR (Situation–Task–Action–Result) framework.

In this article, you’ll get:

• A list of 40 behavioral interview questions
• Sample answers to the 10 most common behavioral interview questions
• Tips on how to anticipate any behavioral question (and answer them with ease)
• What to do when you’ve never experienced a situation they’re asking about

Don’t waste days compiling overused interview techniques. Get original answers to every single question you could expect.

Full List of Behavioral Interview Questions

Behavioral questions about teamwork and conflict resolution, describe a time when you had to handle a conflict at work..

• Can you share an instance where you went over and above to help a team member?
• Tell me about a time when your team achieved a significant goal.
• Share an example of when you had to adapt to a team member’s working style.
• How have you handled a situation where a team member was not pulling their weight?
• Can you give an example of a time when your team disagreed with your decision, and how did you manage it?
• How have you handled personality clashes in your team?
• Talk about a time when you had to motivate a demotivated team member.

Behavioral questions about problem-solving and decision-making

• Describe a situation where you had to make a tough decision with limited information.

Tell me about a time when you solved a complex problem at work.

• Can you share an instance where your initial solution to a problem didn’t work, and what did you do?

Give an example of a decision you made that was a failure. What happened and why?

• How did you approach a situation where you had multiple problems to solve at the same time?
• Discuss a situation where you implemented a creative solution to an issue.
• Can you describe a time when you had to choose between two viable solutions?
• Share an instance where you relied on your analytical skills to solve a problem.

Behavioral questions about leadership and management

• Can you describe a situation where you led a project or a team to success?
• Tell me about a time when you needed to get a team to improve its performance.
• Share an experience of leading a team through a major organizational change.

Discuss a situation when you had to lead under pressure or a tight deadline.

• How have you handled a non-performing team member?
• Can you give an example of a time when you had to address an angry client or customer?
• Describe how you have delegated tasks effectively in a past position.
• Tell me about a time when you mentored or coached someone.

Behavioral questions about communication

Tell me about a time when you had to simplify complex information for a team or a client..

• How have you persuaded someone to see things your way at work?
• Give an example of how you handle communicating negative news to a team or a client.
• Share an example where you had to give a presentation or a speech.
• Can you share an instance where your communication skills helped avoid or resolve a situation?

Can you describe a difficult conversation you’ve had at work and its outcomes?

• Describe a time when you effectively used written communication.
• How have you handled communicating with a diverse group of individuals?

Behavioral questions about initiative, ownership, and motivation

Can you provide an example of when a project or an idea you initiated benefited your team or organization.

• Describe a time when you volunteered to expand your knowledge at work, without being asked.
• Tell me about a time when you worked under close supervision or without supervision.
• Talk about a project or task you started on your own initiative.
• Tell me a situation when you saw some problem and took the initiative to correct it rather than waiting for someone else to do it.
• Can you detail a situation when you had to go above your normal duties to get a job done?
• Share an instance where your self-motivation helped you achieve a professional goal.
• Describe a time when you stayed motivated despite a challenging work situation or environment.

10 Most Common Behavioral Questions with Sample Answers

Sample answer (all-purpose):.

For more tips on how to answer questions about conflict, check out this video:

Tell me about a time when you or your team achieved a significant goal.

Sample answer (hospital administrator):, sample answer (accountant):, sample answer (hr):, sample answer (graphic design):.

Here are some more behavioral questions about leadership you might hear:

Sample answer (Retail):

Find more customer service questions here:

Sample answer (Marketing):

Sample answer (sales):, sample answer (executive assistant):, sample answer (graphic design), how to answer behavioral interview questions: tips and tricks, anticipate behavioral questions.

There are a lot of different behavioral questions. Preparing for every single one is not possible — but there’s a way to narrow down and anticipate which behavioral questions you’ll hear.

The key is in the job description.

Study the job description and think about the role in order to predict the type of interview questions you might hear.

What skills would a person need to have to be successful in this role? How would their working day look? Which roles and departments would they work with?

Let’s take a look at this Customer Representative job ad. Underlined in red are some key skills and responsibilities of the role.

They match the skills listed for the position:

So, here are some keywords from this job ad:

• Customer service
• Highly motivated
• Ability to multitask
• Strong organizational and follow-through abilities
• Superior communication skills
• Time and task organization

Following that, you can expect questions based on examining these skills.

Here are some behavioral questions you might hear when interviewing for this position:

• Can you share an example of a situation where you had to adjust your plans due to unforeseen circumstances? How did you manage to stay organized and ensure the project’s completion?

More tips below:

✅ AI Hack: 

We tested AI for predicting behavioral questions based on a job ad. It was a success – it accurately predicted the majority of the questions we asked candidates in an interview.

Here’s how you can use AI to predict what behavioral questions you might hear in an interview.

You’ll need to provide it with the job description and write a good prompt.

If you’re using a GPT proxy via API such as Chatbotui or YakGPT, you can set the “system prompt” that will be valid for all the questions you ask AI. This is also possible with the paid OpenAI ChatGPT account. Just go to Settings (when you click on the circle with your name) and click Customize ChatGPT.

Paste this paragraph here:

If you don’t have this option, you can just type it as a pre-prompt in the text editor.

And then use the prompt:

I’m preparing for a job interview for a [job title] role. I’m expecting to be asked some behavioral interview questions. I would like to prepare for the ones most likely to be asked. Give me a list of possible behavioral interview questions based on the job description pasted below.

Here’s the job description:

[paste the job description here].

Create a list of situations

Think about the situation in question: have you ever experienced it? How did you behave and what skills did you display?

For example, for the question in the example above “Can you give an example of a time when you had to address an angry client or customer?”, you’ll need to:

• Think of a story when you had to interact with an angry customer, including details on why they were angry, what happened, how you handled the situation, and what was the result.
• Think of key skills this question is trying to assess: great communication skills, persuasiveness, patience, staying calm under pressure, empathy, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and accountability.

✅ Pro tip: When you create a list of interesting stories related to your successes, failures, and skills, you don’t have to tie them to a single interview question. In case you don’t get this exact question, the story will be useless.

Instead, make it flexible enough so that it reflects several important skills you can use for several questions.

Of course, you can’t use the same story more than once in an interview, but if you keep this in mind, you’ll have more options to choose from, and you’ll be covered for just about any scenario.

Now, let’s learn how to craft an answer using the elements we covered so far.

Use the STAR method

Great news: there’s an easy template you can use to answer behavioral questions.

It’s called the STAR method. For a detailed guide with a bunch of useful sample answers, check out this article: The STAR Interview Method: How to Answer + Examples .

STAR stands for Situation–Task–Action–Result. Following this formula will help you create informative but concise, structured, and interesting answers.

• Situation – This is the beginning of each answer, and here you have to set the context. Describe only the factors relevant to the story, and aim for this part to make up for 15% of the answer.
• Task – Here, you introduce the problem and your role in the situation, as well as how you intended to solve that problem. This part takes up 10% of the entire answer.
• Action – Here, you detail, step-by-step, exactly what you did to solve the problem. Be specific and provide details about how you did it. The “Action” part makes up for around 60% of your answer. It is by far the most important element, so pay close attention to it and display your problem-solving skills .
• Result – In this final part of your answer (15% of the entire STAR answer), outline the results of your efforts. Quantifying it will bring you bonus points, but qualitative results are fine too. You also need to include the lessons you learned from the experience. This is particularly important when answering tricky questions about conflict, failure, or weaknesses. By including the lessons learned, you’re showcasing you’re a mature individual open to feedback who learns from their experiences and is easy to work with.

More details about the STAR format here:

Deliver your answers with confidence

Practicing your STAR answer for each question 2-3 times will make you confident, as you’ll know how to form your answer and how to deliver it in an interesting way.

You can practice with your friend, in front of a mirror, or if you want objective, career coach backed advice, use our Mock Interview Simulator .

You can practice by choosing different competencies and skill groups (leadership, critical thinking, communication skills, and much more).

You’ll get tailored, actionable feedback to help you get better in no time:

For more details on how to answer behavioral questions, check out this video:

Mistakes to avoid

Now that you know what to do to properly answer behavioral questions, here’s what to avoid.

Giving vague answers

This will be a red flag to interviewers and they’ll suspect you’re making the story up because you can’t provide details on the spot. So make sure to be honest, use real-life examples, and provide as many details as you can using the STAR method.

Coming unprepared

Interviewers will not hunt you down – you’ll reveal yourself instantly if you come to a job interview unprepared. Stuttering, avoiding eye contact, jitters, nervous leg shaking, inability to provide details, incoherent answers, all of this will hint you didn’t take the time to do your homework. To avoid this, learn how to prepare for an interview in 8 steps .

Using AI-generated responses

Using AI to create an answer and then learn it by heart is not a good idea. AI doesn’t have your unique experience, points of view, and personality. It will never be able to come up with a good enough story. You will get generic, soulless stories that interviewers have already heard a thousand times – and once your interview is over, they won’t remember you.

Using AI can be helpful to think of skills to focus your story around, but it’s best to come up with genuine responses by yourself. That’s the only way to show your authenticity and personality. Plus, if interviewers start asking additional questions, it will be difficult for you to elaborate on something AI thought of. You’ll become inconsistent with your answer and raise a bunch of red flags.

What to Do If You Never Experienced a Situation They Ask You About

Afraid you won’t know how to answer a question because you’ve never been in that situation before? Here’s what to do.

Say you’ve never been in that situation before

If you try to play it cool and think of a fake story on the spot, you’ll end up confused and your answer won’t be convincing.

That’s why you need to be honest and openly say you never had such an experience before.

This doesn’t mean you don’t have to answer that question, or make this the main focus of your answer – it’s just you making sure they understand you can’t give them a real-life situation.

After this, you can continue with your answer. Here’s how.

Give a hypothetical scenario

It’s simple: imagine you’re in the situation from the question, show that you understand the complexity of the situation, and then describe, step-by-step, how you would behave.

If you can, you can use the STAR answer. If not, it’s not the end of the world.

Just make sure you’re specific and detailed, and discuss your approach to the problem in question.

Finally, try to figure out what skill this question is trying to assess and make sure to display that skill in your answer.

Btw, there’s a separate group of questions called situational or scenario-based questions. They typically begin with “Imagine that…”, or “What would you do if…”, give you a scenario, and you have to come up with an answer.

Although they’re obviously not the same as behavioral questions, if you get a behavioral question and you never experienced a situation from it – it becomes a scenario-based question for you. Fun, huh?

Read a detailed guide on these questions and how to answer them here: Situational Interview Questions: Sample Answers & Tips .

Draw from a similar experience

In this case, you can tell them that you experienced something similar, but not quite the same.

Then, you should go on and describe how you reacted in that situation, including details and a step-by-step explanation.

Just like for the hypothetical scenario, figure out what skills they’re trying to assess and focus on that.

You can also draw parallels between that scenario and the scenario from the behavioral question, outlining similarities and discussing your behavior, or acknowledging the differences and saying how you’d react.

It’s also possible to base your answer on someone else’s story. If your friend, a coworker, or a family member had that (or similar) situation before, you can briefly describe it. Then, you can go on and explain if you agree with that approach, what you think about it, if you would do something differently and why, etc.

Summary of the Main Points

• Behavioral interview questions are the questions that begin with “Tell me about a time when…” “Can you recall a situation in which…” “Talk about a time when…” “Give an example of a time when…”
• These questions focus on your past behavior in order to predict how you’ll behave in the future.
• Each question aims to assess one or several skills important for the position – and you can roughly predict the questions you might hear based on the job description.
• Create a list of stories/situations in which you displayed a skill, achieved something, avoided something, failed, etc. It will make it easier to come up with answers.
• Use the STAR method to answer behavioral interview questions.
• Avoid being too vague in your answers, making up stories, and coming to the interview unprepared.
• If you’ve never been in a situation they asked about, be honest and openly tell them.
• Then continue by giving a hypothetical scenario, outlining how you would react or why; or you can draw from a similar experience, find parallels and differences with the situation in question, and discuss them.

_____________________________

Need a hand? There’s 3 ways we can help you:

• Learn how to answer “What are your salary expectations?” .
• Learn how to calm interview anxiety before your next interview .
• Getting invited to interviews but not landing the job? Discover actionable lessons and interview practice here (Rated with 4.9/5 by 1,000,000 users).

What are scenario-based questions, and are they any different from behavioral questions?

Scenario-based interview questions are different from behavioral interview questions because they focus on hypothetical situations (“What would you do if…”) while behavioral questions focus on things that actually happened (“Tell me about a time when…”). For this reason, it might be easier to answer behavioral interview questions because you will base them on your actual experience, making the answer more detailed and credible.

Which behavioral questions are the most difficult to answer?

That depends on your experience, communication skills, and level of preparedness. If you get a question about a situation you’ve never been in, it might be tricky to answer. If you don’t prepare for behavioral questions in advance, it will get even harder. Additionally, candidates usually find behavioral questions about conflict, failures, and weaknesses to be difficult. But we provided useful tips for successfully answering these questions nonetheless — just scroll up.

How can I answer a behavioral question if it refers to a situation that never happened to me?

You can openly say that you’ve never been in that situation, but you’ll give a prediction on how you’d react. Then you can talk about what you would do and how you would react. Additionally, you can mention related experiences from the past that demonstrate the skills the initial question is trying to test. You can also emphasize transferable skills: for example, if you get a leadership question, but you’ve never been in a leadership position, you can talk about a time when you displayed problem-solving, decision-making, and communication skills — all of which are crucial for a leadership position.

Can I use examples from my professional career to answer behavioral questions?

Yes, you should base all your answers on your professional career. Alternatively, if you don’t have years of experience, you can use examples from your academic past or personal life, if they illustrate relevant skills that behavioral questions are trying to assess.

What if I don’t understand a behavioral question I’m being asked?

Ask for clarification — it’s much better than giving a weak, vague answer that will prove you didn’t understand the question in the first place. You can also rephrase the question to make sure you understand it, take your time to think about it, and stay calm and confident.

Do I have to use the STAR method for answering all behavioral questions? Are there alternatives?

The STAR method is the most suitable method for answering all behavioral questions, as it covers key aspects you need to talk about. Some STAR alternatives you can use are called the SOAR (Situation–Obstacle–Action–Result) approach, SAO (Situation–Action–Outcome) method, or PAR (Problem–Action–Result) framework. But if you think about it, they are very, very similar to the STAR (Situation–Task–Action–Result) method — all those techniques are based on providing context, explaining what you did, and showcasing the final result.

Maja Stojanovic

Fact Checked By:

Turn interviews into offers

Share this article

• Big Interview
• Plans & Pricing
• Higher Education
• Editorial Process
• Resume Templates
• Interview Preparation
• Interview Q&A
• Career Advice
• Create an Account
• Knowledge Base

©️ 2024 Skillful Communications, Inc. | Big Interview is a trademark of Skillful Communications, Inc.

Terms | Privacy Policy

25 Important Behavioral Interview Questions (and Example Answers)

“Would I have a beer with this person?” It’s the interview question Steve Jobs asked himself during the hiring process. Jobs understood the power of behavioral-based interviewing and used the “beer test” to break through a candidate’s scripted answers. He wanted to be able to drop the formalities and chat with potential employees, and believed that opportunities like that would be the best indicator of their strengths and weaknesses. 

What’s the best part about behavioral interview questions as an interviewee? You already know all of the answers. Prepping ahead of time by revisiting stories and experiences from your previous work ensures that you’re ready to answer these types of questions effectively. 

Key Takeaways

What are behavioral interview questions.

Behavioral interview questions are commonly used by job interviewers to assess a candidate’s past experiences, skills, and behaviors. Because past behaviors are strong predictors of future performance , asking about specific situations helps potential employers understand how a candidate has handled various challenges, what their thought processes are, and how they work on a team or deal with difficult situations. Plus, many of these are fun interview questions because they allow candidates to inject their personality and professional experiences into the answers. 

Recruiters report spending approximately 66% of their hiring time on interviews, making it the most important aspect of the process. Using behavioral-based interview questions is useful in obtaining essential information, requiring candidates to provide concrete examples from their past experiences to demonstrate their skills and abilities.

Using the STAR Method

When it comes to responding to behavioral interview questions, the STAR method is a popular technique used to help candidates provide structured and meaningful answers to behavioral questions. It serves as a framework to organize responses in a clear and concise manner, enabling candidates to showcase their skills and competencies effectively.

Why a Hiring Manager Asks Behavioral Questions

Hiring managers ask behavioral questions to help them gain a deeper understanding of a candidate’s skills, abilities, and personal qualities that might not be evident from their resume or cover letter alone. Interviewees are looking for key indicators in a candidate’s response that reveals how they would align with the company’s values and needs. 

25 Common Behavioral Interview Questions

1. what is the best idea you’ve contributed to a team project.

What they’re looking for: Ability to engage in productive teamwork, solve problems, and think outside the box

Example response: At my previous company, we were working on streamlining the customer service process. Our team was responsible for reducing response time and improving overall customer satisfaction. After analyzing the current process, I noticed the flaws in our current process and researched a new categorization system to automate this system. I knew this would free up valuable time for our team to focus on addressing customers more effectively. Once we had the system in place, we were able to reduce the average response time by 40% and increase our customer satisfaction ratings by 20%.

2. Tell me about a time you made an unpopular decision. How did you implement it?

What they’re looking for: Effective communication and leadership skills

3. Tell me about a time you had to solve a complex problem.

What they’re looking for: Problem-solving, conflict resolution, adaptability, and management skills

4. Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult colleague.

What they’re looking for: Teamwork, communication, and conflict resolution skills

5. Give me an example of a time when you had to manage multiple priorities.

What they’re looking for: Time management and organization skills

6. Tell me about a time when you had to adapt to a significant change in your work environment.

What they’re looking for: Adaptability and flexibility skills

7. Describe a situation when you took on a leadership role.

What they’re looking for: Leadership, management, and communication skills

8. Give me an example of a time when you had to handle a conflict between two team members.

What they’re looking for: Conflict resolution, management, and communication skills

9. Tell me about a time when you had to communicate complex information to a non-expert audience.

What they’re looking for: Client relation, communication, and interpersonal skills

10. Tell me about a time when you had to handle a difficult customer or client.

What they’re looking for: Customer service and client relations skills

11. Can you give an example of a professional decision that you regret?

What they’re looking for: Self-awareness, integrity, and a growth mindset  

12. Can you give me an example of a time when you showed initiative at work?

What they’re looking for: Initiative, motivation, and leadership skills

Example response: In my previous role, I noticed that our team was struggling with time management due to frequent and disorganized meetings. I took the initiative to propose and implement a streamlined meeting structure that included time-blocked segments and specific protocols. This meeting organization change resulted in more efficient and productive meetings and improved time management for the entire team.

13. Share a situation where you had to handle multiple tasks or projects simultaneously.

14. tell me about a time when you had to deal with a sudden change in priorities..

What they’re looking for: Adaptability, organization, and management skills

15. Describe a situation where you had to persuade someone to see things your way.

What they’re looking for: Communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills

16. How have you handled a situation where you disagreed with a coworker?

What they’re looking for: Adaptability, flexibility, communication, and interpersonal skills

17. Can you share an example of a time when you had to give constructive feedback?

What they’re looking for: Leadership, communication, and management skills

18. Tell me about a time when you had to learn a new skill quickly.

What they’re looking for: Management and problem-solving skills

19. Describe a situation where you had to deal with a tight deadline.

20. describe a situation where you had to make a decision with limited information. .

What they’re looking for: Problem-solving and decision-making skills

21. Describe a project where you had to collaborate with a diverse group of people. 

What they’re looking for: Teamwork, collaboration, and leadership skills

22. How have you handled a situation where you disagreed with your manager’s decision? 

What they’re looking for: Communication, interpersonal, and ethics skills 

23. Provide an example of a time you made a mistake at work. How did you handle it?

What they’re looking for: Growth mindset and integrity 

24. In the past, how did you handle interruptions and distractions at work?

What they’re looking for: Time management, organization, and motivation skills

25. Describe your professional goal-setting process. 

What they’re looking for: Motivation and organization skills

How to Prepare for Behavioral Interview Questions

Preparing for an interview with behavioral questions involves reflecting on your past experiences and organizing your thoughts to effectively showcase your skills and abilities. 

• Prove Your Problem-Solving Skills: Ace Behavioral Interview Questions
• Protected: Job Interviews

So, you’ve scored an interview invitation, but it feels a bit like a confessional, doesn’t it? Well, relax. Interviews aren’t about penance; they’re opportunities to share your success stories. To help you prepare for your next interview, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide to behavioral interview questions.

In this guide, you’ll find:

• Common behavioral interview questions and expert answers.
• Formulas to excel in answering behavioral-based interview questions for M&E sector
• Solutions to handle challenging questions during the interview.
• Tips for preparing for various categories of behavioral interview questions.

Let’s get started.

What Are Behavioral Interview Questions?

Behavioral interview questions are a specific type of interview query designed to assess a candidate’s past behavior and experiences in various situations. These questions aim to uncover how candidates have handled specific challenges, conflicts, or responsibilities in their previous roles or life experiences. Instead of asking hypothetical or theoretical questions, interviewers use behavioral questions to gain insight into how candidates are likely to act in future situations based on their past actions.

Behavioral interview questions typically follow a structured format and often begin with phrases such as “Can you provide an example of…” or “Tell me about a time when…” Candidates are expected to share real-life anecdotes that illustrate their skills, competencies, and behaviors relevant to the job they’re applying for.

The key to answering behavioral interview questions effectively is to use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide comprehensive responses. This method helps candidates structure their answers by describing the situation or context, outlining the tasks or challenges they faced, explaining the actions they took to address those challenges, and finally, detailing the positive results or outcomes of their actions.

Behavioral interview questions are widely used by employers across various industries because they provide valuable insights into a candidate’s soft skills, problem-solving abilities, communication style, and how well they align with the organization’s values and culture. By sharing concrete examples from their past experiences, candidates can demonstrate their qualifications and suitability for the job, making their responses more compelling to prospective employers.

Overall, understanding and effectively responding to behavioral interview questions is a crucial aspect of the job interview process, as it allows candidates to showcase their relevant skills and behaviors while helping employers make informed hiring decisions.

Common Behavioral Interview Questions

Behavioral interviews are becoming increasingly popular as they help recruiters assess your soft skills effectively. These questions aim to uncover your past behavior to predict your future performance. To excel in these interviews, you’ll want to use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for answering each question. Here are 40 common behavioral interview questions along with tips on answering them:

1. Stress Management

• Describe a time when something urgent came up at the last minute. How did you handle it? Tip: Focus on how you managed stress and prioritized tasks effectively in a time-sensitive situation.

2. Decision Making

• Give an example of a tough decision you had to make. Tip: Discuss the process you followed and your critical thinking skills rather than just the result.

3. Adaptability

• Describe a situation where you had to do something for the first time. How did you approach it? Tip: Emphasize your ability to adapt to new challenges and learn quickly in unfamiliar territory.

4. Collaboration and Teamwork

• Give an example of a time when you relied on someone for information, but they didn’t deliver. What did you do? Tip: Highlight your problem-solving skills and ability to work collaboratively to overcome obstacles.

5. Interpersonal Skills

• Describe a situation when you used your assertiveness. How did it go? Tip: Showcase your ability to handle interpersonal conflicts diplomatically and assertively.

6. Communication

• Describe a situation when you used negotiation skills. What was the outcome? Tip: Demonstrate your effective communication and negotiation abilities, focusing on a positive outcome.

7. Leadership

• Give an example of a situation where you had to delegate a task. How did you approach it? Tip: Discuss your leadership and delegation skills, emphasizing how you empowered your team.

8. Taking Initiative

• Tell me about a time when you went the extra mile for someone. Why did you do it? Tip: Highlight your motivation, dedication, and willingness to take initiative to achieve exceptional results.

9. Problem Solving

• Describe a situation where you encountered a complex problem. How did you approach solving it?
• Give an example of a time when you had to analyze data to make a critical decision. What was the outcome?
• Tell me about a situation when you identified an issue before it became a significant problem. How did you prevent it from escalating?

10. Time Management

• Describe a time when you had to juggle multiple tasks with tight deadlines. How did you prioritize and manage your time effectively?
• Give an example of a project where you completed the work ahead of schedule. What strategies did you use to achieve this?

11. Creativity and Innovation

• Tell me about a situation where you proposed a creative solution to a problem at work. How did your idea benefit the team or organization?
• Describe a time when you introduced a new process or idea that improved efficiency or productivity.

12. Customer Service

• Share an experience where you had to deal with a challenging customer or client. How did you handle the situation, and what was the outcome?
• Give an example of a time when you went above and beyond to provide exceptional customer service.

13. Conflict Resolution

• Describe a situation where you disagreed with a colleague or team member. How did you resolve the conflict, and what was the result?
• Tell me about a time when you had to mediate a conflict between two coworkers. How did you facilitate a resolution?

14. Goal Achievement

• Give an example of a professional goal you set for yourself and successfully achieved. How did you stay motivated and track your progress?
• Describe a situation where you faced obstacles while working toward a goal. How did you overcome those obstacles and reach your objective?

15. Adherence to Policies and Procedures

• Share a scenario where you had to ensure strict compliance with company policies or industry regulations. How did you ensure adherence among your team or colleagues?
• Describe a time when you identified a policy violation or non-compliance issue. How did you handle it while maintaining professionalism?

16. Handling Criticism

• Tell me about a situation when you received constructive criticism from a supervisor or coworker. How did you react, and what actions did you take to improve?
• Give an example of a time when you had to provide feedback to a colleague about their performance. How did you approach the conversation?

17. Ethical Decision-Making

• Describe a situation where you faced an ethical dilemma at work. How did you determine the right course of action, and what were the consequences of your choice?
• Share an experience where you had to report unethical behavior by a coworker or superior. How did you handle the situation while maintaining your integrity?

18. Customer Satisfaction Improvement

• Give an example of a time when you identified opportunities to enhance customer satisfaction. What actions did you take, and how did it impact the customer experience?
• Describe a situation where you received positive feedback or recognition from a customer for your service. How did you achieve this level of satisfaction?

19. Handling Rejection

• Tell me about a time when you faced rejection or failure in your career. How did you cope with it, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Share an experience where you were initially rejected for a project, promotion, or opportunity but later succeeded. How did you turn the situation around?

20. Change Management

• Describe a situation when you had to adapt to a significant change in your workplace. How did you navigate the transition and support your team through it?
• Give an example of a time when you proactively embraced change and helped others adjust to a new process or system.

21. Crisis Management

• Share an experience where you had to respond to a crisis or urgent situation at work. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome?
• Describe a time when you played a key role in disaster recovery or business continuity planning. How did your actions contribute to a successful outcome?

22. Project Management

• Give an example of a complex project you successfully managed. How did you plan, execute, and monitor progress to ensure its completion?
• Describe a situation where a project you were leading faced unexpected challenges. How did you adjust your approach to overcome these obstacles?

23. Delegation

• Tell me about a time when you had to delegate tasks to team members. How did you assign responsibilities and ensure successful project completion?
• Describe a situation where you entrusted a colleague with a significant responsibility. How did you ensure they were well-prepared for the task?

24. Self-Motivation

• Share an experience where you had to stay motivated and productive while working independently or remotely. How did you maintain your focus and meet your goals?
• Give an example of a personal or professional achievement that required self-motivation and determination.

25. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Describe a situation where you had to collaborate with colleagues from different departments or teams to achieve a common goal. How did you foster effective cross-functional teamwork?
• Give an example of a project that involved multiple departments or stakeholders. How did you ensure everyone was aligned and working together harmoniously?

26. Mentorship and Coaching

• Tell me about a time when you mentored or coached a junior colleague. How did you help them develop their skills or achieve their goals?
• Describe a situation where you received mentorship or guidance from a more experienced coworker. How did it impact your professional growth?

27. Cost Reduction

• Give an example of a cost-saving initiative you implemented in your role. How did you identify areas for improvement and execute your plan?
• Share a situation where you had to make budgetary decisions to optimize resources or reduce expenses. What was the outcome?

28. Innovation Implementation

• Describe a time when you introduced a new technology, process, or idea to your organization. How did you gain buy-in from stakeholders and ensure successful implementation?
• Give an example of how your innovative approach improved efficiency, productivity, or customer satisfaction.

29. Sales or Revenue Growth

• Tell me about a situation where you significantly contributed to sales or revenue growth in your role. What strategies or actions did you implement to achieve this?
• Describe a time when you identified and pursued new business opportunities that resulted in increased revenue for your company.

30. Safety and Risk Management

• Share an experience where you played a role in promoting safety or risk management in your workplace. How did you ensure a safe and compliant environment?
• Give an example of a situation where you identified and mitigated a potential safety or risk issue before it caused harm.

31. Supplier or Vendor Management

• Describe a situation where you improved relationships with suppliers or vendors to benefit your organization. How did you negotiate or collaborate to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes?
• Tell me about a time when you had to address a significant issue or dispute with a supplier or vendor. How did you resolve it while maintaining a positive business relationship?

32. Crisis Communication

• Give an example of a crisis communication situation you managed, either internally or externally. How did you ensure timely and effective communication during a crisis?
• Describe a time when you had to deliver difficult or sensitive information to stakeholders. How did you handle the communication to minimize negative impacts?

33. Data Collection and Analysis

• Describe a project where you were responsible for collecting and analyzing data. How did you ensure the data’s accuracy and relevance to the evaluation process?
• Give an example of a situation where you had to use statistical or data analysis tools to draw insights from a large dataset for an M&E project.

34. Performance Metrics

• Tell me about a time when you developed key performance indicators (KPIs) for an M&E project. How did you choose the most relevant metrics, and what impact did they have on decision-making?
• Describe a situation where you had to track and report on the performance of a program or project using M&E frameworks and metrics. What challenges did you encounter, and how did you address them?

35. Stakeholder Engagement

• Share an experience where you effectively engaged with stakeholders in the M&E process. How did you ensure their input and feedback were integrated into the evaluation?
• Give an example of a time when you had to communicate evaluation findings to diverse stakeholders with varying levels of technical knowledge. How did you tailor your communication to each group?

36. Quality Assurance

• Describe a situation where you implemented quality assurance measures in an M&E project to ensure data integrity and reliability. What steps did you take, and what was the outcome?
• Tell me about a time when you identified errors or inconsistencies in M&E data. How did you rectify the issues and prevent them from recurring?

37. Continuous Improvement

• Give an example of how you contributed to the continuous improvement of M&E processes within your organization. What changes or enhancements did you suggest, and how were they implemented?
• Describe a situation where you conducted a review of an existing M&E system and recommended innovative solutions or technologies to enhance its effectiveness.

38. Adapting to Changing Requirements

• Tell me about a time when you had to adjust an M&E plan or framework due to changing project requirements or unexpected challenges. How did you adapt, and what were the results?
• Describe a situation where you successfully aligned an M&E strategy with evolving organizational goals or external demands. What strategies did you use to ensure alignment?

39. Capacity Building

• Share an experience where you played a role in building the capacity of team members or partners in M&E practices. How did you design and deliver training or mentoring programs?
• Give an example of a time when you helped colleagues or stakeholders improve their data collection and reporting skills, leading to more effective M&E outcomes.

40. Innovation in M&E

• Describe a situation where you introduced innovative techniques, technologies, or methodologies to enhance the M&E process. How did these innovations benefit the evaluation efforts?
• Tell me about a time when you collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to incorporate emerging trends or best practices into M&E strategies.

These questions should help you prepare for a behavioral interview in the M&E sector by addressing specific aspects of the field. Remember to use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) when structuring your responses to provide a clear and compelling answer to each question.

Behavioral interview questions: Expert Advice for the Stressed Out

If you find yourself struggling to provide an immediate response to a behavioral question during an interview, don’t panic. It’s okay to take a moment to gather your thoughts and share a well-thought-out answer. Quality is more important than speed. Additionally, remember to:

• Read the job description carefully to identify the key competencies and qualities the employer is seeking.
• Reflect on both job-related and non-job-related experiences when preparing for behavioral questions.
• Use the STAR method to structure your answers effectively.
• Be honest, and if you need more time to formulate your response, don’t hesitate to ask for it.
• Practice answering behavioral questions to build confidence and improve your responses.

Cracking the Code: Behavioral Interview Questions Unveiled for M&E Sector

Behavioral interviews in the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) sector present a unique set of challenges and opportunities. In this specialized field, recruiters aim to assess not only your soft skills but also your ability to navigate the intricacies of data analysis, project management, and performance evaluation. Let’s explore how to decipher the behavioral interview code specifically tailored to the M&E sector.

• Understanding the Significance: In the M&E sector, behavioral questions go beyond assessing general competencies. Recruiters are keen to evaluate your experience in handling real-world scenarios related to data collection, analysis, reporting, and project management. Your responses should showcase your ability to make data-driven decisions and ensure the success of M&E initiatives.
• Situation: Set the stage by describing the specific project, evaluation, or data-related situation you encountered. Provide context regarding the goals and challenges.
• Task: Explain the tasks and responsibilities assigned to you within that situation. Highlight the importance of data collection, analysis, and reporting in achieving project objectives.
• Action: Detail the actions you took to address data-related challenges or ensure the success of the M&E project. Emphasize your analytical skills, attention to detail, and ability to collaborate with teams.
• Result: Conclude by outlining the positive outcomes and impact of your actions. Share how your data-driven decisions contributed to project success or improved processes.
• Showcase Your Data Expertise: M&E roles often require proficiency in data management tools, statistical analysis, and reporting software. Be prepared to discuss your experience with these tools and how you’ve used them to derive insights and drive decision-making.
• Highlight Project Management Skills: In the M&E sector, effective project management is essential. Share examples of how you’ve coordinated and executed M&E projects, ensuring they stayed on track, met deadlines, and delivered actionable results.
• Demonstrate Adaptability: The M&E field is dynamic, with evolving methodologies and technologies. Illustrate your adaptability by discussing instances where you had to adjust your approach to accommodate changes in data collection methods or project requirements.
• Ethical Considerations: Given the sensitivity of data in the M&E sector, be prepared to address questions about ethical dilemmas you may have encountered. Discuss how you upheld ethical standards while collecting, managing, or reporting data.
• Quantify Your Impact: Whenever possible, quantify the impact of your actions. Use metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to illustrate how your data analysis or M&E efforts led to improvements, cost savings, or informed decision-making.
• Stay Informed: Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in the M&E field. Demonstrating knowledge of emerging methodologies or technologies can set you apart during interviews.
• Team Collaboration: Emphasize your ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams. M&E projects often require coordination between data analysts, program managers, and stakeholders.
• Prepare for Technical Questions: Expect technical questions related to data collection methodologies, statistical techniques, and data visualization tools commonly used in the M&E sector. Brush up on your technical knowledge to confidently address these queries.

By mastering the art of answering behavioral interview questions tailored to the M&E sector, you’ll not only impress prospective employers but also convey your expertise in driving data-driven decision-making and ensuring the success of M&E initiatives.

Crafting Compelling Responses to Behavioral Queries

Behavioral interviews are all about showcasing your past experiences and behaviors as indicators of your future performance. To stand out in these interviews, you need to craft responses that not only highlight your skills and abilities but also leave a lasting impression on the interviewer. Here’s how you can create compelling responses to behavioral questions:

• Understand the STAR Method: The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is your go-to framework for answering behavioral questions. Start by describing the situation or context, then outline the task or challenge you faced, detail the actions you took to address it, and finally, highlight the positive results of your actions.
• Choose Relevant Examples: Tailor your responses to the specific competencies and qualities the job requires. Use examples from your professional, academic, or personal life that directly relate to the skills sought by the employer.
• Quantify Your Achievements: Whenever possible, use quantifiable data to support your claims. Numbers, percentages, and specific outcomes provide credibility to your responses. For instance, mention how you increased sales by 20% or reduced project turnaround time by 30%.
• Highlight Your Role: Emphasize your contributions within a team context. Even if the question is about a team accomplishment, explain your role and how it contributed to the overall success.
• Be Concise and Structured: Keep your responses concise and to the point. Avoid rambling or providing unnecessary details. Structure your answers logically, following the STAR method, to make them easy for the interviewer to follow.
• Show Growth and Learning: It’s okay to discuss situations where you faced challenges or made mistakes. However, focus on how you learned from those experiences and used them as opportunities for growth.
• Emphasize Soft Skills: In addition to technical skills, highlight your soft skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability. These qualities are often highly valued by employers.
• Practice, Practice, Practice: Practice your responses to common behavioral questions with a friend, family member, or in front of a mirror. Rehearsing your answers will help you feel more confident during the actual interview.
• Stay Positive: Maintain a positive tone throughout your responses. Even when discussing difficult situations, frame them in a way that demonstrates your ability to overcome challenges and achieve positive outcomes.
• Ask for Clarification if Needed: If you don’t fully understand a question, don’t hesitate to ask the interviewer for clarification. It’s better to seek clarification than to provide an irrelevant response.

Remember, the goal of crafting compelling responses is to leave the interviewer with a clear understanding of your capabilities, accomplishments, and how you align with the company’s needs. By following these guidelines and practicing your responses, you’ll be well-prepared to excel in any behavioral interview.

Strategies for Tackling Common Behavioral Questions in the M&E Sector

Behavioral interviews are particularly relevant in the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) sector, as they provide insight into how candidates have applied their skills and expertise in real-world situations. To effectively navigate these interviews and impress potential employers in the M&E field, consider the following strategies:

• Align with M&E Competencies: Review the key competencies and skills required for M&E roles in the job description. These often include data analysis, report writing, project management, and attention to detail. Tailor your responses to highlight experiences where you have demonstrated these competencies.
• Emphasize Data-Driven Decision-Making: M&E professionals are expected to make informed decisions based on data and evidence. Showcase instances where you collected, analyzed, and utilized data to drive improvements or inform project strategies.
• Highlight Impact: M&E is ultimately about measuring the impact of programs and initiatives. Share stories of how your work directly contributed to positive outcomes, whether it’s improved program effectiveness, cost savings, or enhanced decision-making.
• Discuss Challenges and Solutions: Expect questions about how you’ve handled challenges in data collection, analysis, or project implementation. Describe the specific challenges you faced, the actions you took to address them, and the results of your efforts. Emphasize your problem-solving skills.
• Collaborative Projects: Many M&E roles involve collaborating with cross-functional teams, stakeholders, and partners. Use examples that demonstrate your ability to work effectively with others, communicate findings, and ensure data accuracy.
• Adaptability to New Technologies: Given the evolving nature of data collection and analysis tools, showcase your adaptability and willingness to learn new technologies or software relevant to the M&E field.
• Ethical Considerations: Discuss ethical aspects of your work, especially if you’ve dealt with sensitive data or vulnerable populations. Highlight your commitment to maintaining confidentiality and adhering to ethical guidelines.
• Continuous Learning: M&E professionals should stay updated on industry trends and best practices. Mention any certifications, training, or courses you’ve completed to enhance your skills and knowledge.
• Use the STAR Method: Structure your responses using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Start by describing the context, outline your responsibilities, detail the actions you took, and conclude with the positive outcomes or impact.
• Practice Mock Interviews: Conduct mock interviews with peers or mentors, focusing on common behavioral questions in the M&E sector. This will help you refine your responses and build confidence.
• Research the Organization: Familiarize yourself with the organization’s projects, goals, and recent achievements in the M&E field. Mention specific projects or initiatives that align with your experiences and interests during the interview.

By implementing these strategies and tailoring your responses to the unique demands of the M&E sector, you’ll demonstrate your suitability for M&E roles and increase your chances of success in behavioral interviews.

Concluding Thoughts on Navigating M&E Behavioral Interviews with Confidence

In conclusion, behavioral interview questions are a common and effective way for employers in various sectors, including Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), to assess a candidate’s suitability for a role. By using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) and preparing thoughtful examples from your experiences, you can confidently navigate these questions and showcase your skills, competencies, and achievements.

This guide has provided a comprehensive list of behavioral interview questions, with a focus on those relevant to the M&E sector. These questions cover key areas such as stress management, decision-making, adaptability, collaboration, interpersonal skills, communication, leadership, and taking initiative. Additionally, we have emphasized the importance of honesty, clarity, and effective communication in your responses.

To excel in a behavioral interview, it’s crucial to review the job description, reflect on your past experiences, and practice delivering your responses clearly and concisely. Moreover, remember that behavioral interviews are an opportunity to highlight your problem-solving abilities and demonstrate how you have contributed to the success of projects, teams, and organizations.

By using this guide to prepare for your behavioral interview, you can confidently approach the process, impress your interviewers, and increase your chances of securing the Monitoring and Evaluation position you desire. Good luck with your interview preparations!

How strong is my Resume?

Only 2% of resumes land interviews.

Land a better, higher-paying career

Jobs for You

College of education: open-rank, evaluation/social research methods — educational psychology.

• Champaign, IL, USA
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Deputy Director – Operations and Finance

• United States

Energy/Environment Analyst

Climate finance specialist, call for consultancy: evaluation of dfpa projects in kenya, uganda and ethiopia.

• The Danish Family Planning Association

Project Assistant – Close Out

• United States (Remote)

Global Technical Advisor – Information Management

• Belfast, UK
• Concern Worldwide

Intern- International Project and Proposal Support – ISPI

Budget and billing consultant, manager ii, budget and billing, usaid/lac office of regional sustainable development – program analyst, team leader, senior finance and administrative manager, data scientist.

• New York, NY, USA
• Everytown For Gun Safety

Energy Evaluation Specialist

Services you might be interested in, useful guides ....

How to Create a Strong Resume

Monitoring And Evaluation Specialist Resume

Resume Length for the International Development Sector

Types of Evaluation

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL)

LAND A JOB REFERRAL IN 2 WEEKS (NO ONLINE APPS!)

Sign Up & To Get My Free Referral Toolkit Now:

• Resume Writing
• Resume Examples
• Cover Letter
• Remote Work
• Famous Resumes
• Try Kickresume

Behavioral Interview Questions: 40 Common Questions and How to Answer Them

• Klara Cervenanska , 
• Updated November 20, 2023 14 min read

What's more stressful than a job interview? A behavioral job interview, brimming with behavioral interview questions that really make you sweat.

These aren't your standard questions like " Tell me about yourself " No, these questions take you on a deep dive into your past work experiences, challenging you to come up with real-life situations on the spot.

Though it might seem tough to prepare for these kinds of questions, there's good news. There are methods out there that can help you craft solid answers to almost any behavioral question thrown your way.

In this guide, we've put together everything you need:

• the 30 most common behavioral interview questions, including 10 questions asked by big names like Amazon
• sample answers that can guide your preparation
• overview of the STAR method to help you ace any behavioral question

By the end of this article, you'll have the tools and confidence to tackle these tough questions and make a memorable impression in your next behavioral interview.

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

What is a behavioral interview?

What are behavioral interview questions, 30 common behavioral interview questions, amazon behavioral interview questions, how to answer behavioral interview questions, star interview method, key takeaways: behavioral interview questions.

Have you ever walked into an interview thinking it's going to be the same old Q&A session, only to find yourself in the hot seat, recounting your entire work history?

Welcome to the world of behavioral interviews.

So, what exactly is a behavioral interview? A behavioral interview is a technique used by employers to understand how you've handled real-life situations in your past work experiences. It's based on the belief that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance.

Essentially, imagine an interview where the questions aren’t about what you can do, but about what you have done. It’s like the interviewer has a crystal ball, but instead of predicting the future, they want to take a deep dive into your past.

The idea is simple: your past behavior is the best predictor of your future performance.

These interviews can feel like a trip down memory lane, but it's not just about reminiscing. Each question is a key that unlocks a story about your skills, decision-making, and adaptability in real-life work situations.

It’s not just, “Do you work well under pressure?”

It’s more, “Tell me about a time when you had to work under extreme pressure.”

Behavioral interviews vs. situational interviews

When it comes to job interviews, behavioral and situational interviews are similar in that they both ask for complex answers, not just a simple 'yes' or 'no.'

In both types, you're not just listing your skills; you're demonstrating them through your answers. But here’s where they part ways: one looks back, and the other looks forward.

Now, let's break down the key differences:

Let's take a closer look:

• Behavioral interview: Focuses on the past and asks questions about your actual experiences and actions in specific situations. For instance, you might be asked, “Tell me about a time when you had to meet a tight deadline.”
• Situational interview: Concentrates on the future, using hypothetical scenarios to gauge how you might handle potential challenges. A common question could be, “What would you do if you faced an impossible deadline?”

One advantage of situational interviews is that they level the playing field. Employers can put all candidates in the same hypothetical situation and compare their answers.

This makes it easier to compare candidates directly because everyone's answering the same 'what if' question.

But remember, whether you’re reflecting on the past or predicting the future, the key is to show how your skills and mindset make you the right person for the job.

Behavioral interview questions are a favorite tool in an interviewer's kit. Why?

Because they reveal a lot more about you than your typical Q&A.

But how do employers come up with behavioral interview questions? It's not as random as it might seem. Employers often start with the key competencies and skills that are crucial for the job. They then craft questions that help them understand how candidates have demonstrated these qualities in real-life situations.

Why do they like asking them? Well, past behavior is a great predictor of future performance. These questions let employers peek into your professional history to see how you've handled challenges, solved problems, and worked with others. It's like a sneak preview of what you might bring to their team.

Let's dive into some key characteristics of behavioral interview questions:

• Specificity. These questions are detailed. They don't want to know if you're good at something in general; they want a specific example of a time you demonstrated a skill or handled a situation.
• Real-life situations. Expect to talk about actual events from your past work experiences. You’ll need to recall times when you solved problems, faced challenges, or achieved something significant.
• Skill-focused. Each question targets a specific skill or competency, like teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, or adaptability. Your answers should highlight how you've effectively used these skills.
• Open-ended. These questions don't have a right or wrong answer. They're designed to get you talking and sharing stories about your experiences.

Now that you're getting a handle on what these questions are all about, you might be wondering, "What kind of questions can I expect?"

Stay tuned for the next chapter, where we'll dive into the 20 most common behavioral interview questions – you might just find a few that you'll need to prepare for!

Navigating behavioral interviews can feel like a minefield, but knowing what to expect can make all the difference.

Here are 20 common behavioral interview questions, gathered from various reputable sources, like Yale University or University of Sydney .

Keep in mind, these questions are designed to get you to share detailed, specific examples from your past work experiences.

• Tell me about a time when you had to work closely with someone whose personality was very different from yours. (Teamwork Question)​ ​
• Describe a time when you had to interact with a difficult client or customer. What was the situation, and how did you handle it? (Customer Service Question)​ ​
• Tell me about a time you were under a lot of pressure. What was going on, and how did you get through it? (Adaptability Question)​ ​
• Give me an example of a time you managed numerous responsibilities. How did you handle that? (Time Management Question)​ ​
• Tell me about a time when you had to rely on written communication to get your ideas across. (Communication Question)​ ​
• Tell me about your proudest professional accomplishment. (Motivation Question)​ ​
• What’s a project or accomplishment you’re proud of? (Top Behavioral Interview Question) ​ ​
• Tell me about a time you had an interpersonal conflict at work. (Teamwork and Collaboration Question)​ ​
• Tell me about a time you had to tell someone no. (Communication Question)​ ​
• Tell me about a time you led a project. (Leadership and Management Question)​ ​
• Recall a time when you weren’t sure how to solve an issue. Walk me through how you resolved it. (Problem Solving Question)​ ​
• Can you recall a high-pressure job situation from your past? (Personal Stress and Adaptability Question)​ ​
• Tell me about a time when you exceeded expectations. (Success, Failure, and Self-Reflection Question)​ ​
• Tell me about a time you had to work with someone with a very different work style than you. (Teamwork Question)​ ​
• How do you handle setbacks at work? (Resilience Question)​ ​
• Tell me about the last presentation you made. How did it go? (Communication Question)​ ​
• What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced? How did you overcome it, and what did you learn? (Challenge Question)​ ​
• How do you handle multiple and competing deadlines? (Time Management Question)​ ​
• What do you do if you don’t understand the project assignment? (Problem Solving Question)​ ​
• How do you handle a lot of stress or pressure on the job or in school? (Stress Management Question)​ ​
• Tell me about a time you failed at work. (Resilience Question) ​ ​
• What personal traits make you stand out for this role? (Position-Specific Question)​ ​
• Describe a situation in which you had to apply your skills to learn a new technology/ process. (Analytical Question)​ ​
• Provide an example of a time when you offered an innovative solution to a difficult problem. (Creativity Question)​ ​
• Tell me about a complex problem you solved—walk me through your thinking as you solved it. (Analytical Question)​ ​
• What makes you a good team member? (Teamwork Question)​ ​
• Describe a situation in which you were able to successfully convince someone to see things your way. (Communication Skills Question)​ ​
• Describe a difficult situation that you feel you should have handled differently. What did you learn? (Management Skills Question) ​ ​
• Give me an example of how you demonstrate initiative. (Drive Question)​ ​
• Tell me about a time when you provided outstanding customer service. What was the situation and what did you do? (Sample Behavioral Question)​ ​

Each of these behavioral interview questions targets specific aspects of your professional experience and skills. When preparing your answers, think about situations that best illustrate your abilities in these areas.

Remember, the key is to provide concrete examples that demonstrate your competencies and how they align with the role you're interviewing for.

Firstly, it's a well-known fact that Amazon takes its behavioral interviews seriously.

When you're preparing for an interview with this tech giant, expect to encounter a barrage of questions starting with “Tell me about a time you…”

These aren't just random inquiries; they are meticulously designed to probe your soft skills, aligning closely with Amazon's 16 leadership principles .

We've dived into the depths of Glassdoor data , where real people share their actual interview experiences, to bring you 10 real Amazon behavioral interview questions asked in various Amazon job interviews:

• Tell me about a time when you had to leave a task unfinished.
• Tell me about a time when you had to work with incomplete data or information.
• Tell me about your most challenging customer. How did you resolve their issues and make them satisfied?
• Tell me about a time when you invented something.
• Tell me about a time when you had to work with limited time or resources.
• Tell me about an unpopular decision of yours.
• Tell me about a time when you realized a project needed changes.
• Think about a time you received negative feedback. How did you deal with that?
• Can you give an example of a time you exceeded expectations?
• Tell me about a time when you gave a simple solution to a complex problem.

Interview didn't go as planned?

Maybe it's time to upgrade your resume. Improve your resume with AI in a few clicks.

Tackling behavioral interview questions can feel like crafting a compelling story.

You want to be clear, relevant, and leave your interviewer impressed.

Here's some tips on how to do just that:

• Prepare a mental catalogue of situations. Before the interview, sit down and recall different situations from your past work experience. Create a mental library of scenarios you can draw from. This preparation will make it easier to quickly pull relevant examples during the interview.
• Be specific. Think of a specific incident that clearly demonstrates your skills or how you handled a situation. For example, instead of saying, "I'm good at problem-solving," describe a particular problem you solved, how you approached it, and the solution you implemented.
• Stay relevant. Tailor your stories to the job and align your examples with the job's requirements. If you're interviewing for a leadership role, focus on situations where you led a team or project successfully.
• Keep it positive. Spin a positive yarn, even from a negative situation. Focus on what you learned or how you improved. For instance, if you talk about a conflict, emphasize how it was resolved and what it taught you about teamwork or communication.
• Use STAR method. This is a handy tool for structuring your responses, and we'll explore it more in the next chapter.

Example question and answer

Question: "Tell me about a time when you had to work on a tight deadline."

Answer: Last year, in my role at XYZ Corp, we faced an unexpected deadline for a major project after a key team member became ill. I stepped up as the interim lead, quickly reassessing the workload and reallocating tasks based on each team member's strengths. I also established daily check-ins to track our progress and maintain open communication. Despite the time crunch, we successfully delivered the project on schedule. This experience reinforced the value of adaptability, clear communication, and teamwork under pressure.

The STAR interview method is a helpful framework for answering behavioural interview questions. It's well-established, widely used, and recommended by career professionals across various industries.

The beauty of the STAR method lies in its simplicity and effectiveness. It helps you structure your responses in a way that is both comprehensive and engaging for the interviewer.

Let's break down each component of this method:

• S for Situation: Start by painting a picture of the context. Where did this situation occur? When did it happen? What were the key factors involved?
• T for Task: Define your specific task/role or challenge in that situation. What were you responsible for? Were there any expectations placed on you? What was your objective?
• A for Action: Describe the actions you took to address the task. What steps did you take to resolve or manage the situation? How did you approach the challenge? Who did you work with or coordinate?
• R for Result: Conclude with the results or impact of your actions. What was the outcome? Did you learn anything? What was the impact on the team or company?

Clearly, the best way to understand the effectiveness of the STAR method is to see it in action. Let's walk through an example to demonstrate how each component comes together to form a coherent and impactful response.

Example answer using STAR interview method

Question: "Tell me about a time when you had to overcome a significant challenge."

• Situation: "In my previous role at XYZ Inc., we faced a significant decline in customer satisfaction scores."
• Task: "As the customer experience manager, it was my responsibility to identify the root causes and improve our service quality."
• Action: "I initiated a customer feedback survey, analyzed the data to identify key issues, trained the team on new service protocols, and introduced a follow-up process for customer complaints."
• Result: "Within three months, our customer satisfaction scores improved by 30%, and we regained our leading position in the industry satisfaction rankings."

Behavioral interview questions are not your typical interview questions. These require you to reflect on your past experiences and specific situations and on how they've shaped your approach to work challenges.

While behavioral interview questions are gaining popularity, traditional interview questions still dominate the landscape. Hence, don’t forget to prepare for other common interview questions like:

• Why should we hire you?
• Tell us about yourself.
• Why did you leave your previous job?

Tools like Kickresume's Interview Questions Generator can also come in handy. This AI-powered tool tailors common interview questions to your industry and role, ensuring you're well-prepared for any interview scenario.

Finally, let’s not forget the cornerstone of your job application: your resume . The importance of having a well-crafted, job-specific resume cannot be overstated. The AI resume writer tool can generate tailored resumes with the help of AI in a few clicks so you don't have to spend your days crafting resumes.

FAQ: Behavioral interview questions

1. Describe a time when you had to interact with a difficult client or customer. 2. Tell me about a time when you had to work on a tight deadline. 3. Tell me about a time when you faced a significant challenge at work. How did you handle it? 4. Describe a situation where you had to work closely with a difficult colleague. 5. Give me an example of a time when you showed initiative at work. 6. Tell me about the last presentation you made. How did it go? 7. What’s a project or accomplishment you’re proud of? 8. Tell me about a time you had an interpersonal conflict at work. 9. Tell me about a time when you had to adapt to a significant change at work. 10. Think about a time you received negative feedback. How did you deal with that?

To prepare for a behavioral interview, reflect on your past work experiences and identify examples that showcase your problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and adaptability skills. Practice articulating these experiences clearly and concisely, using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses. Research the company and align your examples with their values and the job's requirements.

To answer behavioral interview questions effectively, use the STAR method: Start by describing the Situation , clarify your Task or role, detail the Actions you took, and conclude with the Result or outcome. This framework helps structure your response, ensuring it's clear and highlights your skills and problem-solving abilities in a concrete, relatable way.

While behavioral interview focuses on the past and asks questions about your actual experiences and actions in specific situations, situational interview concentrates on the future, using hypothetical scenarios to gauge how you might handle potential challenges.

Klara graduated from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. After having written resumes for many of her fellow students, she began writing full-time for Kickresume. Klara is our go-to person for all things related to student or 'no experience resumes'. At the same time, she has written some of the most popular resume advice articles on this blog. Her pieces were featured in multiple CNBC articles. When she's not writing, you'll probably find her chasing dogs or people-watching while sipping on a cup of coffee.

Related Posts

10 things you absolutely must do before your video job interview (infographic), no job interviews 5 things you might be doing wrong, share this article, join our newsletter.

Every month, we’ll send you resume advice, job search tips, career hacks and more in pithy, bite-sized chunks. Sounds good?

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Career Sherpa

Guide for Lifetime Career Navigation

• Search this site...

51 Behavioral Interview Questions & Answers To Master

June 29, 2021 by Hannah Morgan

Interviews are less stressful if you have some idea of what questions you’ll be asked. Since behavioral interview questions have become quite popular over the years, you can expect some to be thrown your way. 

Read this guide to learn more about behavioral interview questions, get a list of the most common questions employers ask, and see some sample behavioral interview questions and answers to help you visualize the process. Plus get actionable tips on how to prepare and respond when you’re asked to give examples of how you handle situations at work.

Table of contents

What are behavioral interview questions, common behavioral interview questions, sample questions and answers, how to prepare.

• Additional Reminders And Tips

When a recruiter or hiring manager asks questions during a job interview, it’s likely they will ask you to tell them about a time when you…

These types of questions are referred to as behavioral interview questions because they help the interviewer understand and evaluate your behavior, as well as your skills. 

Imagine trying to evaluate someone’s skills without actually seeing the work being performed. That’s the challenge recruiters face when selecting candidates for a job. The next best thing is to ask you to describe how you’ve solved a problem. 

Behavioral questions are designed to help interviewers learn how you would respond to a specific situation and how you solve problems to achieve successful results.

Behavioral interview questions require the candidate to explain how you resolved an issue, solved a problem or fixed something. Embedded within each answer are the human drivers or qualities that show why you took the actions you did. It’s like a small peek into what motivates you. 

Here’s what you know:

You and your co-workers approached tasks differently. Imagine you were both interviewing for the same job. Your titles and work would look the same, but how you performed the job would come across differently during the job interview. Those are the subtle differences interviewers hope to discover from asking behavior interview questions. And your unique style of getting work done is exactly what you want to emphasize during the interview. Clearly and concisely. 

Behavioral interview answers are the proof or evidence of your soft skills as well as your ability to do the job. 

Start today by recalling situations that show future employers you have what they are looking for, especially specific examples that highlight: productivity, leadership, teamwork, initiative, planning, flexibility/adaptability and interpersonal skills.

 When practicing how to answer behavioral interview questions, you don’t need to prepare thousands of possible responses. Instead, think about the skills and behaviors your future employer needs. Some of the skills and behaviors are fairly common and would apply to almost any position with any company. Just look at the job description to see which skills are being requested.

Here are common categories you can prepare for during your upcoming interview:  

• Career/Experience

Motivation/Self Awareness

Conflict/stress, adaptability/flexibility, problem solving/decision making, planning/organizing, leadership/teamwork.

• Presentation/Communication 

Follow Through

There are certain types of questions you can anticipate and prepare for. This list of 50 common behavioral interview questions is broken down by what skills or qualities the interviewer is evaluating. 

The types of questions you are asked will vary by your role and level of seniority. In other words, if the job doesn’t require you to deliver presentations, you probably won’t be asked to talk about a time you had to deliver a presentation to a group. 

During a one-hour interview, you can probably expect to be asked approximately 10-20 questions, many will be behavioral interview questions.

Career/Work History

• Can you describe for me one of your most important accomplishments?
• Describe for me one of the biggest disappointments in your work history.
• What special aspects of your education or training have prepared you for this job?
• What specific things in your past experience that affected your present career objectives? 
• How do you go about making an important decision affecting your career?
• Give an example of how you used what you learned from the last professional development course you took.
• Tell me about a difficult obstacle you have had to overcome. 
• Give me an example of a time you took initiative or took the role as a self-starter.
• Provide an example of what gave you the greatest satisfaction at work?
• Give an example of a time something frustrated you at work and how you handled it.
• Describe your most significant failure in the last 2 years.
• Give me an example of an experience on the job that you felt was satisfying.
• Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem.
• Tell me about a time you have been told, or discovered yourself, a problem in your job performance, and what have you done? 
• Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure.
• Give me an example of the most difficult conflict situation in which you were involved?
• Tell me about a time you disagreed with a supervisor.
• Tell me about a time you had to stand up for your beliefs.
• Tell me about a time you disagreed with your manager’s leadership style or team culture.
• Tell me about a time when you were in conflict with a peer and how the situation was resolved.
• Tell me about a time you wish you’d handled a situation with a coworker differently.
• Tell me about a time you encountered pressure on the job and how you handled it.
• Give me an example of the problems you encountered in doing your last job? Which ones frustrate you the most? 
• Tell me about a time you had to learn something quickly.
• Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond your regular job responsibilities in order to get a job done.  
• Tell me about the adjustments you had to make to your schedule working virtually.
• Give me an example of how you communicate with your manager and co-workers in a remote setting. 
• Give me an example of the most difficult decision you made in the past year.
• The last time you did not know what decision to make, what did you do?
• Tell me about a time when you had to analyze information and make a recommendation. 
• Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
• Give an example of when you took full responsibility for solving a problem only to find out that you really should have included others in the process.
• Tell me about a time when you were faced with conflicting priorities. 
• Give an example of something you’ve recently scheduled. 
• Tell me about how you met your objectives this year.
• Tell me about a time when you motivated others.
• Can you give me an example of your ability to manage or supervise others?
• Tell me about a time when you had to get your team together to establish a common approach to a problem.
• Tell me about a time when needed to get your team to accept your ideas or department goals.
• How would you describe your basic leadership style ? Give specific examples of how you practice this.
• Tell me about a tie when you led a group who doesn’t report to you, but from whom you have to get work. 
• In your work experience, what have you done that you consider truly creative?
• Can you think of a problem you have encountered when the old solutions didn’t work and when you came up with new solutions?
• What kind of problems have people recently called on you to solve? Tell me what you devised?

Presentation/Communication

• Tell me about a time you had to give a presentation? How did you prepare?
•  Give me an example of a time when you had to explain a complex idea or topic to people with less subject knowledge. 
• Tell me about the most recent writing project you’ve worked on.
• Tell me about a time you had to build rapport with a coworker or client whose personality was different than yours?
• Give me an example of a time when you had to make sure that due dates were met for work that you delegated? 
• Tell me about a time when you gathered feedback from a customer after you completed a project/task or made a delivery? 
• Tell me about one of the methods you’ve used to follow up on your projects, tasks, assignments.

To help you formulate your own responses, here are some sample behavioral interview questions and answers. You will notice that these sample answers follow a similar format. One of the best ways to structure your answers to behavioral interview questions is using the STAR format.  

Use STAR to organize the information you include in your answer. This ensures you include just the important information the interviewer needs to hear. It also requires you to remember and discuss a specific situation, task, action, and result in your answer.

Here’s more detail on what to include in each element:

• Situation: Describe the situation. Use who, what, where, when, why and how to help you structure the information. Describe a specific event or situation, not a generalized description of what you have done in the past. This situation can be from a previous job, a volunteer experience, or any relevant event.
• Task: What goal were you working toward? What were you being asked to do?
• Action: Describe the actions you took to address the situation with an appropriate amount of detail and keep the focus on YOU. What specific steps did you take and what was your particular contribution? Use the word “I,” not “we” when describing actions.
• Result: Describe the outcome of your actions and don’t be shy about taking credit for the outcome. Be sure to mention measurable or quantifiable results. Was there an increase in performance, efficiency, profitability or impact?

Keep your answer concise and on track by including all elements in your answer using the STAR format. Be as specific as possible without rambling or including too much information.

Never use a generic answer like “I always appreciate different viewpoints from my own. When someone expresses a different opinion, I listen carefully to what the person says and utilize that feedback.” While this answer is technically good, it lacks the details and specifics. An interviewer would find it hard to evaluate your skills or believe you had experience handling the situation.  

1. Can you describe for me one of your most important accomplishments?

This behavioral interview question is your opportunity to share one of the top achievements in your career . When selecting your accomplishment, be sure it is relevant to the job you are interviewing for. 

Answer: When I was leading the engineering team at XYZ company, we needed to redesign a component to increase output on a printer. I gathered a team made up of sales reps, manufacturing, marketing and engineering to identify what a successful outcome would look like.

After months of meetings spent evaluating costs and timelines, we developed a component that increased the printer’s quality and quantity of printed materials. This new component was used in every new machine produced and increased sales by 25% globally. 

2. Tell me about a difficult obstacle you have had to overcome.

The interviewer wants to know how you handle pressure, challenges, adversity and tenacity. Focus you answer on the steps you took to overcome the obstacle. 

Answer: While working on a time-sensitive client project, I found the printer was jammed. I first reloaded the paper bins and followed the printer’s error instructions and within minutes the printer was back online.

Not only was my report in the queue but so were several other jobs. The final client report was proofed and delivered ahead of schedule. I also delivered the other print jobs to their owners to keep their workflow on track.

3. Tell me about a time you disagreed with a supervisor or co-worker.

This behavioral interview question evaluates how you view your relationships at work and how you handle conflict. It also shows how you communicate during uncomfortable and uncertain situations. Keep your opinions and emotions out of your answer and state the facts.

Answer: My previous manager had specific ideas about what she wanted in our social media marketing campaigns. She wanted to use text dense graphics. As the lead designer, I believed that a simple call to action was more convincing.

After much discussion, we compromised, and ran each campaign for one week. We then collected the insights related to customer engagement. It turns out that my campaigns performed better so from that point forward, she allowed me to manage our social media independently.

4. Tell me about how you met your objectives this year? 

Your ability to set goals and prioritize actions to meet the objectives for your own personal development shows how you structure time and manage priorities. It also evaluates your thought process and motivation. 

Answer: In my role as event planner, I was accountable for coordinating events for current and potential customers. As you can imagine, this was quite challenging last year.

After meeting with my manager, we decided to take a brief pause in offering events. I developed a roadmap for monthly meetings with current customers on Zoom which was distributed through emails twice a month. I also collaborated with sales to create a four-part masterclass on selling for potential customers. Our monthly customer meetings averaged 10-30 customers per call and the masterclass enrollment was 100.

5. Tell me about a time when needed to get your team to accept your ideas or department goals.

No matter what role you hold in a company, you need to be able to “sell” your ideas to the team, your manager or a customer. Persuasion and communication are important skills. 

Answer: We were rolling out a new workshop and needed the team to support it and encourage students to attend it. We knew that adding another thing to students’ schedules would be looked at as unnecessary.

My manager and I planned a launch meeting and built an agenda for maximum interactivity. The idea was to have our team actually experience what the workshop would be like. After experiencing the benefits and outcomes of the workshop, our team was enthusiastic about recommending it to students and provided first-hand testimonials. 

6. Tell me about a time you had to build rapport with a coworker or client whose personality was different than yours?

This behavioral interview question evaluates your interpersonal skills. The interviewer wants to understand what steps you take to bridge differing opinions or work styles.

Answer: While working on a website redesign project, I had to collaborate with team members from across the country and even in different countries. When we launched the project, the first few minutes of each meeting, I did a mini team building exercise where we’d work on solving a light hearted problem together. Once that was completed, each member would deliver their 2 minute update.

What I found was that the exercises helped establish trust among the team and a shared sense of accountability. This made it easier to deliver tough messages or to ask people to work more quickly. 

7. Tell me about a complicated problem you have had to deal with. 

The interviewer wants to understand how you go about solving complicated problems. In other words, how you identified or gained more understanding of that problem and what steps you took to resolve it. 

Answer: Our customer service team was receiving an increased number of complaints about items arriving late. I reviewed our delivery schedule then met with the staff involved in the customer delivery  process. What we discovered was that the delay was with our shipping provider. In speaking with the vendor, we came to the realization that there was nothing we could do to reduce shipping times.

I contacted two other vendors and asked for a quote and delivery estimates. After several weeks of negotiations, I finally recommended we change vendors which would guarantee delivery within 3 days. But this would also cost 3% more. We ultimately increased our pricing but also issued a guaranteed delivery date and all customer delivery complaints have stopped.  

8. Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond your regular job responsibilities in order to get a job done. 

The answer to this behavioral interview question will show your motivation, drive and initiative. 

Answer: Outside of my regular responsibilities, I took the initiative to coordinate monthly lunch and learn meetings to increase our marketing team’s knowledge of important digital marketing trends.

I invited each team member to submit a list of topics they were interested in and topics they would be interested in presenting. The monthly meetings are well-attended and have helped our team initiate new ideas, increasing our digital content output by 40%.

9. What was your most difficult decision in the past year? 

This question is actually several questions – what do you perceive as difficult, what made it difficult and how did you handle it. It’s evaluating how you handle the decision making process. Answer in a way that doesn’t make you look like the victim in the situation and by no means should you criticize or disparage others.

Answer: The decision to lay employees is always difficult – personally and professionally. We had just lost three major clients and I had no choice but to let go of two employees who managed those accounts.

It was truly a financial decision based on budget reductions, but I still felt horrible for my employees. I delivered the news to these employees as empathetically as I could and made sure they all fully understood the details of their severance packages. In the end, they all walked away knowing that the decision was purely business-related.

10. Tell me about a time when you were faced with conflicting priorities. 

Your time management and decision making skills are being evaluated by this question. Make sure you focus on the positive aspects of the situation. Don’t go into the negative details. 

Answer: My team and I  were facing a deadline and my manager was out of the office. Our client was expecting a project to be delivered by 5:00 PM, and I could tell we weren’t going to make the deadline without making some changes.

I re-organized my own tasks so I could dedicate my entire day to focusing on this project. I took the lead and delegated tasks to the five team members in a way that would utilize everyone’s strengths best. By pitching in and reallocating work, we delivered the work to the client on-time. I also emailed our manager to let her know we had met the deadline.

While you can’t know for sure which behavioral interview questions you’ll be asked during an interview, you can prepare and practice your answers to commonly asked questions. 

When you have carefully selected relevant stories you want to share in an interview you’ll enter the interview feeling more confident and prepared. Plus, you’ll provide proof you possess the experience the employer is looking for. 

Review the job posting carefully

You’ll want to know which stories to include during each interview. To do this, analyze the posting. Look at each requirement and ask yourself “have I ever done this or something like this?” This review will help you identify the most relevant stories so your answer will include the skills and qualities the employer is looking for. 

Use the STAR format

STAR stands for situation, task, actions and result. When formatting your answers to behavioral interview questions, every answer you provide should include all four of these elements. STAR also ensures the interviewer gets the important information they are looking for from your response. The most important sections of your answer are the actions you took and the results.  

Identify the top 3-5 most relevant stories

While you may be asked to tell more than 5 stories, you should absolutely identify what you think are the most relevant, relatable stories based on the job posting and what you know about the company. 

Don’t memorize your answers 

You don’t want your answer to sound robotic so don’t memorize your answer word for word. Instead, try remembering your answer as bullet points so your answer flows more naturally. Be sure to know what key skills or action verbs you’ll use while telling your story.  

Practice out loud

Writing out your answers just isn’t the same as saying them out out loud. It’s important to practice your answers to make sure you’ll remember the flow to your answer. You want to practice it enough so it sounds natural. 

Record your answers

Take your practice to the next level by recording your answers and then listen to how they sound. Just grab your phone or use your computer to record your answers and evaluate the strength of your answers. 

Time yourself

We know that attention spans are short. This is true during interviews too. To help you deliver just the right amount of information, try and keep your answer around one minute. This means if you can’t complete your answer in under five minutes, you’ll need to cut information out. Trust me, it probably isn’t all that important to the interviewer. But if they want to know more details, guess what? They’ll ask a followup question. 

Smile, relax and let your personality shine

Part of what makes you unique is your personality. Don’t be afraid to let it come out in your answers. And a smile is just icing on the cake. Research has shown that people who smile come across as more likable. And relax. The interview is just a conversation. 

Not everyone’s a pro at interviewing

Keep in mind, there are many recruiters and hiring managers who have never been trained how to interview. No matter how experienced or trained they are (or aren’t) you don’t want that to impede the information you need to convey. You can always insert one of your stories to supplement your answer (even if you weren’t asked to cite an example). 

Give it your all

During an interview, you have the opportunity to convince the interviewer that your experience and skills are what the employer needs for the role, so take every opportunity to make sure the interviewer knows the full extent of what makes you a good fit for the role.  

Keep your answers positive

Always remember to keep your answers positive. Never blame co-workers or your manager or position them as doing something wrong. Additionally, don’t provide information about your mistakes or weaknesses that would cause the interviewer to question your abilities. 

Additional Reminders About Behavioral Interviews

• Be sure each story has a beginning, middle, and an end, i.e., be ready to describe the situation, including the task at hand, your action, and the outcome or result.  
• Always make sure the outcome or result reflects positively on you (even if the result itself was not favorable).  
• Be honest. Don’t embellish or omit any part of the story. The interviewer will find out if your story is built on a weak foundation.  
• Be specific. Don’t generalize about several events; give a detailed accounting of one event.  
• Vary your examples; don’t take them all from just one area of your life. 

Behavioral interview questions shouldn’t catch you by surprise. If you anticipate them and take time to plan your answers to “tell me about a time when” questions, you’ll come across as qualified, capable and compatible. Your answers, in the form of STAR stories are what make you memorable. 

Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including  Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success .

• Interviewing
• Career Management
• Social Media
• Summary Sunday
• Products & Services

NEVER MISS A POST!

Don’t miss out on the latest tips and tricks for a successful job search! By subscribing, you’ll get a weekly digest of modern job hunting trends. Whether you’re just starting your career or looking to take it to the next level, my newsletter has everything you need to succeed. Join the community today and stay ahead of the game!

SIGN UP HERE!

• More Networks

How to Answer 11 Common Behavioral Interview Questions

• Why Employers Use Behavioral Interview Questions Part 1
• How to Use the STAR Method to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions Part 2
• Common Behavioral Interview Questions Part 3
• How to Answer 11 Common Behavioral Interview Questions Part 4
• Conflict Resolution: Best Answers Part 5
• Managing Multiple Priorities: Best Answers Part 6
• Adapting to Change: Best Answers Part 7
• Solving a Problem with Limited Resources: Best Answers Part 8
• Leadership and Teamwork Behavioral Interview Answers Part 9
• Time Management and Organization Interview Answers Part 10
• Communication Behavioral Interview Answers Part 11
• Tips: How to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions Part 12

Part 1 Why Employers Use Behavioral Interview Questions

Behavioral interview questions are designed to help employers gauge how candidates might react in certain situations based on their past behavior.

Employers use behavioral questions because they believe past behavior is an excellent predictor of future performance. By understanding how you’ve handled situations in the past, they can better determine your fit for the role and the company culture. These types of questions typically start with phrases like “Tell me about a time when…” or “Describe a situation where…”

There are also situational interview questions that usually begin with “Imagine you’re in this situation…” or “What would you do if…?” . Learn more: How to Answer 9 Common Situational Interview Questions

Skills and Qualities Assessed

Behavioral interview questions can assess various skills and qualities depending on the job requirements. Some common skills and qualities assessed through these questions include:

• Communication: Your ability to convey information clearly and concisely to others.
• Teamwork: How effectively you collaborate with team members on projects and tasks.
• Problem-solving: Your approach to identifying and addressing challenges in your work.
• Adaptability: How you handle change and adapt to new situations.
• Conflict resolution: Your ability to manage conflicts and resolve differences in a professional manner.
• Decision-making: Your process for making decisions and weighing options.
• Leadership: Your ability to motivate, guide, and inspire others.

Identifying Key Skills and Qualities

Before attending an interview, review the job description and list the required skills and qualities. Evaluate your past work experiences and decide which situations demonstrate those skills. This will allow you to systematically express why you are a suitable candidate for the position.

Part 2 How to Use the STAR Method to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions

The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is a helpful tool for structuring your responses to behavioral interview questions. Begin by describing the situation you encountered, followed by the task you needed to accomplish. Then explain the action you took to address the situation and the result of your actions.

Question: “Can you tell me about a time when you had to overcome a difficult challenge in the workplace?”

Situation : “ Sure, I remember a time when I was working on a project for a client, and we were facing a tight deadline. One of my team members unexpectedly had to take a leave of absence, leaving us short-staffed.”

Task : “ As a result, I had to step up and take on some of their responsibilities in addition to my own.”

Action : “I immediately took stock of the situation and prioritized the tasks that needed to be completed. I also communicated with the rest of my team to ensure that everyone was aware of the changes and that we were all on the same page. I then worked long hours and weekends to ensure that we met the deadline.”

Result : “As a result of my actions, we were able to complete the project on time and to the client’s satisfaction. My team members were also appreciative of my efforts and we were able to build stronger relationships as a result.”

This answer demonstrates your ability to take initiative, prioritize tasks, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively with your team to overcome a difficult challenge in the workplace.

Crafting Your Anecdotes

Develop a series of concise, engaging anecdotes that highlight your accomplishments, skills, and experiences. Be sure to tailor your stories to the job description by focusing on situations that demonstrate the required skills. Practice these anecdotes to become more comfortable sharing them during your interview.

Remember to keep your anecdotes brief, relevant, and truthful. Use a confident, knowledgeable, neutral, and clear tone of voice as you share your experiences.

Part 3 Common Behavioral Interview Questions

By reflecting on your past experiences, you’ll be better equipped to confidently address these behavioral interview questions during an interview.

• Can you describe a time when you had to work under pressure?
• Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult coworker and how you handled it.
• How have you handled a tight deadline in the past?
• Can you give an example of when you had to collaborate with team members who had different opinions?
• Describe a situation where you had to make a difficult decision at work.
• How do you manage your time and prioritize tasks when working on multiple projects simultaneously?
• Can you provide an example of when you went above and beyond to deliver a project or help a client?
• Have you ever had to deliver bad news or negative feedback to a colleague? How did you approach this situation?
• Share an instance in which you had to take a calculated risk to achieve a goal.
• How do you stay organized and maintain attention to detail in your work?
• Describe a time when you had to adapt to a significant change at work.
• Can you discuss a situation where you faced an ethical dilemma and how you dealt with it?
• Tell me about a time you failed at a task or project – what did you learn from it?
• Explain how you’ve utilized your problem-solving skills in the workplace.
• Share an example of when you had to deal with competing priorities.
• How do you demonstrate leadership and motivate team members?
• Can you describe a time when you had to persuade someone to agree with your idea or decision?
• Tell me about a time when you made a mistake and had to take responsibility for it.
• How do you handle conflict resolution in a professional setting?
• Describe a situation where you had to deal with ambiguity.
• Can you discuss a time when you proactively identified a problem and implemented a solution?
• Tell me about a situation when you had to manage a project with limited resources.
• How do you go about delegating tasks to team members?
• Describe an instance where you had to learn a new skill or technology quickly to meet a deadline or goal.
• How do you handle constructive criticism?
• Share an example of when you took the initiative to improve a process or workflow at work.
• Can you describe a time when you had to use your communication skills to resolve a misunderstanding or miscommunication?
• Tell me about an instance when you had to develop a rapport with a new team member or client quickly.
• How do you manage stress and maintain a work-life balance?
• Describe a time when you worked as part of a diverse team and what you learned from that experience.

These questions aim to uncover your skills, experience, and most importantly, your ability to navigate various situations in the workplace.

Part 4 How to Answer 11 Common Behavioral Interview Questions

• Describe a time you faced a tight deadline. How did you manage your time? Your answer can highlight your ability to prioritize tasks, allocate extra time for critical projects, and utilize resources efficiently to ensure timely completion of your work.
• Describe a difficult decision you had to make in the workplace. How did you tackle it? Emphasize your ability to consult with relevant stakeholders, analyze data, and weigh the pros and cons of each option before making a well-reasoned decision.
• Describe a time when you had to adapt to a significant change at work. How did you manage it? Your answer should show your resilience and flexibility by talking about how you stayed composed during the transition, embraced the change, and sought training or resources when needed.
• Describe a moment when you had to exhibit leadership during a challenging situation. Your answer should emphasize the qualities of strong leadership: clear communication, confidence, setting and achieving goals, and inspiring your team to overcome the challenge.
• Have you ever dealt with a manager who gave unclear instructions? How did you resolve the situation? You might mention politely asking for clarification, paraphrasing their instructions to ensure understanding, and suggesting ways to improve communication in the future.
• Describe a time when you had to step out of your comfort zone at work. How did you handle it? Your response could focus on your willingness to take risks, learn from new experiences, and adapt to new situations while maintaining your commitment to your job.
• Have you ever had to work with an uncooperative coworker? How did you approach the situation? You could discuss the importance of understanding their perspectives, finding common ground, and fostering collaboration to achieve the best results for the team.
• Describe a time when you had to persuade someone to see things your way. What tactics did you employ? Mention your ability to listen, provide facts and data to support your argument, and demonstrate empathy while focusing on the benefits of your approach for all parties involved.
• Describe a time when you had to multitask. How did you manage multiple priorities? Discuss your use of time management techniques, such as creating to-do lists, setting goals, and delegating tasks when necessary, to ensure you effectively managed multiple priorities.
• Describe a time when you voluntarily took on additional responsibilities. How did you manage the extra workload? Your answer should showcase your proactive nature, time management skills, and ability to step up when needed while ensuring your primary tasks remain a high priority.
• Have you ever had to make a decision with limited information? How did you handle it? You could mention how you relied on intuition, sought input from others, and were prepared to change plans when new information became available.

Example Answers to Common Behavioral Interview Questions

Part 5 conflict resolution: best answers, “can you share an example of how you dealt with a conflict among team members”.

1. “In a previous role, I was part of a team that had a disagreement about the best approach to a project. To resolve the conflict, I scheduled a meeting with all team members to discuss their concerns and perspectives. I encouraged open and honest communication and facilitated a productive discussion. We were able to reach a compromise that everyone was happy with, and we successfully completed the project on time and within budget.”

2. “I once encountered a conflict among team members who had different ideas on how to prioritize tasks. To resolve the conflict, I scheduled a team meeting to discuss the issue and understand each team member’s perspective. I then worked with the team to develop a prioritization plan that incorporated everyone’s input. By doing so, we were able to reach a consensus and successfully complete the project on time.”

3. “In a previous role, I encountered a conflict among team members who had different work styles and were struggling to collaborate effectively. To address the issue, I scheduled a team-building exercise that focused on developing better communication and collaboration skills. Through this exercise, we were able to build stronger relationships and work more effectively as a team.”

Part 6 Managing Multiple Priorities: Best Answers

“describe a situation where you had to manage multiple priorities. how did you handle it”.

1. “In my previous role, I was responsible for managing multiple projects with competing deadlines. I prioritized my tasks based on the level of importance and urgency. I also made sure to communicate with my team and stakeholders regularly to ensure everyone was aware of the progress and any potential issues. I was able to successfully complete all projects on time and within budget.”

2. “I once had to manage multiple priorities while working on a tight deadline. To handle this situation, I created a detailed project plan that outlined all tasks and deadlines. I then delegated tasks to team members based on their strengths and availability. I also made sure to communicate regularly with my team and stakeholders to ensure everyone was aware of the progress and any potential issues. By doing so, we were able to successfully complete the project on time and within budget.”

3. “In a previous role, I was responsible for managing multiple client accounts with different needs and priorities. I made sure to prioritize tasks based on the level of importance and urgency, and I also worked closely with my team to ensure that everyone was aware of the priorities and deadlines. By staying organized and focused, we were able to successfully meet all client needs and exceed their expectations.”

Part 7 Adapting to Change: Best Answers

“tell me about a time you had to adapt to a major change in the workplace.”.

1. “In my previous role, our company underwent a major restructuring that resulted in changes to our team’s responsibilities and reporting structure. To adapt to this change, I took the initiative to learn about the new structure and my new role. I also worked closely with my team members to ensure a smooth transition. By embracing the change and being proactive, I was able to successfully adapt to the new workplace environment.”

2. “I once worked for a company that implemented a new technology platform that changed the way we worked. To adapt to this change, I took the initiative to learn about the new platform and its capabilities. I also worked closely with my team members to ensure that everyone was comfortable using the new technology. By being open-minded and proactive, I was able to successfully adapt to the new workplace environment.”

3. “In a previous role, I worked for a company that underwent a major shift in its business strategy. To adapt to this change, I took the initiative to learn about the new strategy and how it impacted my role. I was able to successfully adapt to the new workplace environment and contribute to the company’s success.”

Part 8 Solving a Problem with Limited Resources: Best Answers

“share your experience in solving a problem with limited resources.”.

1. “In a previous role, I was tasked with managing a project with limited resources. I identified the critical tasks and prioritized them based on their importance. I also looked for creative solutions to reduce costs and increase efficiency, such as leveraging open-source software and outsourcing non-essential tasks. By being resourceful and strategic, I was able to successfully complete the project within budget and on time.”

2. “I once encountered a problem with limited resources while working on a marketing campaign. To solve this problem, I focused on the most impactful marketing channels and optimized them for maximum results. I also looked for ways to leverage existing content and repurpose it for different channels. I was able to successfully execute the campaign and exceed the client’s expectations.”

3. “In a previous role, I was responsible for managing a team with limited resources. To solve this problem, I first assessed the team’s strengths and identified areas for improvement. I then developed a training and development plan that focused on building the team’s skills and empowering them to take on more responsibilities. I also looked for ways to streamline processes and eliminate inefficiencies. We were able to successfully meet our goals.”

Part 9 Leadership and Teamwork Behavioral Interview Answers

Question: Describe a time when you had to lead a team to achieve a goal. How did you motivate and guide them? Answer : In my previous role as a project manager, I led a team of five to complete a critical deadline within three weeks. To motivate and guide the team, I held daily check-ins, ensured open communication, and celebrated small milestones.

Question: Can you share an example of how you demonstrated leadership skills when working with a group? Answer : During a team-building activity, I noticed that our group lacked direction. I stepped up to coordinate tasks and assigned roles to each member based on their strengths, ultimately leading to a successful completion of the assignment.

Part 10 Time Management and Organization Answers

Question: How do you prioritize tasks when faced with multiple urgent assignments? Answer : I create a list of tasks, then rank each item based on importance, deadline, and effort. I tackle the high-priority assignments first, and also break them down into smaller tasks to make the workload manageable.

Question: Describe a situation where you had to juggle multiple responsibilities effectively. How did you handle it? Answer : As a marketing coordinator, I was responsible for managing an event, creating social media content, and designing a newsletter at the same time. I used a project management tool to plan my tasks, set deadlines, and track progress. By staying organized and maintaining open communication with stakeholders, I efficiently completed all responsibilities.

Part 11 Communication Behavioral Interview Answers

Question: Describe a time when you resolved a conflict between team members. What was your approach? Answer : Two team members had a disagreement about project execution, leading to tension and delays. I facilitated a meeting for open discussion, allowing each party to express their concerns. After understanding both perspectives, I helped them reach a compromise that satisfied both and allowed the project to move forward.

Question: Can you share an example of how you improved communication within a team or with external stakeholders? Answer : As a project lead, I noticed that emails between team members had created confusion and misinterpretation. I proposed implementing a communication platform for real-time collaboration, leading to improved communication and reduced response time among the team.

Part 12 Tips: How to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions

Sharing your success stories.

When answering behavioral interview questions, start by sharing your success stories. Think of situations where you demonstrated initiative, made an impact, or solved a problem under pressure. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, and Result) to structure your response: briefly describe the situation, what your responsibility was, the actions you took, and the positive results that followed. Be concise and focus on the specific actions that demonstrate your abilities.

Demonstrating Soft and Technical Skills

It’s essential to showcase both your soft and technical skills during behavioral interviews. To do this, include examples that highlight your communication, teamwork, leadership, and time management abilities, as well as your expertise in your field. Use specific anecdotes to show how you’ve applied these skills in real-life situations, and be prepared to explain how they have contributed to your success.

Discussing Conflicts and Failures

Not every behavioral interview question will focus on your successes. Some questions may ask about conflicts or failures you’ve experienced. It’s important to be honest and show how you’ve grown from these moments. Describe the situation, your role in it, and the steps you took to address the issue. Highlight the lessons you’ve learned and how you’ve applied them to improve in your role. Remember, it’s okay to discuss setbacks as long as you demonstrate a growth mindset and your ability to adapt.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i prepare for a behavioral competency-based interview.

To prepare for a behavioral competency-based interview, review the job description and identify the key competencies required for the role. Next, think of specific examples from your past experiences that demonstrate your ability to showcase these competencies. Practice using the STAR method to structure your answers and remember to be specific, concise, and honest.

What techniques can be used in preparation of behavioral interview questions?

Some techniques to prepare for behavioral interview questions are:

• Identify key competencies for the job role.
• Reflect on your past experiences and identify relevant examples.
• Structure your answers using the STAR method.
• Practice your responses out loud and with a friend or family member.
• Anticipate follow-up questions and prepare your responses accordingly.

Can you provide some examples of behavioral interview questions for freshers?

For freshers, interviewers may focus on questions related to teamwork, adaptability, or problem-solving, such as:

• Tell us about a group project you worked on during your studies.
• Describe a challenging situation you faced in college and how you overcame it.
• Explain how you have adapted to a new environment or situation.

What are some common behavioral questions for managerial positions?

Common behavioral questions for managerial positions can include:

• Describe a time when you had to deal with a conflict within your team.
• How have you successfully managed a large project or team in the past?
• Explain how you have motivated your team or an individual employee to achieve their goals.
• Tell us about a time when you had to make a difficult decision and its impact.

Preparation is key when it comes to tackling behavioral interview questions. To ensure you’re adequately equipped for the interview, familiarize yourself with some of the most common questions of this type, and take the time to reflect on your own experiences and how they relate to the position you’re applying for.

Related: How to Answer 9 Common Situational Interview Questions

36 Smart Answers to “What Makes You Unique?”

• Management Styles Interview Questions [Example Answers]
• 7 Important Marketing Interview Questions (And How to Evaluate Answers)
• 26 Examples of Smart Questions to Ask in an Interview
• How to Answer 9 Common Situational Interview Questions
• Interview Follow-up Email Examples (1-2-3 weeks)
• 3 Detailed Examples: Job Interview Request Email Responses

Behavioral Interviews Guide

•      I. Introduction
•      II. Common questions
• Question types
•      I. Leadership
•      II. Collaboration
•      III. Problem solving
•      IV. Culture fit
•      I. Story selection
•      II. STAR method
•      III. Advanced tips
• Final advice
•      I. Positive attitude
•      II. Playing offense
•      II. Day of prep

Problem solving behavioral interview questions

, Director at Gingko Bioworks, ex-BCG Published: February 23, 2022 Case questions | Behavioral questions | Sample questions Problem solving is a key set of skills tested in behavioral interviews. And most companies will test this in both behavioral *and* case interviews. Cases interviews evaluate specific problem solving attributes: logic, focus, rigor, process . Behavioral problem solving questions evaluate another: intuition, proactiveness, scrappyness, impact-oriented . Both cohorts of qualities I listed above are valued in candidates and this is why there are two ways to test: Case questions -> testing the more intellectual attributes Behavioral questions -> testing the the creative problem solving attributes Intellectual & creative problem solving: Why both? Problem scenarios that require intellect and technical skill are a critical aspect of the types of jobs you are likely applying for. That’s why case studies are incorporated into the hiring process. It’s a sure-fire way to test technical ability and skill in addition to how well someone may talk about a skill - i.e., “Can this candidate walk the talk in the way that we need them to?” However, case-study-style problems do not represent the full reality of what it takes to excel in a role and add unique value to the company (which is what top companies want from their hires). There are problem-solving opportunities that occur in between assignments that can really move the needle for a team, a product line, and a business! This duality in problem solving exists across Consulting, Product Management, Product Marketing, and Strategy & BizOps…among other fields and roles too. Let’s dive in. Problem solving through a case question (Top) Not every role type will have case studies as part of the interview process, but most of the roles that we cater to in the RocketBlocks modules will. Example case interview question #1: How would you improve the experience at Instagram for Content Creators? As an open-ended case question, this one does not have a singular correct answer. What the interviewer looks for here is how well you would structure an approach to solving this problem well. Let’s look at how a good response to this can exemplify each of the following attributes of an intellectual problem-solver: By bringing these qualities to life through your case response, the more likely the interviewers will believe that you have what it takes to do the role exceptionally well. Problem solving in behavioral interviews (Top) Case interviews do not illuminate the problem-solving scenarios that show up more organically, in between discrete assignments and “business as usual”. Creative problem-solving is how you proactively bring an energy to the table that catalyzes positive change around you. As you’ve probably figured out by now, these behavioral modules (i.e., Leadership, Collaboration, and Problem-solving) are not mutually exclusive. For example, being a great creative problem solver is oftentimes an attribute of a great leader. The “in-between” problem-solving is really what separates candidates from the pack. These moments can exist in so many different ways - both inside of a job in your professional life and outside of a job in your personal life. Both are fair game in answering behavioral interview questions, unless the interviewer is specifying on-the-job moments. Even in that instance, if your strongest example of exceptional instinct and impact was how you managed a family situation, you could run with that in an interview and be crafty in how you tie that back to how you approach things in your work. Most likely, you have some great examples in the arsenal, even if you aren’t fully aware of it yet. Check out some examples of behavioral questions below and the response notes in the table to get the juices flowing. Examples of problem solving behavioral questions: (Top) Example question #1: tell me about a time you convinced leadership to take action on a specific problem that you identified in the organization., example question #2: tell me about a time you had to lead a project you knew very little about., example question #3: tell me about a time when you found a particularly innovative solution to a problem that your team or company was facing., example question #4: give an example of a project you worked on where the scope changed significantly. how did you handle it. Let’s look at how responses to these types of questions bring out the attributes of a creative problem-solver: All of the attributes I highlighted within both intellectual and creative problem solving are a general guide. Thinking in this direction should help you bring out the best in your problem solving skills, and you may discover that you have unique attributes that have led to success in the past that aren’t mentioned here: make them shine! While intellectual problem solving is likely more tightly defined by the role and responsibilities, there are many ways you can exemplify creative problem solving, which is what makes these behavioral questions fun! P.S. Preparing for behavioral interviews? Get sample interview questions & example answers from PMs and consultants at Bain, Microsoft, BCG & more. Plus, guidance on how to structure your answers! Launch your career. For schools Expert program Testimonials Free resources Behavioral guide Consulting guide Product management guide Product marketing guide Strategy & BizOps guide Consulting case book Interview prep Product management Product marketing Strategy & Biz Ops Resume advice Part I: Master resume Part II: Customization Focus: PM resumes Focus: Consulting resumes Focus: BizOps resumes 20+ Behavioral Interview Questions and Answers By Laura-Ann Burgess Published: June 16, 2023 Interview Preparation Laura-Ann Burgess Writer & Career Coach Behavioral interview questions have become increasingly common in today’s competitive job market.  These questions are designed to go beyond assessing qualifications and experience to gain deeper insights into a candidate’s personality, skills, and potential fit within an organization.  By evaluating past behavior with behavioral questioning, employers can predict future performance. That’s what makes behavioral interviewing so much more effective for businesses! In this article, we’ll explore the significance of behavioral interview questions and provide a curated list of 20+ questions (with sample answers) to help you ace that next interview. What are behavioral interview questions?  Behavioral interview questions evaluate how candidates have behaved in past circumstances as an indicator of their likely future performance. Unlike hypothetical questions, behavioral questions focus on concrete examples from your professional or personal history.  They allow hiring managers to assess your actions, behaviors and thought processes in real-life scenarios. Employers believe that past behavior is a reliable predictor of future behavior, helping them gauge your potential for success and cultural alignment within their organization. The purpose of behavioral interview questions  Behavioral interview questions serve several important purposes during the hiring process.  Assess past performance: These questions evaluate how you have approached and handled situations in the past, providing insights into your abilities, decision-making skills, and problem-solving capabilities. Predict job fit: Employers want to ensure they are hiring candidates who align with the skills and behaviors required for the position. Behavioral questions help assess your fit by examining your past experiences and accomplishments. Evaluate soft skills : Behavioral questions provide insights into your interpersonal skills, communication abilities, teamwork, adaptability, and leadership potential. They help employers gauge your emotional intelligence and overall fit within the organization’s culture. Promote authenticity: By drawing from real-life situations, behavioral questions allow interviewers to gain an accurate understanding of who you are as a candidate. They help differentiate authentic responses from rehearsed or fabricated ones. Compare candidates: Behavioral questions provide a standardized approach for comparing candidates objectively. By asking each candidate the same or similar questions, employers can evaluate and compare their responses side by side. Types of behavioral interview questions  Behavioral interview questions can be categorized into different types, each aiming to uncover various aspects of your skills and experiences.  There are hundreds of behavioral questions that might be asked, dependent on the role you’re applying for, the interviewer, and more.  For the sake of this comprehensive guide, let’s explore four primary categories of behavioral interview questions and provide five sample questions with answers for each category. 1. Situation-Based Questions Describe a time when you faced a challenging deadline. how did you prioritize tasks and ensure timely completion. Sample Answer:  “As a project manager , I faced a challenging deadline where I needed to deliver a complex design project before we closed for December. I broke down the project into smaller milestones, created a detailed timeline, and delegated responsibilities to team members. By closely monitoring progress, addressing roadblocks, and fostering collaboration, we successfully met the deadline.” Share an experience where you had to handle a difficult team member or coworker. How did you approach the situation and resolve conflicts? “I once experienced friction with a colleague when I was promoted to a position in the team that she had had in mind for herself. I initiated a conversation with the individual privately, actively listened, acknowledged their concerns, and worked together to find common ground. By facilitating team-building activities and open communication channels, we resolved conflicts and improved overall productivity.” Tell me about a time when you had to adapt to a significant change at work. How did you approach the situation and ensure a smooth transition? “During a major software system upgrade, I educated myself about the new system, organized training sessions, provided ongoing support, and communicated regularly about the progress and benefits of the change. By fostering a positive mindset and maintaining open lines of communication, we navigated the transition successfully.” Describe a situation where you had to make a difficult decision with limited information. How did you approach the decision-making process, and what was the outcome? “During a product development project, I was faced with a critical decision regarding the selection of a key feature, but I had limited information about customer preferences and market trends. I gathered available data, consulted stakeholders, weighed risks and benefits, and considered the impact on other projects and team members. Making an informed choice based on the available information, I prioritized the best interests of the company and achieved a successful outcome.” Share an example of a project or initiative you led that did not go as planned. What were the challenges, and how did you handle them? “I led a product launch that faced unexpected supply chain disruptions, leading to delays. I quickly identified alternative suppliers, coordinated with the production team, and communicated the revised timeline to stakeholders. By managing expectations and maintaining transparency, we minimized the impact and successfully launched the product.” 2. Problem-Solving Questions Describe a time when you had to take the initiative to solve a complex problem. what steps did you take, and what was the result. “When our customer service department experienced a high volume of complaints, I proactively analyzed the root causes, implemented process improvements, and provided additional training to the team. As a result, customer satisfaction increased by 20% within three months.” Share an experience where you had to resolve a challenging technical issue. How did you approach the problem, and what was the outcome? “When our company’s website experienced a critical functionality issue, I collaborated with the development team, conducted a thorough investigation, and identified the root cause. By implementing a solution and performing rigorous testing, we successfully resolved the issue, resulting in improved website performance and user experience.” Tell me about a time when you had to find a creative solution to a problem. How did you approach the situation, and what was the impact of your solution? “In a marketing campaign, our budget was significantly reduced. I brainstormed with the team and proposed an innovative social media strategy that leveraged user-generated content. By utilizing cost-effective methods and engaging our audience, we achieved a 30% increase in brand awareness within the limited budget.” Describe a situation where you had to handle a dissatisfied customer or client. How did you address their concerns and ensure their satisfaction? “I had an issue once with a customer who became heated regarding an order that was repeatedly filled incorrectly. I actively listened to the customer, empathized with their frustrations, and offered a solution tailored to their needs. By promptly resolving their issues and following up to ensure their satisfaction, I turned their negative experience into a positive one and retained their business.” Share an example of a time when you had to work under pressure or meet tight deadlines. How did you stay focused and ensure the quality of your work? “During a client presentation, unexpected technical difficulties arose. I remained calm, quickly assessed the situation, communicated the issue to the team, and identified a workaround. By adapting to the circumstances and maintaining composure, we successfully delivered the presentation and received positive feedback.” 3. Teamwork and Collaboration Questions Describe a situation where you had to collaborate with a diverse group of individuals. how did you ensure effective communication and collaboration. “In a cross-functional project with a number of diverse departments, I established regular communication channels, clarified roles and responsibilities, encouraged open dialogue, and recognized and respected diverse perspectives. By fostering an inclusive environment, we achieved successful collaboration and delivered the project on time.” Share an experience where you had to work as part of a team to achieve a common goal. How did you contribute to the team’s success? “As a member of a sales team, I actively participated in brainstorming sessions, offered creative ideas, and supported team members in implementing strategies. By leveraging our collective strengths and maintaining open communication, we exceeded our sales targets.” Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a conflict within a team. How did you approach the situation, and what was the outcome? “I was the leader of a design team, but two members seemed constantly to be in conflict. I organized a team meeting to address the conflict, allowed each team member to express their concerns, and facilitated a constructive discussion to find common ground. By promoting understanding and encouraging compromise, we resolved the conflict and strengthened team dynamics.” Describe a situation where you had to delegate tasks to team members. How did you ensure clarity, accountability, and the successful completion of the project? “As a project leader for a digital marketing team, I clearly communicated the project goals, individual responsibilities, and deadlines to team members. I regularly checked progress, provided support and resources when needed, and held team members accountable. By fostering a sense of ownership and providing guidance, we achieved successful project completion.” Share an example of a time when you had to provide constructive feedback to a team member. How did you approach the situation, and what was the impact of your feedback? “I once led a team on which one individual consistently failed to pull their weight. scheduled a one-on-one meeting with the team member, framed the feedback constructively, and highlighted specific areas for improvement. I also offered guidance and support to help them develop the necessary skills. By providing actionable feedback and mentoring, the team member showed significant growth and improvement in their performance.” 4. Leadership and Initiative Questions Describe a situation where you took the initiative to implement a new process or improve an existing one. what steps did you take, and what were the results. “Recognizing inefficiencies in our project management system, I conducted research, proposed a new software solution, and gained buy-in from key stakeholders. By leading the implementation process and providing training to team members, we streamlined our workflow, resulting in a 20% increase in project efficiency”. Share an experience where you had to lead a team through a challenging project or task. How did you motivate and guide your team to achieve success? “As a project leader, I once had to revise a complex project from which a significant portion of funding had been withdrawn. I established clear goals, communicated expectations, and provided continuous support and feedback to team members. By recognizing their contributions, fostering a positive team culture, and addressing challenges proactively, we successfully innovated to complete the project within the new budget and received accolades from stakeholders.” Tell me about a time when you had to make a difficult decision that had a significant impact on your team or organization. How did you approach the decision-making process, and what were the outcomes? “When our department faced budget cuts, I analyzed various cost-saving measures, consulted with team members, and made the difficult decision to restructure our operations. By communicating transparently, minimizing job losses, and reallocating resources strategically, we maintained productivity and achieved a 15% cost reduction.” Describe a situation where you had to lead a team through change or transition. How did you manage resistance and ensure a smooth transition? “During a company-wide rebranding initiative, I established a clear vision, communicated the rationale behind the change, and actively involved team members in the decision-making process. By addressing concerns, providing support, and celebrating milestones, we successfully navigated the transition and embraced the new brand identity.” Share an example of a time when you mentored or coached a team member to help them achieve their full potential. How did you approach the mentoring process, and what were the outcomes? “I identified a team member with untapped potential, provided guidance, and assigned them challenging projects to foster growth. I also offered constructive feedback, encouraged continuous learning, and supported their professional development. As a result, the team member gained new skills, took on leadership roles, and received a promotion within the organization.” Tips for answering behavioral interview questions Prepare by reviewing your past experiences and identifying relevant examples. According to a number of studies over the past decade, the use of storytelling techniques in interviews can significantly enhance candidates’ chances of success. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers. Be specific and provide detailed examples to demonstrate your skills and abilities. Highlight your actions and contributions in each situation. Focus on positive outcomes and lessons learned from challenges. Showcase your ability to collaborate, problem-solve, and take initiative. Tailor your answers to align with the job requirements and company values. Practice your responses to gain confidence and articulate your thoughts effectively. Listen actively to the interviewer’s questions and provide concise and relevant answers. Follow up with a thank-you note after the interview to express your appreciation. Behavioral interview questions offer valuable insights into a candidate’s past behavior, allowing employers to assess their potential fit, problem-solving abilities , interpersonal skills, and leadership qualities .  By preparing well-crafted answers based on your experiences, you can demonstrate your capabilities and stand out during the interview process. Remember to provide specific examples, highlight your actions and outcomes, and showcase your ability to learn from challenges and successes.  With thorough preparation and confident delivery, you can ace your behavioral interviews and increase your chances of landing that dream role!  You are one of a kind, and offer a unique combination of strengths and skills to the roles you fill, all of which are a result of your past experiences and who you really are. Telling your story and sharing your truth during a behavioral interview is your one and only chance to shine–use it! About the Author Read more articles by Laura-Ann Burgess 45+ Behavioral Interview Questions in 2024 (+ Sample Answers) You’ve been preparing endlessly for that upcoming job interview. You’ve even memorized the most common job interview questions and prepared answers. At this point, you’re ready for anything the hiring manager can throw at you! Well, almost ready. There are still some tricky behavioral interview questions you need to prepare for. And in this guide, we’re going to teach you how! Read on to learn about: What Are Behavioral Interview Questions? 45 Most Common Behavioral Interview Questions How to Answer Any Behavioral Interview Question 45 Sample Answers for Different Professions and Experience Levels Behavioral interview questions aim to help the interviewer understand how you acted in a specific situation. They’re meant to gauge how you react to stress, what your skill level is, and how you conduct yourself in a professional environment. Like the most common interview questions , they also allow the interviewer to get a much better understanding of you as a candidate. Just about anyone can answer a question like, “ What are your strengths and weaknesses? ” But not everyone can answer a question like: “Can you tell me of a time when you went above and beyond the line of duty?” You might think that answering a behavioral interview question like that requires some serious work experience and the achievements to back it up but don’t worry. You don’t need to have a ton of experience to answer these questions right – you just need the right approach. Now that we’ve got the basics covered, let’s look at the most common types of behavioral interview questions. 45 Common Behavioral Interview Questions There are tons of behavioral interview questions out there. Hiring managers can give you a question that’s super specific to the job or ask something broader that can apply across different industries and roles. That being said, most behavioral interview questions can be divided into categories. Let’s take a look: 5 Questions About Time Management How do you accomplish tasks under a tight deadline? Give me an example. Describe a long-term project you managed. How did you make sure everything was running smoothly? Sometimes, it’s almost impossible to get everything done on your to-do list. What do you do when your list of responsibilities becomes overwhelming? Tell me about a time you set a personal goal for yourself. How did you make sure you would meet your objectives, and what steps did you take?  Can you describe a time when your supervisor or manager just gave you too much work with too little time? What did you do? 8 Questions About Communication Skills How do you handle a disagreement with your coworkers? Give me an example of a time when you successfully persuaded someone to see things your way. What would you do if you misunderstood an important task on the job? Give me an example. How do you handle criticism from coworkers or supervisors? Tell me about a time you disagreed with a performance assessment you received. How did you handle it? Have you ever had to work under someone who wasn’t very good at communicating? What happened? Tell me about a time when you successfully explained a technical problem to a coworker or a customer who didn’t have a tech background. What do you think about one-on-one meetings? How often do you think they should happen? Can you tell me about a time you gave a presentation that was particularly successful? Why do you think it went well? 8 Questions About Teamwork Describe a time when you helped a member of your team succeed. Tell me about a time when you had to work with someone completely different from you. How did you adapt to collaborate better? Have you ever had an interpersonal conflict at work ? If so, how did you handle it? What do you do when your team member refuses to or just can’t complete their part of the work? Give me an example. Have you ever mentored a coworker or been mentored? Tell me about it. In your previous roles, did you have a time when you disagreed with a supervisor’s decision? If so, how did you handle it? Tell me about an experience that helped you feel like part of the team at your previous job. Do you have experience training new hires? Describe a time when you had to teach a coworker to do something. 3 Questions About Working with Clients and Customers Sometimes, clients can be difficult to work with. Can you describe a situation when a client was wrong and you had to correct them? Describe a time you dealt with a frustrating customer or stakeholder. Everyone makes mistakes they regret. Is there a situation where you wish you had handled things with a client differently? 6 Questions About Adaptability Tell me about your first job in the industry. What did you do to learn the ropes? Have you ever had to put in long hours to finish a task? How did you handle it? Can you give me an example of when you had to adapt to a new and sudden change in the workplace? What happened? Tell me about a time when you felt extremely stressed out by work. What caused it, and how did you manage it? Give me an example of when you had to suddenly perform under pressure. What happened, and how did you handle it? Have you had to switch between an in-office and remote or hybrid work environment? How did you navigate the change? 5 Questions About Leadership Have you ever led a project? Tell me about a time when you successfully delegated tasks to your team. What’s one project or achievement you’re very proud of? Tell me about a time when you had to perform a task or work on a project you had no previous experience with. How did you approach this situation, and what did you learn? Have you ever wanted to improve the company culture? What did you do to contribute? 4 Questions About Problem-Solving Describe a time when you didn’t know how to solve a problem. What did you do to resolve the issue? Tell me about a time when you solved a problem at your job that wasn’t part of your job description. How would you solve a specific problem in your line of work? What have you done to make your work more productive in your previous roles? 6 Questions About Success and Failure Tell me about a time you went above and beyond at work. Have you ever contributed something in any of your previous roles that made people congratulate you? Give me an example of a goal you failed to meet and how you handled the situation. Tell me about a time when you made a risky decision and it didn’t pay off. Describe a time you realized you were wrong about something. What happened? Do you have any work habits you’d like to improve? The easiest way to answer behavioral interview questions is to follow the STAR method . According to the STAR method, each interview answer should use the following structure: (S)ituation. Set the stage for your example by describing the situation where everything happened. (T)ask. Describe the task you had to complete to address the issue at hand. (A)ction. Explain what actions you took to complete the aforementioned task. (R)esults. Talk about the results of your actions, and try to be as detailed as possible. Let’s take the STAR method from theory to practice. Here’s what a good answer looks like according to the STAR method: Q: Give me an example of how you handled a challenge in the workplace. Situation: “Around the time I started working at Company X, the team I was working with was just finishing up a very important project on a tight deadline. They had to review everything before submitting the work to the client, and my manager didn’t have a lot of time to pay attention to me to make sure I was caught up to speed.” Task: “Everyone around me was constantly working, and because of the timing, they didn’t seem very approachable. So, to make sure I didn’t get left behind, I had to prove myself and take initiative.” Action: “My plan was simple. I wanted to talk to my manager and a few of my coworkers whenever they had time, such as over lunch or when we got coffee together. Then, I would try to get to know them in a different environment and also learn more about the company. In the meantime, I would always go over my onboarding material and resources to get better at my job.” Results: “In the end, I’m glad to say everything worked out and I actually made a few good friends too. By the time my manager came around to review my work and talk about the next steps, I already knew most of it and the company’s main clients in detail. And I also knew my coworkers, who I’d be working with too. If anything, he was a bit surprised, but ultimately, he was happy I didn’t fall behind. This saved him a lot of time, something he was very grateful for.” Want to see more examples of questions where the STAR method can help? Check out this list of other interview questions ! 45 Samples Answers for Different Professions and Levels of Experience Need more inspiration? No worries! We’ve curated a detailed list where you can see sample answers for each of the behavioral work questions we listed, and you can compare them for different levels of experience. Question #1 Situation: “Well, typically, I try to never commit to a deadline I don’t think I can meet. But sometimes unexpected things happen, and you’re forced to think on your feet. For example, at my last job, my coworker had to take some time off work because of an emergency, and his project was left without a manager.” Task: “My supervisor then instructed me to take over his project and complete what work was left. Suddenly, I had a new project on my hands, and I wasn’t really sure how to handle it, as the deadline was in one week.” Action: “First, I requested a reduction on my own daily sales goals - which I was granted. This way, I could pay more attention to the project and only dedicate a few hours per day to my original tasks. Once I had a consistent schedule and hours set for each of my tasks, it was mostly easy from there.” Results: “Thanks to my teammates and my good time management skills , I managed to finish up two days before the deadline. And once my coworker came back to work, I was able to review the whole thing with him before submitting it. For what it’s worth, he was thoroughly impressed. And a few months later, I even got promoted based on my performance.” Question #2 Situation: “When I was at Company X, I was managing the web development team in charge of setting up a new website for one of our biggest clients at the time. With most projects, we had a process set up and we would get most sites done in up to two months. This project, however, was a bit different, as the website was supposed to be more detailed, with a lot of unique pages. So, we had to be a lot more careful with our time management.” Task: “We had a strict deadline of 15 weeks, and I had to make sure that we used up our time as efficiently as possible.” Action: Before getting to actual work, I decided that we should plan everything out by the week. After some research and consulting with our team of developers, we decided to split the workload between different stages. We would devote around one week to the discovery phase, five weeks to design, three weeks to initial development, and the rest to any modifications and updates. Results: “In the end, we actually finished the website with all the promised functionalities in just under three months. The client was very satisfied with the result and eventually ended up recommending partners to our firm.” Question #3 Situation: “As a senior at University X, there were times when I just couldn’t physically get everything done on time. For example, towards the end of my final semester, I was the Student Council President and I was also writing my thesis. I had to submit my thesis the next day, and I was also working with my fellow student council members to organize the end-of-the-year ceremony for the university.” Task: “If I had tried to multitask both, I would just have done a poor job. Now, for me, the University thesis was clearly higher up on my list of priorities. After all, this was what my studies had been building up to for so long. But I couldn’t just abandon my council members either. With 24 hours until my thesis deadline, I had to think fast.” Action: “I decided that the best approach was to send all of my notes and outlines for the event to the Student Council Vice President, who was also a close friend of mine. Luckily, he understood my situation and took over my event-management responsibilities. Then I had just enough time to edit and finalize my paper.” Results: “Thanks to the VP, I was able to fix and finalize my thesis. Fortunately, the event went without a hitch too. In the end, I learned a valuable lesson on time management and how important it is to have a team you can rely on.” Question #4 Tell me about a time you set a personal goal for yourself. How did you make sure you would meet your objectives, and what steps did you take? Situation: “I think the most recent, and important, personal goal that comes to mind is that I managed to teach myself web development from scratch. You see, I wasn’t very satisfied as a sales rep at Company X. My coworkers were nice, and the pay was decent too, but I just didn’t see myself growing there.” Task: “So, I decided that I wanted a career change in a field I’ve always been interested in - web development. Now, because I was working full-time, I had to be very efficient with my time management skills.” Action: “I did some research, and all that was left to do was just follow my routine and stay committed. I set up a personal calendar and made sure to study HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for at least 2 hours every day. I gathered a list of beginner-friendly books to start with, and once I was done with those, I paid for some advanced online courses to improve my React and Vue.js skills. When I felt comfortable, I started working on some personal projects for my portfolio and did some freelance work part-time while I was still working at Company X.” Results: “In the end, I’m glad I stuck to my plan and continued with my set curriculum. If I hadn’t had my calendar planned out with specific objectives, I definitely would have been overwhelmed. Sure, at times, it felt like I was basically working two jobs and that a lot of the material wasn’t making sense. But I just kept moving forward, and then I got my first real break as a junior web developer at Company Y.” Question #5 Situation: “I had a pretty rocky start with my manager at Agency X, as we had different expectations for my workload. Normally, I don’t have a problem with a fast-paced working environment, and I tend to thrive when I’m thinking on my feet. But at the agency, I had just finished onboarding, and I was already bombarded with tasks and weekly reports. For the most part, I was managing to get everything done on time, but I realized the quality would suffer if my list of tasks kept getting longer.” Task: “So, I had to take up my work schedule issue with my manager and let him know about my concern. I decided that being direct and respectful was the best approach, and I booked the meeting.” Action: “During the meeting, I remained calm and just went straight to the point. I explained how I liked my work, but the heavy workload was really impacting the quality of the work.” Results: “Luckily, he was understanding. I was the first in-house graphic designer they’d hired, and they weren’t 100% sure what was a lot of work, and what wasn’t. We ended up working together to better define my responsibilities. From then on, I was, for the most part, only getting the workload I could handle without diminishing the quality of my work.” Question #6 Situation: “When I was working as a recruiter at Company X, I noticed that one of the candidates who had sent in their application was perfect for the role. Though he didn’t have a university degree and his resume wasn’t too polished, reading his cover letter, it was obvious he knew the industry and had delivered clear results.” Task: “I thought it was worth giving him a shot, but my supervisor didn’t see it that way. She skimmed through the resume and told me not to waste time and just discard the candidate.” Action: “I was, however, still pretty confident in the candidate, so I talked to the supervisor over lunch. I took a bit of an indirect approach, though. Instead of trying to directly pitch the candidate, I asked her to clarify the job description a bit more. We went a bit in-depth on what, exactly, we were looking for in the candidate, and once we were done discussing it, I told her that we happened to have a candidate who possessed all the relevant experience, but his resume was a bit weak.” Results: “Convinced, the supervisor decided to give the candidate’s application a more in-depth look and realized that they were, in fact, very qualified. She thanked me for bringing it up and agreed with me that the candidate was worth calling in for an interview.” Question #7 Situation: “At my previous internship at Company X, I underestimated the amount of time it would take me to finish a presentation for a team meeting. The deadline my boss gave me was around a week, which was completely fair and I didn’t think it would be a problem. However, apparently, we had some miscommunication about what he meant with the deadline. I thought it was the date when we would go through the presentation, edit it together, and submit it like that. Apparently, what he’d meant, though, was to have the presentation 100% ready on that date.” Task: “So, I had to submit a draft presentation first, edit it based on my manager’s comments, and then present the report, all within two days.” Action: “I booked a meeting with the manager for the following day and spent four extra hours at the office to make sure that the first draft of the presentation was spotless . We held the meeting the next day and went through the presentation together to make sure it was spotless.” Results: “The manager loved the work, and it only took us around 30 minutes to finalize the whole thing.” Question #8 Situation: "Early in my role at Company X, during a quarterly review, my project manager said that some of my project reports weren't as detailed as we needed them to be. This took me by surprise since I had been receiving praise from my immediate team." Task: "But the timing was crucial. These reports were going to shape our strategy for the next quarter, so I needed to quickly improve. I had to make sure my reports met the higher standards expected by senior management." Action: "I decided to schedule extra meetings with my project manager to go over the reports in depth. I also sought advice from a couple of coworkers who I knew made detailed reports. Then, I dedicated some time each day to reviewing past reports that were praised, so I could figure out what I was missing and adopt the best practices." Results: "My efforts paid off - my reports became more thorough, and they were well received. We enhanced the decision-making for our next quarter's strategy and I got to strengthen my relationship with the team. My project manager was especially grateful for how quickly I took his feedback to heart and ended up ultimately contributing to a more streamlined process." Question #9 Situation: "At my last annual review at Company X, my supervisor marked me as 'meeting expectations' in some areas where I honestly felt I had gone above and beyond. I had even taken on extra projects throughout the year.” Task: "I knew I needed to clear this up. On one hand, my career’s progression depended on it, but I also needed to feel valued and appreciated at work." Action: "I requested a follow-up meeting with my supervisor to discuss the assessment in more detail. Before the meeting, I put together a clear summary of my additional projects and the positive feedback I had received from different teams. Then, I shared everything during our meeting to highlight my contributions over the past year.” Results: “The meeting went really well. My supervisor appreciated the detailed overview and, after discussing my achievements , agreed to adjust my performance rating. My contributions were reflected more accurately, and we also made an agreement to sync up more frequently so we could better align our expectations moving forward.” Question #10 Situation: “Yes, at my last job as a tech recruiter, the hiring manager I was working directly with was somewhat more difficult to communicate with. He had very strict and precise requirements for the types of candidates he wanted to invite for interviews. He wasn’t open to much communication on the matter or trying new things, even when the company desperately needed new hires. This one time, I got a candidate that was a pretty good fit for the job but was lacking in a few aspects.” Task: “I wanted to make sure that we got the person in for an interview, but I was 100% sure that my hiring manager would shut me down.” Action: “So, before running the candidate through him, I called them and collected his biggest strengths to present to the hiring manager.” Results: “The hiring manager did indeed end up liking the candidate and calling them in for an interview.” Question #11 Situation: “I’ve worked as a tech support specialist before, so I really excel at this. I’ve had to explain complex concepts to customers on a regular basis, but to give you one single example, I’ve had to explain to customers with next to no understanding of computers how to delete a virus on their computer, which usually requires at least some computer skills .” Task: “After trying to give basic instructions to the customer, they still didn’t really understand much, so I had to come up with a smarter solution.” Action: “So what I did was walk them through the entire thing step by step while explaining it simply but in no condescending terms. Instead of making them do most of the work, I walked them through the process of getting me to connect with their computer, and then I explained to them what, exactly, I did.” Results: “The customer was very happy with my work, and we managed to fix the issue with their computer.” Question #12 Situation: "I think one-on-one meetings are great. When I was at Company X, at first our team rarely had scheduled one-on-one meetings. That sometimes left us unsure about project details or personal performance feedback." Task: "I saw the need for more consistent communication to help myself and the whole team stay on track and feel supported." Action: "So, I suggested to our team leader that we start having one-on-one meetings every other week. I explained how these could help clarify our project roles and give us each a regular opportunity to voice concerns and receive feedback." Results: "After we started the bi-weekly meetings, I noticed a real change. My projects ran smoother because I had clearer expectations, and it was easier to discuss any issues when they appeared. Plus, it’s helped me build a stronger relationship with my manager, which made work feel more collaborative and the environment more supportive." Question #13 Situation: “Sure thing. As the business development manager at Firm X, there were quite a few opportunities when I had to speak in front of a crowd. The most recent and successful one was for the new project we were launching. “ Task: “I was called on to speak for a two department-wide meeting of up to 50 people. Now, I had never delivered a presentation to this many people, but luckily, I knew most of them quite well after years of working with them.” Action: “Working with two other members of my team, I decided to take a more creative approach and create a short video, a skit, to hook the audience. That was the intro, and then we used PowerPoint and hands-on examples to show what to expect from the new project launch. And finally, we dedicated the last five minutes to a Q&A session.” Results: “It felt longer, but the whole speech took about 15 minutes in total. We got great feedback from the audience, and I was later asked to present at the all-hands meeting the next month. I knew my colleagues well enough and I tried to make the speech as if I were having a one-on-one conversation with a friend - with a few jokes in-between.” Question #14 Situation: "When I was working at Company X, I noticed that one of my team members, who was new to the role, was struggling with our project management software, which was crucial for keeping track of our assignments." Task: "I saw an opportunity to help improve their comfort with the tool and enhance their overall contribution to our projects." Action: "I offered to spend some time with them after work to go through the features of the software. We set up a few training sessions where I could show them tips and tricks that weren’t covered in the standard onboarding process." Results: "These sessions helped them become more proficient with the software, which significantly boosted their confidence and performance on the project. They were able to manage their parts of the projects more effectively, and it also helped them integrate better with the rest of the team . It was rewarding to see their growth and how it positively impacted our team’s workflow." Question #15 Situation: “Sure, I always enjoy working with new and different people. Because, usually, they bring something new to the table. At Company X, there was a particularly young developer who was assigned to work with me on a new software development project, and I was to run him through what our typical coding process was like.” Task: “It was also my job to get to know him and find common ground so that we could effectively work together. The fact that he was younger wasn’t an issue for me, but because he was completely self-taught, he didn’t know a lot about the industry methodologies we used.” Action: “Teaching him everything from scratch would take too much time. So, instead, I briefly explained the development process—the waterfall model—that we were using for that specific project and taught him how to write tests for our code base. Writing tests is the number one way to learn what code does. After all, that’s how I got started with development.” Results: “I also sat down and helped him go through the material at times, but in the end, he surprised me by how much of a fast learner he was. He just needed a bit of encouragement and guidance. Through this approach, he learned our whole routine in less than a week, while most of our new hires needed at least up to two weeks. In return, I learned a lot about multitasking and time management from him. The whole thing was a win-win situation, and it was all smooth sailing the next time we worked together, which was quite often.” Question #16 Have you ever had an interpersonal conflict at work? If so, how did you handle it? Situation: "At Company X, I once found myself in a disagreement with a coworker over the allocation of resources for a critical project. Both of us felt strongly about our proposed strategies, which led to some tension." Task: "I knew it was important to resolve this conflict quickly to maintain team harmony and keep the project on track." Action: "I suggested that we both present our strategies in a meeting with our project manager to get a third opinion. Before the meeting, I prepared a clear comparison of the potential benefits and drawbacks of each approach. During the discussion, I made sure to listen carefully to my coworker’s points and express my views respectfully." Results: "The meeting helped us understand each other's perspectives better, and with our project manager's guidance, we combined the best elements of both strategies. This resolved the tension and we agreed on what we should pour our resources into. It was also a great learning experience for both of us - we really learned how important collaboration and open communication are." Question #17 Situation: “There was one co-worker at Company X who was notorious for being bad at deadlines. But she would always end up delivering exceptional work, just a few hours, or worse - even days late. For some reason, the company was okay with this since her work was just too good. So, this one time, the management put us together to work on a time-sensitive project.” Task: “Our task was to turn in a sales presentation together and have our manager go over it before sending the client the final version. Because of how important the project was, I didn’t want to risk going over the deadline - as this would also directly impact other people. Either way, for everyone’s sake, I had to somehow get her to hurry up with the project. So, I decided to try and push her a little and see what would happen.” Action: “I started regularly checking in on her to see where she was with work. I would bring it up at times over lunch, send a quick Slack message, and so on. She wasn’t taking this quite well, but it did get her to work faster and more efficiently.” Results: “In the end, the constant check-ins and pushing did have a positive effect, even though the co-worker didn’t particularly like me too much once we were finished with the work. We even managed to submit the final version of the presentation two days before the deadline.” Question #18 Situation: "At Company X, shortly after I was promoted to a senior position, I was given the opportunity to mentor a new team member who was just starting their career in our field." Task: "My goal was to help them integrate into the team and speed up their learning process so they could become effective more quickly." Action: "I set up weekly meetings to discuss any challenges they were facing and shared resources that I had found valuable when I was new. I also made myself available for quick chats whenever they felt stuck on a particular issue." Results: "The one-on-one guidance really paid off. Within a few months, they were not only comfortable with their role but also actively contributing ideas in meetings and taking on more responsibilities. It was rewarding to see their growth and know I played a part in their development." Question #19 Situation: "In my previous role at Company X, there was a moment when my supervisor decided to implement a new software system across the department. The problem was that I didn’t think it was compatible with our current workflows." Task: "I felt it was important to address my concerns because the decision could potentially affect our team's efficiency and morale." Action: "I was respectful and I requested a meeting with my supervisor to discuss the potential impacts of the new software. I prepared a detailed analysis comparing the proposed system with our current one, and I made sure to highlight the challenges and potential disruption it could cause." Results: "My supervisor appreciated the initiative I took and how thorough my analysis was. After a constructive discussion, we agreed to a trial period for the new software alongside our existing system. This allowed us to objectively assess the pros and cons without fully committing. Eventually, this led to some modifications to the system so it could suit our needs better." Question #20 Situation: "At Company X, when I first joined the marketing department , the team was in the middle of a major campaign launch. Everyone was busy and I felt like I couldn’t really find my place there." Task: "But I wanted to integrate into the team and really contribute to the campaign." Action: "So, I volunteered to take on a task everyone was overlooking—managing the outreach for user feedback, which was critical for the campaign's next phase. I coordinated with different team members to gather the necessary information and crafted a strategy to collect feedback." Results: "This let me work closely with different team members and helped me learn about their strengths and working styles. I feel like my success there allowed me to contribute to the campaign and really solidified my position on the team. It made me feel like a valued member of the group, and the team appreciated my efforts, so it was great." Question #21 Situation: "At Company X, soon after I was promoted to a team lead role, I was tasked with training a group of new hires who were just starting out in our department." Task: "My goal was to make sure these new team members were fully up to speed with our day-to-day operations and understood our department's protocols." Action: "I organized a series of training sessions covering everything from basic procedures to more complex tasks they would encounter on the job. I also included hands-on training exercises and paired each new hire with a mentor from our team for additional support." Results: "The training really paid off. Within a few weeks, the new hires were handling their responsibilities smoothly and fitting right into the team. They even started bringing fresh ideas to our projects, which was fantastic to see. It was great to hear them say how prepared they felt, and it definitely showed in their work." Question #22 Situation: “Absolutely. One of our past clients at Agency X came to us because his Facebook advertising strategy wasn’t working. He was driving traffic but wasn’t getting any conversions, so they thought that it was because they weren’t reaching the right audience. We realized, though, that it was actually because their product homepage wasn’t really that convincing. The client, however, was adamant about ‘not fixing what wasn’t broken.’” Task: “I had to somehow communicate with the client that the service he wanted wasn’t what he needed - there was no way for us to fix his Facebook ads if his homepage wasn’t selling the product.” Action: “We had to give the client an ultimatum - they either go with our approach or we wouldn’t be able to get the results and hence, work with them.” Results: “After some back and forth, the client grudgingly agreed to do an A/B test between the existing landing page and one that we’d propose. So, we tested the two landing pages with the same ads he’d been running and ended up getting better results threefold. From then on, the client was a lot more willing to allow us to experiment with whatever we proposed.” Question #23 Situation: “Working in customer support , you really get to talk with many different kinds of people. I remember having one angry customer call the help desk once to complain. He kept repeating that the product he bought was faulty and demanded that I resolve the situation then and there.” Task: “Customers calling for refunds happen all the time, but this one was different since he just kept shouting over the phone the whole time. I had to get him to calm down if I wanted the call to go anywhere.” Action: “Fortunately, I had experience dealing with loud customers and knew the first thing I had to do was listen to his story. Halfway through telling his story, he calmed down once he realized I was trying to help. He explained that the product was supposed to be a gift, and that’s why he was so frustrated. Then, I offered two solutions: a refund or a replacement for his product with express delivery.” Results: “The customer opted for the replacement option. I called him back once they received the order just to check in if he was happy with the product. He turned out to be happy both with the product and our service, and he thanked me for the help.” Question #24 Situation: “This one client we worked with was particularly difficult. They were extremely unpleasant to work with, and they treated our staff pretty badly. The management, however, insisted on sticking with them since they made up a good chunk of our income. At one point, though, the client just barged into our office and started yelling at their account manager for a small mistake on their end.” Task: “At this point, I realized that working with the client was really affecting our staff negatively, and we’d be losing some good employees if we kept working with them. A few people had already put in their two weeks’ notice, including the account manager, and more would probably follow.” Action: “So, I set up a meeting with the management team and gave them concrete facts and figures about the client. Sure, they were paying us good money, but they were really hurting workplace morale.” Results: “Unfortunately, even after hearing me out, the management didn’t want to let go of the client. They decided that, overall, the impact the clients had on the team wasn’t worth losing the profit. Looking back, I wish I had talked to management sooner before the company had gotten used to the income from that client. Needless to say, I didn’t stick around long after that.” Question #25 Situation: “Well, my first job in the field was as a junior DevOps engineer . While I did have extensive knowledge of the field, I didn’t have much experience doing it.” Task: “This made it very hard for me to get started with the job. While I was working almost all the time, I wasn’t getting too much done.” Action: “So, what I did was take a lot of my personal time to really work and learn the ins and outs of DevOps. I also made sure to talk to my team and get their input on daily tasks.” Results: “A few months into the job, I managed to learn the ropes and ended up being a lot more productive.” Question #26 Situation: "At Company X, right before a major product launch, we realized that the software had a critical bug that could potentially delay the release." Task: "It was crucial to fix the bug quickly to make sure we met our launch deadline. The pressure was on, but I was determined to resolve the issue without compromising the product quality." Action: "I decided to stay late for several nights in a row. I was working alongside a small, dedicated team. We systematically tested and retested the software to isolate the issue. Throughout, I made sure to keep everyone motivated and focused by organizing brief update meetings and making sure we took short breaks to stay sharp." Results: "Our hard work paid off. We identified and fixed the bug just in time for the launch. The product was well-received, and the team's effort saved the release, and we really felt like working together under that pressure helped us bond." Question #27 Situation: “Sure thing. In my previous position as an account manager at Company X, we had to suddenly change all of our CRM software and move all the data to a new tool. The CRM tool we’d been using till now wasn’t fit for a growing team, and on top of that, they were upping their pricing, so it wasn’t really worthwhile for us.” Task: “I was put in charge of finding the replacement CRM, as I was the one who knew the previous one inside-out. And this was also an opportunity for me to clean up our outdated info and start fresh. All the while, I still had to handle my daily responsibilities as usual.” Action: “So, the first thing I did was ask our sales associates and lead generation teams what they thought of the old CRM and if there were any new features they were lacking. After doing a bit of research and asking around, I found the perfect tool that had it all - sales analytics, email integration, and more. And because I typically have no problem with learning new tools, I stayed in one evening, transferred our data to the new tool, and wiped the old account. Finally, I sent a new announcement to the entire team about the new software, along with a video tutorial on how to use it.” Results: “We completed the transfer with four days to spare, the team was satisfied with the new CRM, and my daily responsibilities as an account manager didn’t suffer.” Question #28 Tell me about a time when you felt extremely stressed out by work . What caused it, and how did you manage it? Situation: "In my previous job as a project coordinator, there was a time when two major projects with tight deadlines overlapped. It was during a staff shortage, so the workload was significantly higher than usual. I was honestly overwhelmed and it looked as though there was no end in sight. It was a cycle of trying to hire people while juggling all my responsibilities, so I couldn’t find time to do anything." Task: "I needed to make sure both projects were completed on time without compromising on their quality but I had really limited resources. So, I had to really push to find a solution." Action: "First, I prioritized my tasks daily. I needed to focus on the most critical aspects of each project. I made sure to communicate openly with my team and supervisor about the challenges, and I sought out their input so I could distribute tasks efficiently and set realistic expectations. I also made sure to take short breaks throughout the day to clear my mind and maintain my focus. At this point, every second had to be productive, so I did my best to stay on track." Results: "I’d say things worked out. We met the deadlines for both projects. It was really challenging, but I think that without my organizational skills and clear communication with my team and supervisors, we wouldn’t have made it. Immediately after those projects were delivered, I took a week off work to recover. I just needed some downtime to really find that work-life balance again. Once I was back, I teamed up with management, and we started looking for more staff so we could prevent that whole situation from happening again in the future." Question #29 Situation: “As a seasonal worker, there have been a lot of times when I had to juggle extra responsibilities. My last position as a line cook at Restaurant X comes to mind. That summer, we were pretty much always full and, sometimes, even understaffed to handle all the customers. To make things worse, we didn’t have the best shift system at the time either. So, if someone were to unexpectedly not show up for their shift, we’d have to put out the fires as they came up.” Task: “This is exactly what happened when one of our waitresses had to call out due to a personal emergency.” Action: “So, I stepped up and took her shift as soon as I had clocked out of mine as one of the line cooks. Luckily, I had previous experience working as a waiter .” Results: “I was tired and a bit uncoordinated at the beginning, but at the end of the day, everything worked out just fine.” Question #30 Have you had to switch between an in-office and a remote or hybrid work environment ? How did you navigate the change? Situation: "At Company X, at one point, we had to switch from an entirely in-office setup to a remote work environment almost overnight." Task: "The challenge was to adapt quickly to maintain productivity and communication without the face-to-face interaction we were used to." Action: "So, I set up a dedicated workspace at home to mimic my office environment, which really helped me maintain a routine. I also started using digital tools more effectively, like scheduling regular check-ins with my team through video calls and managing projects through shared online platforms." Results: "My setup allowed me to stay connected with my team and I was just as productive as I was at the office. I’d say the transition was smooth, and we managed to meet all our project deadlines. I learned a lot about how flexible I can be and just how important clear communication is when you’re working remotely ." Question #31 Situation: "Yes, I led a project at Company X where we were tasked with launching a new product line that was crucial for entering a new market segment." Task: "My responsibility was to oversee the project from conception to launch. This included coordinating between different departments, managing the budget, and making sure we met all milestones on time." Action: "I started by assembling a cross-functional team, making sure we had all the necessary skills covered. We held regular planning meetings and I set up a clear timeline with specific goals for each phase of the project. To keep everything on track, I used project management software to monitor progress and address any issues ASAP." Results: "The project was a success. We launched the product on schedule and within budget. It was well-received in the market, and it significantly boosted our company's visibility in the new segment. I’d say leading that project taught me a lot about strategic planning and the ins and outs of cross-departmental collaboration." Question #32 Situation: “Well, at my first job as a team leader, I had to really get to know most of my team in order to delegate tasks appropriately.” Task: “Most team members were new to the company, so I didn’t have much to go with.” Action: “So, I sat down with each team member individually, really got to know them and their strengths and weaknesses, and distributed tasks based on their personalities.” Results: “Team members were pretty happy with the tasks they got and started off their relationship with our company on a positive note.” Question #33 What’s one project or achievement you’re very proud of ? Situation: "One project I'm particularly proud of was at Company X, where I led the development of a new software tool designed to streamline our inventory management." Task: "The goal was to reduce the time and effort it required to manage our inventory while also reducing the errors that came with manual entry." Action: "So, I spearheaded the project. I collaborated closely with the IT and logistics teams to make sure our needs were met accurately. I guided the design, testing, and implementation phases and regularly updated key stakeholders while adapting the project’s scope based on their feedback." Results: "The new tool significantly improved our efficiency. We cut inventory processing time by 40% and reduced errors by 50%. It was incredibly satisfying to see our work make such a significant impact on our operations. The team's positive reaction to the improvements was also really encouraging, so it’s an experience I’m glad I had." Question #34 Situation: “In my previous position at Company X, my manager had to leave unexpectedly for about a month due to a medical condition. Fortunately, she was able to give us a week's notice.” Task: “Because of that, our director asked me to fill in as the interim manager. I was familiar with the basics of management on a theoretical level, and I had worked with my manager closely before, but I certainly wasn’t trained to be a manager yet. Though I wasn’t going to say no, and I, more or less, felt confident about my ability to take on the new challenge.” Action: “So, I accepted the position. The first thing I did was gather the team and let them know about the situation. I was very open about my lack of experience and asked them to be open about giving feedback when possible. I also asked a manager for an hour of their time to pick their brain and make sure I’m doing everything right.” Results: “In the end, we managed to get through the month without any problems and we delivered all the projects on time. When my manager returned, she was very pleased with the work, and I even got compliments from our director. Because of my success with the role, I was even promoted to team manager at the end of that year.” Question #35 Situation: "Well, I don’t have a lot of work experience that’s relevant here, but I do have an example from when I was a student. During my junior year at high school , I noticed that a lot of students felt disconnected from the school as a community, particularly those of us who weren’t involved in sports or any major clubs like theatre." Task: "So, I wanted to create an opportunity to make everyone feel included. Something that could engage a broad range of people and foster a sense of community for everyone." Action: "I worked with the student council to organize a 'Culture Week,' where each day was dedicated to celebrating different student backgrounds and interests. We set up workshops, performances, and presentations where students could share about their cultures, hobbies, and unique talents . I also reached out to different groups at our school to encourage them to participate and help them feel like part of the community." Results: "The event was a big hit and it even became an annual tradition. Students who previously felt left out were now a lot more involved and visibly happier at school. It was really rewarding to see how a couple of new activities can help people connect with each other and find their place among everyone else." Question #36 Describe a time when you didn’t know how to solve a problem . What did you do to resolve the issue? Situation: "Hmm, well, for example, back when I worked in customer support, I used to get tasked with solving problems I knew nothing about. One evening, I found myself as the most senior person on shift, despite being relatively new myself. Right then, a customer called with a technical issue that I had never encountered before." Task: "So, I needed to resolve the customer's issue and make sure they’re satisfied with our support, while at the same time, I had to learn how to fix the problem with no one to help me." Action: "I was a little tense but kept my composure and assured the customer that I would find a solution and get back to them shortly. So, after hanging up, I did some research. I started by checking our internal knowledge base, then I started searching tech forums for similar issues. It took a bit of time, but I was able to piece together the information I needed to troubleshoot the problem." Results: "In the end, I called the customer back with a step-by-step solution, which resolved their issue. They were grateful for the help and they were pretty satisfied with how I handled the problem, even though it took longer than it probably should have. I learned how to handle that particular problem like a pro, and I felt a lot more confident at work after that. Now, I feel like I can handle just about any unfamiliar problem that comes my way." Question #37 Situation: "I was working as a sales associate at a popular clothing store, and one day our point-of-sale system went down. It was a busy Saturday afternoon, and the store was packed with customers." Task: "Although fixing tech issues wasn’t part of my job description, I knew we needed to get the system back up quickly to avoid losing sales and frustrating customers." Action: "I remembered a few troubleshooting steps from a previous job where I had seen a similar issue. I decided to try them out. I reset the main router and then restarted the POS system to see if it would clear the error. I also called our tech support line to confirm I was doing everything correctly." Results: "To everyone’s relief, the system started working again within a few minutes. Customers were able to continue their purchases smoothly, and we avoided a potentially significant interruption on one of our busiest days. So, I managed to help the store that day and I learned how important it is to take initiative, no matter what your role is. I’d say it’s something that’s stuck with me ever since." Question #38  Situation: "In my role as a video game animator at Company X, we encountered a challenge where the animations for a certain character in our newest game weren’t syncing properly with the game physics engine. So, this basically caused the character’s movements to look unnatural and disrupted the gameplay, especially during some critical action sequences." Task: "My main goal was to make sure that the character animations were both visually appealing and mechanically in sync with the game’s physics. We were aiming for a seamless and immersive gameplay experience, so we couldn’t risk this coming up later." Action: "First, I collaborated closely with the physics programmers to really understand the ins and outs of the engine. Then, I adjusted the keyframes in the character’s animation to align them better with the physics calculations. It still needed some refining, so I implemented a middleware tool specifically designed for animation blending and real-time adjustments." Results: "The adjustments worked well. After the gameplay team and I tested the changes, the character's movements became much smoother and more realistic. We eliminated all the previous glitches, and the game was a success after its release.” Question #39  Situation: "When I was working as an administrative assistant at a law firm, I noticed that a lot of my time was spent just looking for things. Whether it was a misplaced file on my desk or a lost email in my inbox, it was slowing me down." Task: "I decided to tackle this problem head-on to make my days more productive and keep everything running smoothly." Action: "First, I reorganized my desk. I set up a system where the most frequently used items were right at my fingertips. For my digital files, I meticulously organized my bookmarks and online folders, labeling everything clearly and setting up shortcuts for the files I accessed daily." Results: "These changes really streamlined my workflow. I spent less time digging through drawers or clicking through folders, which gave me more time to focus on the real work. My coworkers and bosses noticed the improvement too, which definitely felt good. It just goes to show that sometimes it's the little things that can make the biggest difference in how productive you are." Question #40 Situation: "When I was working as a social worker at a community health center, one of the families I was helping was really struggling. They had lost their main source of income and were facing a bunch of issues like not having stable housing and dealing with health problems." Task: "I knew the usual resources wouldn’t be enough to really help them get back on their feet." Action: "So, I went beyond what I would usually do. I contacted multiple local charities and community groups to find extra help for them. I managed to secure donations, arrange temporary housing, and fill out a lot of paperwork for more permanent solutions during my own time in the evenings and over the weekends." Results: "All the extra work paid off. The family got into a stable housing program pretty quickly, received the medical care they needed, and got some financial aid to tide them over. It was a lot of effort, but seeing how much it helped them made it all worth it. It really showed me the impact I can have in this job." Question #41 Situation: "In my previous role as a sales representative at Company X, we had been trying to land a major client that was known for their extensive market influence. Securing them had been a goal for our team for over a year." Task: "So, I was determined to win this client. A win like that could boost our company's revenue and enhance our market reputation." Action: "I took the initiative to thoroughly research the client’s business needs and the challenges they might be facing. Based on this, I tailored our pitch to highlight how our services could uniquely address each. I also coordinated with our product teams to make sure we could confidently deliver on any commitments made in the proposal. After several meetings and discussions, I finally presented our tailored services to their executive board. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a situation as high-stakes as that before or since!" Results: "Thankfully, the client was impressed with our dedication and the customized approach, and they signed on. This was one of the largest deals our company had ever secured. The success was such a huge morale booster for the team, and I received commendations from our senior management for my involvement. It was incredibly rewarding to see our collective efforts pay off in such a big way." Question #42 Situation: "Well, I started university with the intention of becoming an engineer . But, during my second year, I realized that, despite my interest in the subject, the academic environment and the course load just weren't the right fit for me. So I made the decision to drop out." Task: "I was really disappointed in myself, and I felt like everyone else was disappointed in me, too. So, I moped around for a few days, then my immediate goal shifted to finding a stable job while I figured out my next steps. I needed to support myself financially, but I also wanted to use my time to explore other career options that might align better with my skills and interests." Action: "I took a part-time job at a local tech store, where I ended up becoming the shift leader within a few months. Meanwhile, I spent a lot of time researching different fields and I eventually stumbled into digital marketing . I was drawn to the creative and analytical aspects of it, so I started learning more through online courses and tutorials." Results: "Working part-time gave me the flexibility to delve into the field and hone my skills. Over time, I built a portfolio by helping friends and local businesses with their social media marketing. It was a pretty good practical experience, and it helped me land a full-time job in a digital marketing agency. So, although I never got that engineering degree, it turned out not to be a huge setback after all. Now I’m in a field I’m passionate about and where I can put my skills to good use ." Question #43 Situation: "At the organization where I volunteered, we planned a big event to open up more discussions about sustainable energy sources and green transitions in an area where most people worked with fossil fuels." Task: "We wanted to create a space where we could discuss how the area could transition towards green energy and hear what people’s concerns were, but we knew it could be a touchy subject for some of the locals." Action: "I took a risk and invited a couple of well-known activists to speak at the event. I was hoping they would draw a big crowd and spark meaningful conversations. Even though a few volunteers at the organization were worried it might cause some backlash, I thought it was worth the risk." Results: "Unfortunately, I was wrong. It turned out to be too much, too soon. Instead of creating a place for dialogue, the high-profile activists brought out protestors, and we saw lower attendance than we expected. The event didn’t have the impact we were aiming for, and that was tough to see. I realized I made a mistake by not listening to the other volunteers. But I definitely learned how important it is to understand the community you’re based in and to do the groundwork before taking risks like that.” Question #44 Situation: "Oh yeah, absolutely. One time, during my game design internship , I was super excited to put together a complex puzzle for a new mobile game. I thought it would really impress players with its intricacy." Task: "I wanted this puzzle to be a standout feature in the game. But during our initial playtests, the reaction wasn’t what I expected at all." Action: "I sat down to watch the playtest sessions and also got some advice from the senior game designers . They helped me see that my puzzle, while cool, was too complex for the quick gameplay style of our game. Realizing this, I went back to the drawing board to simplify things." Results: "After I toned down the puzzle, we tested it again and the response was way better. Players enjoyed it more because it fit the fast pace of the game without being too much of a challenge. I really saw how crucial it is to align game elements with the game’s overall vibe and what players are looking for." Question #45 Situation: "I’m a content writer , and I have a bit of a habit of pushing my work until the last minute. It's something I've managed to get away with because I always meet my deadlines, but it definitely turns into a crunch." Task: "I realized this isn’t the best way to work, especially when things get really busy. I knew I needed to start spreading out my workload to avoid the stress of last-minute rushes." Action: "I decided to use a digital planner to keep track of my tasks. I set daily goals for myself and made sure to start on assignments earlier than before. I also started checking in on my progress more frequently during the week." Results: "It’s been working out pretty well. I’m less stressed, and I think my writing is better for it because I’m not rushing through it, especially when it’s time for editing . I’m still working on making this a consistent habit, but I can already see the benefits." FAQs on Behavioral Interview Questions Are you still wondering something about behavioral interview questions? Check out the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions below. #1. How can I prepare for behavioral interview questions? The best way to prepare for behavioral interview questions is to think about the experience you have so far and any achievements or unique situations that stand out to you. Behavioral interview questions tend to look at challenges you’ve faced and experiences you’ve found difficult, whether throughout your career or education. So, think about experiences that show off your most impressive skills or problem-solving abilities. Reference the job description to see what skills are most relevant for the role, and focus on specific examples that can show the hiring manager how you match what they’re looking for. #2. How can I say ‘I don’t know’ during an interview? If you’re asked a question you just can't answer, it's best to be honest. The interviewer will be able to tell if you’re bluffing, so be upfront and show your willingness to learn. For example, you could say, "I don’t think I’ve been in a situation like that before, but here’s how I would approach it." Alternatively, if you don’t have any work experience , you could relate the question to a similar experience you've had in your academic or personal life. The interviewer will appreciate your honesty and they’ll still get what they need from your answer. #3. How can I ace my interview? The key to any successful interview is preparation. Always start by researching the company and the specific role you’re applying for. Then, start practicing how to answer common interview questions. Make sure your answers are brief, to the point, and reflect what the company is looking for in an employee. Take the time to prepare a few more detailed stories about your experiences using the STAR method so you can answer any behavioral interview questions, too. Beyond that, dress appropriately according to the company culture , and arrive early. Make sure you maintain good eye contact, listen actively, speak confidently about your skills, and show enthusiasm for the role and the company. Finally, follow up after your interview with a thank-you email that reiterates your interest. Key Takeaways You’ve made it to the end of our article! By now, we’re confident you’re ready to take on any behavioral interview question like a pro. Before you go, let’s do a quick recap: Behavioral interview questions are questions based on how you behave in specific situations. These questions can come down to how you react to stress, what your skill level is, and how you behave in a professional work setting. The best way to answer these questions is by using the STAR Method. With this strategy, each answer should be structured by a Situation, Task, Action, and Results. If you don’t have enough relevant work experience, you can give an example from your time as a student. To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users. 25 examples of behavioral interview questions and how to answer them Related stories:. When heading into an interview, candidates must prepare for any question thrown at them. Many candidates prepare to speak about their past experience and how it fits into the role, but many forget about the questions that ask them to describe how they are in the workplace, better known as behavioral interview questions. “I have a reputation of being a tough interviewer, but I don’t actually think that’s it,” said Tara Cassady, the executive vice president of Americas Client Services at Cielo , a global recruitment process outsourcing partner. “I have structured behavioral questions that ask for specifics. I’m not having a conversation with the person, I’m interviewing the person. Overall the interview process has gotten a little lax as the market got so tight and people were generally wondering, ‘What’s their likability factor?’ Versus actually interviewing for the skills and specifics to achieve within the job.” Targeted behavioral interview questions allow a hiring manager to test if a candidate has a specific soft skill or hard skill necessary for that job by asking them to look back on their career and draw up examples. As a result,  the candidate must come prepared with stories to best answer behavioral interview questions. “When we are spending time as an interviewer and interviewee, we should be prepared,” Cassady said. “Using behavioral interview questions makes the interviewer prepared and will identify whether the interviewee is prepared. It can absolutely make good candidates stand apart.” In this article, you will learn: What a behavioral interview question is Why behavioral questions are used 25 examples of behavioral interview questions How you most successfully answer behavioral interview questions How you can practice behavioral questions before the interview What are behavioral interview questions? Behavioral interview questions are questions that hiring managers ask in order to get a better understanding of how you react to certain situations. These behavioral interview questions, sometimes called anecdotal interview questions, ask candidates to tell a story about specific instances from their careers. These types of questions give hiring managers a better look into a candidate’s work style and personality, but they also allow the candidate to prove why they are the best person for the position. When a candidate is asked a behavioral question, they should have stories prepared that highlight them in the best possible light. Why are behavioral questions used? Used correctly, you’ll find that it can be used to look for consistency in answers and how to identify how an employee will prove out with specific questions. Are we going to assess soft skills like problem-solving or critical thinking or their speaking skills? The other thing that you can assess when you decide to use these kinds of interview questions is…is the candidate prepared? Is the interviewer able to compare and contrast specifics? So are they using the interview guide? So there are certain things that my interviewer is prepared to use behavioral questions because they have documented questions, it’s structured, they are looking at the answers, they can compare and contrast one interviewee to the other, and then also we look for consistencies in behaviors as interviews are answering the questions. Examples of behavioral interview questions Behavioral questions about decision making and problem-solving Q1: Describe a situation in which you used good judgment and logic to solve a problem. Q2: Give me an example of a time when you had to be quick in coming to a decision. Q3: Can you tell me about the last time you had to act and there was no formal procedure on how to do so? Q4: How do you approach a task that you’ve never done before? Q5:  Can you tell me about a time when you had to deal with a customer that made unreasonable or stretched demands and how you created a win-win situation? Q6:  We’ve all been asked on occasion to perform tasks to accomplish a goal where the instructions are really ambiguous. Can you tell me about a time that this happened to you and what you did to achieve the goal? Behavioral questions about leadership Q7: Have you ever had trouble getting others to agree with your ideas? How did you deal with the situation, and were you successful? Q8: Describe the most challenging group from which you’ve had to gain cooperation. Q9: Can you tell us about a time you took initiative on a project? Q10 : How do you manage the outcomes of your team members? Behavioral questions about motivation Q11: Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond the call of duty. Q12: Give me an example of a situation in which you positively influenced the actions of others. Q13: Give an example of a goal you reached, and tell me how you achieved it. Behavioral questions about communication Q14: Describe a situation in which you were able to communicate with another individual who did not personally like you (or vice versa). Q15: Describe a time you had to use written communication to convey an important argument or idea. Q16: Have you ever unintentionally offended or upset somebody? Can you describe the details? Behavioral questions about interpersonal skills Q17: Give me examples of what you’ve done in the past to nurture teamwork. Q18: Give an example of an unpopular decision you’ve made, what the result was, and how you managed it. Q19: What was your relationship with the best boss you ever had? Q20: Can you tell me about a time that you let someone down? How did you handle it? Behavioral questions about planning and organization Q21: When scheduling your time, what method do you use to decide which items are priorities? Q22: Describe how you’ve handled a sudden interruption to your schedule. Behavioral questions about professional feedback Q23: What’s been the toughest criticism you received so far in your career? What did you do with it? Q24: Can you describe the details of a time you were unfairly criticized? Q25:  When was the last time you got constructive feedback? What was it? What did you do with it? How do you answer behavioral questions in an interview? Many professionals, including Cassady, suggest using the STAR method to answer behavioral interview questions. The STAR method is a procedure that can be used to provide thoughtful answers that contain fully-formed beginnings, middles, and ends. STAR stands for Situation, Task at hand, Action you took, and Result. This method allows you to tell a story that starts with the situation, moves to the task you were assigned, goes onto the action you took, and finish up with the result of what happened in this particular instance. These stories are most impressive to interviewers because they show how you actually act in the workplace. “I can tell when I’m interviewing if somebody thought about the interview prior to showing up to the interview in terms of how specifically or thoroughly they answer questions,” Cassady said. According to Cassady, the characteristics of a great behavioral interview answer are: Authenticity. While candidates must prepare in order to nail these interview questions, it shouldn’t sound like you are reading off a script when it comes time to speak with the hiring manager. Have prepared stories, but make sure not to over prepare and sound like a robot on the day of the interview. Specificity.  Being able to provide specific details versus general ones is key to nailing behavioral interview question answers. When Cassady asks interviewers how they manage the outcomes of their team members, she doesn’t want to hear that they just take a look at data. Rather, she would prefer a story that shows how you have managed performance in the past. Clarity.  If you tell stories that make no sense to the hiring manager, chances are you are not going to get the job. Being clear while telling your stories is important in nailing behavioral interview questions, which is why the STAR method is so helpful. “T he ability to tell the story and answer the question will be an impressive answer to a behavioral interview question,”  Cassady  said. How do you practice behavioral questions before an interview? The best way to practice answering behavioral interviews before an interview is to actually tell the stories ahead of the interview. “Preparation is always the key to an effective interview,” Cassady said. First, you should think about situations from your career when you exhibited particular soft skills that the questions ask about. Next, you should use the examples of the behavioral questions to make a list of which situations will be useful to discuss during interviews. You can go even further by writing down each situation using the STAR method. Most importantly, you should actually practice telling these stories to someone. Most people don’t have a professional interview coach to practice with, so instead grab a friend or family member and provide them with a list of behavioral questions that they can ask you. DEI in 2024 is a more polarized topic than in 2020 – Check out our recent survey and get the insights Download the report HR Toolkit | HR Templates | Interview questions | Problem-solving interview questions and answers Use these sample problem-solving interview questions to discover how candidates approach complex situations and if they can provide effective solutions. An experienced recruiter and HR professional who has transferred her expertise to insightful content to support others in HR. 10 good problem-solving interview questions Describe a time when you had to solve a problem without managerial input. How did you handle it, and what was the result? Give an example of a time when you identified and fixed a problem before it became urgent. Share a situation where you predicted a problem with a stakeholder. How did you prevent it from escalating? Describe a time when you faced challenges in doing your job efficiently. How did you overcome them? Recall a time when you successfully used crisis-management skills. How would you handle a new project with great revenue potential but potential legal implications for the company? How do you determine when to solve a problem on your own or ask for help? Describe a time when you faced a difficult situation at work that required critical thinking and decision-making under pressure. Have you ever used intuition or prior experience to anticipate and address a problem effectively? Provide an example. Share an example of a project or task that initially seemed overwhelming. How did you approach it, and what strategies did you use to ensure successful completion? 1. Describe a time when you had to solve a problem without managerial input. How did you handle it, and what was the result? This question assesses candidates’ ability to take initiative and solve problems independently. Look for their problem-solving approach, the actions they took, and the outcome of their efforts. Sample answer: “In my previous role, we encountered a sudden technical issue that disrupted our operations. As the team lead, I gathered all available information, analyzed the root cause, and facilitated a brainstorming session with the team. We implemented a temporary workaround and collaborated with the IT department to resolve the issue. Our proactive approach ensured minimal disruption, and we were able to restore normal operations within 24 hours.” 2. Give an example of a time when you identified and fixed a problem before it became urgent. This question evaluates candidates’ ability to anticipate and address problems proactively. Look for their ability to identify potential issues and take preventive measures. “While working as a project manager, I noticed a potential bottleneck in our production process that could have led to delays if left unaddressed. I conducted a thorough analysis, identified the root cause, and proposed process improvements. By implementing these changes proactively, we eliminated the bottleneck and increased efficiency. As a result, we consistently met project deadlines, and our team’s productivity significantly improved.” 3. Share a situation where you predicted a problem with a stakeholder. How did you prevent it from escalating? This question assesses candidates’ ability to identify and mitigate potential conflicts. Look for their communication and problem-solving skills in managing stakeholder relationships. “While working on a cross-functional project, I anticipated a miscommunication issue that could arise with a key stakeholder due to conflicting expectations. I scheduled a meeting with the stakeholder, listened to their concerns, and facilitated a discussion among the team members. By proactively addressing the issue, we established clear communication channels, built trust, and ensured a smooth collaboration throughout the project.” 4. Describe a time when you faced challenges in doing your job efficiently. How did you overcome them? This question evaluates candidates’ ability to handle challenges and find solutions to improve efficiency. Look for their problem-solving strategies and their adaptability to overcome obstacles. “In a previous role, I faced a situation where the workload significantly increased due to unexpected circumstances. To maintain efficiency, I assessed the situation, identified tasks that could be delegated, and communicated with my colleagues to seek their support. By redistributing responsibilities and fostering a collaborative environment, we successfully managed the increased workload without compromising quality or missing deadlines.” 5. Recall a time when you successfully used crisis-management skills. This question assesses candidates’ ability to remain calm and make effective decisions under pressure. Look for their problem-solving approach and their ability to handle high-stress situations. “In a previous role as a customer service representative, we experienced a sudden surge in customer complaints due to a product quality issue. I quickly coordinated with relevant departments, identified the root cause, and developed an action plan. By prioritizing urgent cases, maintaining open communication with affected customers, and providing timely updates, we regained customer satisfaction and prevented further damage to our brand reputation.” 6. How would you handle a new project with great revenue potential but potential legal implications for the company? This question assesses candidates’ ability to balance potential risks and rewards. Look for their ethical considerations, problem-solving approach, and willingness to seek guidance when faced with legal implications. “If faced with a project that carries both revenue potential and potential legal implications, I would approach it with caution and thorough evaluation. I would research and seek legal guidance to fully understand the implications and compliance requirements. I would then collaborate with legal experts, cross-functional teams, and stakeholders to develop a comprehensive plan that minimizes legal risks while maximizing revenue potential.” 7. How do you determine when to solve a problem on your own or ask for help? This question assesses candidates’ judgment and collaboration skills. Look for their ability to assess situations and make decisions about when to seek assistance. “When faced with a problem, I first evaluate its complexity and impact on the project or task at hand. If it’s within my capabilities and doesn’t significantly hinder progress, I take the initiative to solve it on my own. However, if the problem is complex or could have a significant impact, I believe in seeking help from relevant team members or subject matter experts. Collaboration often leads to more comprehensive and effective solutions.” 8. Describe a time when you faced a difficult situation at work that required critical thinking and decision-making under pressure. This question assesses candidates’ ability to think critically and make sound decisions in challenging situations. Look for their problem-solving approach, decision-making process, and the outcomes of their decisions. “In a previous role, I faced a tight deadline for a project with limited resources. It required careful resource allocation and prioritization. I gathered all available data, analyzed the project requirements, and consulted with team members. Through strategic planning and effective delegation, we managed to complete the project successfully within the given timeframe, exceeding client expectations.” 9. Have you ever used intuition or prior experience to anticipate and address a problem effectively? Provide an example. This question assesses candidates’ ability to leverage intuition and past experiences to navigate problem-solving situations. Look for their ability to reflect on past situations, apply lessons learned, and make informed decisions. “In a previous role, I noticed a recurring issue in our supply chain that had caused delays in the past. Drawing upon my prior experience, I anticipated the problem and suggested process improvements to streamline the supply chain. By implementing these changes, we minimized delays and improved overall efficiency, resulting in cost savings for the company.” 10. Share an example of a project or task that initially seemed overwhelming. How did you approach it, and what strategies did you use to ensure successful completion? This question assesses candidates’ ability to tackle complex projects and break them down into manageable tasks. Look for their problem-solving approach, organization skills, and ability to persevere in the face of challenges. “I once undertook a project that involved a significant amount of data analysis and reporting within a tight deadline. Initially, it felt overwhelming, but I broke it down into smaller tasks and created a detailed timeline. I prioritized the most critical aspects and sought assistance from colleagues with specialized skills. Through effective time management, collaboration, and diligent effort, we successfully completed the project on time and delivered high-quality results.” Why you should ask candidates problem-solving interview questions Employees will face challenges in their job. Before you decide on your next hire, use your interview process to evaluate how candidates approach difficult situations. Problem-solving interview questions show how candidates: Approach complex issues Analyze data to understand the root of the problem Perform under stressful and unexpected situations React when their beliefs are challenged Identify candidates who are results-oriented with interview questions that assess problem-solving skills. Look for analytical and spherical thinkers with the potential for technical problem solving. Potential hires who recognize a problem, or predict one could potentially occur, will stand out. Candidates should also demonstrate how they would fix the issue, and prevent it from occurring again. These sample problem-solving interview questions apply to all positions, regardless of industry or seniority level. You can use the following questions to gauge your candidates’ way of thinking in difficult situations: Tips to assess problem-solving skills in interviews During your interviews, use hypothetical scenarios that are likely to occur on the job. It’s best to avoid unrealistic problems that aren’t relevant to your company. Examine how candidates approach a problem step-by-step: from identifying and analyzing the issue to comparing alternatives and choosing the most effective solution. Pay attention to candidates who provide innovative solutions. Creative minds can contribute fresh perspectives that add value to your company. When problems arise, employees should show commitment and a can-do attitude. Test candidates’ problem-solving skills in past situations. If they were determined to find the best solution as soon as possible, they will be great hires. Most complex situations require a team effort. Candidates’ previous experiences will show you how they collaborated with their colleagues to reach decisions and how comfortable they felt asking for help. If you’re hiring for a technical role, ask questions relevant to the work your future hires will do. Technical problem-solving interview questions, like “How would you troubleshoot this X bug?” will reveal your candidates’ hard skills and their ability to effectively address problems on the job. No answer. If a candidate can’t recall an example of a problem they faced in a previous position, that’s a sign they may avoid dealing with difficult situations. Canned answers. A generic answer like “Once, I had to deal with a customer who complained about the pricing. I managed to calm them down and closed the deal,” doesn’t offer much insight about the candidate’s thought process. Ask follow-up questions to get more details. Focus on the problem, not the solution. Identifying the problem is one thing, but finding the solution is more important. Candidates who focus too much on the problem may be too negative for the position. Feeling stressed/uncomfortable. It’s normal to feel slightly uncomfortable when put on the spot. But, if candidates are so stressed they can’t answer the question, that’s an indicator they don’t handle stressful situations well. Superficial answers. Candidates who choose the easy way out of a problem usually don’t consider all aspects and limitations of the situation. Opt for candidates who analyze the data you’ve given them and ask for more information to better dig into the problem. Cover up the problem or minimize its significance. Unaddressed problems could quickly escalate into bigger issues. Employees who leave things for later mightn’t be result-oriented or engaged in their jobs. In conclusion, problem-solving interview questions provide valuable insights into candidates’ abilities to approach challenges, think critically, and provide effective solutions. By asking these questions and considering the tips provided, you can assess candidates’ problem-solving skills and make informed hiring decisions that align with your organization’s needs. Frequently asked questions Want a custom interview kit, related interview questions. Critical-thinking interview questions and answers Decision-making interview questions and answers Analytical interview questions and answers Related Topics How to assess soft skills in an interview Interview process and strategies: a comprehensive FAQ guide Structured interview questions: Tips and examples for hiring Jump to section Let's grow together. Explore our full platform with a 15-day free trial. Post jobs, get candidates and onboard employees all in one place. Share on Mastodon Consumer Packaged Goods / Retail Energy / Sustainability Entrepreneurship Financial Services Healthcare / Bio / Pharma Nonprofit / Government Real Estate Diversity & Inclusion International Students Career Exploration & Industry Research Resume & Cover Letters Job Search & Networking Interview Prep Evaluating Offers & Negotiating Prepare for Your New Role For Employers Problem solving behavioral interview questions Share This: Share Problem solving behavioral interview questions on Facebook Share Problem solving behavioral interview questions on LinkedIn Share Problem solving behavioral interview questions on X Case questions  |  Behavioral questions  |  Sample questions Problem solving is a key set of skills tested in behavioral interviews. And most companies will test this in both behavioral *and* case interviews. Cases interviews evaluate specific problem solving attributes:  logic, focus, rigor, process . Behavioral problem solving questions evaluate another:  intuition, proactiveness, scrappiness, impact-oriented . Intellectual & creative problem solving: Why both? Problem scenarios that require intellect and technical skill are a critical aspect of the types of jobs you are likely applying for. That’s why case studies are incorporated into the hiring process. It’s a sure-fire way to test technical ability and skill in addition to how well someone may talk about a skill – i.e., “Can this candidate walk the talk in the way that we need them to?” However, case-study-style problems do not represent the full reality of what it takes to excel in a role and add unique value to the company (which is what top companies want from their hires). There are problem-solving opportunities that occur in between assignments that can really move the needle for a team, a product line, and a business! This duality in problem solving exists across Consulting, Product Management, Product Marketing, and Strategy & BizOps…among other fields and roles too. Let’s dive in. Problem solving through a case question Not every role type will have case studies as part of the interview process, but most of the roles that we cater to in the RocketBlocks modules will. Example case interview question #1:  How would you improve the experience at Instagram for Content Creators? As an open-ended case question, this one does not have a singular correct answer. What the interviewer looks for here is how well you would structure an approach to solving this problem well. Let’s look at how a good response to this can exemplify each of the following attributes of an intellectual problem-solver: By bringing these qualities to life through your case response, the more likely the interviewers will believe that you have what it takes to do the role exceptionally well. Problem solving in behavioral interviews Case interviews do not illuminate the problem-solving scenarios that show up more organically, in between discrete assignments and “business as usual”. Creative problem-solving is how you proactively bring an energy to the table that catalyzes positive change around you. As you’ve probably figured out by now, these behavioral modules (i.e., Leadership, Collaboration, and Problem-solving) are not mutually exclusive. For example, being a great creative problem solver is oftentimes an attribute of a great leader. The “in-between” problem-solving is really what separates candidates from the pack. These moments can exist in so many different ways – both inside of a job in your professional life and outside of a job in your personal life. Both are fair game in answering behavioral interview questions, unless the interviewer is specifying on-the-job moments. Even in that instance, if your strongest example of exceptional instinct and impact was how you managed a family situation, you could run with that in an interview and be crafty in how you tie that back to how you approach things in your work. Most likely, you have some great examples in the arsenal, even if you aren’t fully aware of it yet. Check out some examples of behavioral questions below and the response notes in the table to get the juices flowing. Examples of problem solving behavioral questions: Example question #1:  tell me about a time you convinced leadership to take action on a specific problem that you identified in the organization., example question #2:  tell me about a time you had to lead a project you knew very little about., example question #3:  tell me about a time when you found a particularly innovative solution to a problem that your team or company was facing., example question #4:  give an example of a project you worked on where the scope changed significantly. how did you handle it. Let’s look at how responses to these types of questions bring out the attributes of a creative problem-solver: All of the attributes I highlighted within both intellectual and creative problem solving are a general guide. Thinking in this direction should help you bring out the best in your problem solving skills, and you may discover that you have unique attributes that have led to success in the past that aren’t mentioned here: make them shine! While intellectual problem solving is likely more tightly defined by the role and responsibilities, there are many ways you can exemplify creative problem solving, which is what makes these behavioral questions fun! Job Seekers Support & Video Behavioral Interview Questions About Problem Solving Introduction Every job requires problem solving. Even if the job’s main focus isn’t creating solutions to obstacles, issues always occur that need to be addressed. Employers want to hire individuals who have developed a portfolio of problem-solving skills they can use to creatively resolve both known and unanticipated challenges as they occur. Key problem-solving skills hiring managers look for when interviewing a candidate include: Analytical Skills Attention to Detail  Resolve and Determination Different jobs involve different types of problems. You can usually identify the types of issues you are likely to encounter in a new job by carefully reviewing the job posting to see what skills the employer requires. These skills will be related to the kinds of challenges they are hiring you to resolve. Knowing this will help you prepare to discuss your problem-solving skills during the interview. This article will help you get ready for behavioral questions that help employers understand your problem-solving skills and the methods you use to get things done. Knowing how to correctly respond to this type of question will enable you to demonstrate your ability to help the organization achieve its objectives by overcoming issues and convince the interviewer you are the right candidate for the job. Behavioral Questions Questions about your problem-solving skills are a specific type of behavioral question. Behavioral questions explore how you handled situations in your past positions and indicate what you will do when faced with similar challenges in the future. You can identify behavioral questions when the interviewer starts the question with something like, “Tell me about a time …” or “What steps did you take …” Questions About Problem Solving The best way hiring managers can learn about how organized you are is to ask you questions about your previous experiences. These questions require you to create a story and relate it in a structured and clear fashion.  Interviewers will note the skills you used to solve problems and overcome issues, how effective they were, and how you helped the organization achieve its objectives. They hope to hear that you have developed creative problem-solving skills that allow you to quickly resolve any issues and get back to your primary job.  How to Answer Questions Related to Problem Solving Although many people include problem solving as one of the skills listed on their resume, they may not be prepared to discuss how they go about doing this if asked. Taking some time to review some of the major issues you resolved in your previous jobs and the steps or measures you used to do so will prepare you to talk about this topic. It would help if you focused on recognizing an issue, analyzing it, determining options to resolve it, and then choosing and executing the most effective solution. If you anticipate behavioral questions about problem solving and are prepared to answer them, you will find it easy to respond to these questions during an interview.  Look here for further training on how to answer commonly asked Technical Questions in a way that you will stand out to the interviewer. Problem solving-related behavioral questions can best be responded to using the STAR format which helps you organize your response by creating a story related to the question. The STAR format uses the following framework: Situation – Briefly describe a situation related to the question. Ensure the situation you use describes a time you used your problem-solving skills to overcome a challenging issue. Task – Summarize the task or goal you needed to achieve. Describe how you quickly identified a challenge and determined what steps were needed to create a solution to resolve it. Action – Talk about the actions you took which resulted in a successful outcome. These actions should include analyzing the issue, creating innovative solutions, and implementing them. Results – Discuss the results you achieved and the impact they had on the organization. Emphasize how your problem-solving skills and the creative solutions you developed contributed to the successful outcome and achievement of the goal. When preparing for an interview, you should anticipate this type of question and have your STAR stories ready.  The stories you relate should be relevant to the position for which you are interviewing so they resonate with the hiring manager. Preparing your stories in advance and rehearsing them before the interview will give you confidence. It will also enable you to respond to the interviewer’s questions by providing compelling stories and communicating them clearly and expertly. Problem Solving-Based Behavioral Questions  Here are some examples of problem solving-based behavioral questions you can anticipate during an interview, the rationale behind them, and an example of how you can respond to them. Question : Talk about a time when you came up with a new idea or approach to solve a recurring problem. Explanation : It is not uncommon to encounter recurring problems on the job. These problems are issues that continue to crop up and are addressed by resolving the impact but not the cause of the issue. Organizations value employees who can resolve an issue by analyzing the root cause and eliminate it so the issue does not recur. Example : “( Situation ) In my last job, every time we received a shipment, we first had to move inventory stored near the loading dock before we could unload the new materials. ( Task ) This required extra time and delayed the carrier while they waited for us to relocate the older inventory. ( Action ) After witnessing this several times, I determined the cause of the problem was that it took several days to rotate the new materials into production in order to free up the receiving area. I located some additional storage area within the manufacturing facility and created a system which processed and relocated the receivables within 24 hours of them being unloaded. This freed up the loading dock and made it available for subsequent shipments. ( Results ) Solving this issue reduced the amount of time the carriers spent at our facility by 50% which resulted in them offering us a 10% discount on our shipping costs.” Question : Describe a time when you had to resolve an issue even though you didn’t have all of the information you needed.  Explanation : We are frequently asked to resolve an issue even though we don’t have all of the information we need. Being able to accomplish this requires creativity and innovation. Quickly analyzing the issue, creating a solution, and implementing it with minimal information are key problem-solving skills employers look for in new hires. You should have a STAR story prepared which demonstrates your ability to do this. Example : “I rarely have all of the information required to analyze and resolve an issue. This has required me to develop skills for solving issues with less than perfect data. I was recently asked to determine why sales of one of our leading products had plateaued. The only information I had was the most recent quarter’s revenues, estimates of our competitor’s sales, and activity reports from the sales team. By analyzing this information, I determined the issue resulted from an overall flattening of demand for this type of product. I put together a plan in our marketing materials which would emphasize alternative uses for the product. Sales increased during the next quarter due to customers using the product for other purposes. We used this same strategy to increase revenues for the entire product line.” Question : Talk about a time when you used good judgment and reasoning to solve a complex problem. Explanation : Reasoning and judgment are two important problem-solving skills. Even with complete data, you still have to be able to make good decisions. Being able to illustrate this ability in your answer to such as behavioral question will demonstrate to the hiring manager that you are the right candidate for this role. Example : “I pride myself on my decision-making skills. When working on a project in my previous job, my team and I were tasked with determining how to reduce the cost of operations without impacting the organization’s productivity. We brainstormed several alternatives, all of which resulted in cost savings but also reduced productivity. It occurred to me that if we used a hybrid of two of the solutions, costs would be reduced, but productivity would not be impacted. We recommended the solution to senior management who implemented it. This resulted in a 50% reduction in manufacturing cost and a slight increase in the organization’s productivity.” Question : Can you talk about a situation in which you recognized a problem as a potential opportunity? Explanation : Opportunities are often disguised as problems. Recognizing this and developing creative solutions that leverage the problem in order to take advantage of an opportunity will set you apart from other candidates interviewing for this position. Example : “While working for a company which produced health foods, I noticed we were spending a great deal of money to dispose of a waste product which consisted primarily of cellulose. It occurred to me that we could probably do something to reduce the cost of disposing the waste. I researched cellulose and discovered it is used to make environmentally friendly disposable containers. I contacted the manufacturer of the containers and negotiated a contract for them to pay us for the cellulose. This more than covered our disposal costs and created a new source of revenue for the company. We also won an award for being a reen-certified producer.” Question : Tell me about a time when you had to modify a project at the last moment due to unforeseen issues. How did you handle this? Explanation : Even when you carefully plan and organize a project, unanticipated issues are likely to occur. Your ability to address and resolve them quickly so as not to impact the timeline or the project’s cost is an important skill. Being able to relate a story of how you did this in your previous work will help you succeed during an interview. Example : “In my first job, one of the projects I was assigned to work on was organizing a team-building activity for our department. I created an event that involved a geomapping activity at a local theme park. The employees would be divided into teams to locate items throughout the park using clues and GPS devices. Several days before the activity was scheduled to be held, the park announced it had to close due to a strike. I quickly went to work, locating another venue and moving the activity to a professional sports facility. Not only did the employees enjoy having access to the stadium, but they were also able to meet some of the team’s players. This resulted in an ongoing relationship between the local NFL team and our company, and we used the facility for future events, including customer promotions and executive meetings.”  Additional Problem-Solving Questions Have you ever identified a customer’s need and used a creative idea to satisfy it? Talk about a time you discovered an error overlooked by a co-worker and how you took the initiative to resolve the issue. Describe a situation in which you found a unique and creative way to overcome a difficult obstacle. Tell me about the most innovative new idea you’ve come up with. Describe a time when you anticipated a potential issue and proactively developed measures to prevent it. Talk about a time when you faced a big obstacle to an important project and what you did to overcome it. Give me an example of how you analyze information to make a business recommendation. Please walk me through the steps you take to research a problem and create a plan to solve it, using an example from your previous work. Can you describe a situation where you collaborated with colleagues to resolve an issue? Tell me about the biggest work problem you had this year and how you solved it.  The key to nailing your interview – practice, practice, practice. As with anything, practice makes perfect. The most common ways to practice are with in-person mock interviews or a list of questions. While these options are a great place to start, they can leave a lot to be desired. Practicing with In-Person Mock Interviews and Question Lists One way to get valuable interview practice is to set up in-person mock interviews. Unfortunately, they can be somewhat inconvenient. You have to find someone to conduct the mock interview, and schedule a meeting every time you want to practice. Question lists offer a much more convenient way to practice interviewing. Unfortunately, they do little to recreate actual interview pressure. In a real interview you’ll never know what’s going to be asked and this is exactly what can make interviews so stressful. Interview Simulators – The best of both worlds. With interview simulators, you can take realistic mock interviews on your own, from anywhere. My Interview Practice offers a dynamic simulator that generates unique questions every time you practice, ensuring you're always prepared for the unexpected. Our AI-powered system can create tailored interviews for any job title or position. Simply upload your resume and a job description, and you'll receive custom-curated questions relevant to your specific role and industry. Each question is crafted based on real-world professional insights, providing an authentic interview experience. Practice as many times as you need to build your confidence and ace your next interview. List of Questions In-Person Mock Interview My Interview Practice Simulator Questions Unknown Like Real Interviews Curated Questions Chosen Just for You No Research Required Share Your Practice Interview Do It Yourself Go At Your Own Pace Approachable Our interview simulator uses video to record your responses, and recreates the pressure you would feel in a real interview. This also allows your to see how you perform and perfect your responses. You can then share your responses with colleagues and mentors so that you can get valuable feedback. Check out My Interview Practice Recommended Reading Behavioral interview questions about leadership skills. 8 Minute Read Behavioral Interview Questions About Customer Service Behavioral interview questions about failures. 7 Minute Read Behavioral Interview Questions About Conflict Resolution Get the free training guide.. See the most common questions in every category assessed by employers and be ready for anything. What Is AI Interview Prep? Following Up After the Interview: Tips and Tricks Key Tips For Negotiating A Job Offer Get 1 month of access for just $19.99 Invest Risk-Free with our 30-Day Money Back Guarantee Build Confidence and Land Your Dream Job Get Your Free Training Guide Enter your email to receive your guide, and be ready for whatever questions come your way. We hate spam and promise to keep your email safe. Thank you for requesting the free guide. You should receive the guide in your inbox momentarily. Welcome back! Forgot your password. No worries. Enter your email below and we’ll send you instructions on how to reset your password. Notification Information. The Interview Simulator is not enabled for mobile devices and tablets. Please use a laptop or a desktop to access it. If you are using a laptop and still receiving this message, your screen resolution is too low. Please hit the control button and zoom out with your mouse and try again. Browser Not Compatible The Interview Simulator is disabled for this browser due to compatibility issues. Please use the latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox in order to take an interview. Crafting an effective problem statement Aug 31, 2024 Posted by: Regine Fe Arat Crafting a clear and concise problem statement is an essential skill in project management. It’s a powerful tool that you can use for effective problem-solving as it guides teams toward innovative solutions and measurable outcomes. Whether you’re a seasoned project manager or a newcomer to the field, being able to write problem statements can significantly enhance your ability to tackle complex challenges and drive meaningful change. A problem statement concisely describes an issue or challenge that needs to be addressed. An effective problem statement frames the issue in a way that facilitates a deeper understanding and guides the problem-solving process. At its core, a well-crafted problem statement should capture the essence of the challenge at hand, providing enough context for stakeholders to grasp the issue’s significance. It helps you find the most appropriate solution and ensures that all team members are aligned in their understanding of the problem’s scope and implications. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll find out what problem statements are and what types you can use. You’ll also find practical examples and actionable tips to help you create impactful problem statements of your own. What are the key components of a problem statement? Here are the three key components of a problem statement: The problem You should clearly state the core issue or challenge to be addressed. This is the heart of your problem statement. Articulate it in a way that’s easy to understand and free from ambiguity. The method used to solve the problem While the problem statement itself shouldn’t propose specific solutions, it can outline the general approach or methodology you’ll use to address the issue. For example, you might mention the type of research, analysis or problem-solving techniques your team will employ. The purpose, statement of objective and scope This component outlines why addressing the problem is important and what the desired outcome looks like. It should clarify the goals of the problem-solving effort and define the boundaries of what you’ll address. This helps focus efforts and set clear expectations for what the project or initiative aims to achieve. When to use a problem statement A problem statement is a versatile tool that you can use across various scenarios in both professional and personal contexts. They are particularly valuable in the following cases: Initiating new projects: a problem statement helps define the project’s purpose and sets clear objectives from the outset. Addressing organizational challenges: it provides a structured approach to tackling complex issues within a company or team. Conducting research: researchers use problem statements to focus their investigations and define the scope of their studies. Presenting ideas to stakeholders: a well-formulated problem statement can effectively communicate the need for change or investment to decision-makers. Personal goal-setting: even in individual pursuits, problem statements can help clarify objectives and motivate action. Types of problem statements Understanding different types of problem statements can help you choose the best approach for your specific situation. Let’s explore three common types: The status quo problem statement This type of problem statement focuses on the current state of affairs and highlights the gap between the existing situation and the desired outcome. It’s particularly effective when you are addressing ongoing issues or systemic problems within an organization. Example: “Our customer support team currently handles 150 tickets, on average, per day with a resolution time of 48 hours. This prolonged response time has led to a 15% decrease in customer satisfaction scores over the past quarter, potentially impacting our retention rates and brand reputation.” Destination problem statement A destination problem statement emphasizes the desired future state or goal. It’s ideal for situations where you want to inspire change and motivate teams to work toward a specific vision. Example: “We aim to create a seamless onboarding experience for new employees that reduces the time to full productivity from 12 to six weeks while increasing new hire satisfaction scores by 25% within the next fiscal year.” The stakeholder problem statement This type of problem statement focuses on the impact of an issue on specific individuals or groups. It’s particularly useful when you need to highlight the human element of a problem and garner support for change. Example: “Junior software developers in our organization report feeling overwhelmed and unsupported, with 60% expressing dissatisfaction with their professional growth opportunities. This has resulted in a 30% turnover rate among this group in the past year, leading to increased recruitment costs and knowledge loss.” How to write a problem statement Crafting an effective problem statement takes practice and attention to detail. Follow these steps to create impactful problem statements: Understand the problem Before putting pen to paper, invest time in thoroughly understanding the issue at hand. Gather data, conduct interviews with stakeholders and observe the problem in action if possible. This deep understanding will form the foundation of your problem statement. Articulate the problem in simple, straightforward language. Avoid jargon or overly technical terms that might confuse readers. Your goal is to ensure that anyone reading the statement can quickly grasp the core issue. Provide context Include relevant background information that helps readers understand the problem’s significance. This might include historical data, industry benchmarks or organizational goals that the issue is affecting. Identify the root cause Dig deeper to uncover the underlying reasons for the problem. Avoid focusing on symptoms. Instead, strive to identify the fundamental issues that need to be addressed. Tools like the “5 whys” technique can be helpful in this process. Be specific Use concrete details and quantifiable metrics whenever possible. Instead of saying, “Customer satisfaction is low,” specify, “Customer satisfaction scores have dropped by 15% in the past quarter.” This precision helps create a clear picture of the problem’s scope and impact. Use measurable criteria Incorporate measurable elements that can be used to track progress and determine when the problem has been resolved. This might include specific metrics, timeframes or benchmarks. Make it feasible Ensure the problem statement describes an issue the organization can actually address. You’ll need to be realistic. Consider your organization’s resources and constraints. While ambition is important, an overly broad or unattainable goal can be demotivating and unhelpful. Avoid solution language Resist the temptation to propose solutions in the problem statement. The goal is to clearly define the problem, not to prescribe how it should be solved. This approach encourages creative thinking and enables you and your team to consider a range of potential solutions. Consider the audience Tailor your problem statement to the intended audience. The level of detail and technical language may vary depending on whether you’re presenting to executives, team members or external stakeholders. Seek feedback Share your draft problem statement with colleagues or stakeholders to gather their input. Fresh perspectives can help identify blind spots or areas that need clarification. Revise and refine Refine your problem statement based on the feedback you receive. Don’t be afraid to go through multiple iterations to achieve the most clear and impactful statement possible. Test for objectivity Review your problem statement to ensure it remains objective and free from bias. Avoid language that assigns blame or makes assumptions about causes or solutions. Challenges of writing a problem statement While problem statements can be a powerful tool for problem-solving, you may face several common challenges when writing yours. Being aware of these pitfalls can help you avoid them and create more effective problem statements. Making it too complicated and lacking detail One of the most frequent issues in problem statement writing is finding the right balance between detail and clarity. Oversimplifying the problem can lead to a statement that’s too vague to be actionable. On the other hand, including too much detail can obscure the core issue and make the statement difficult to understand. To overcome this challenge, focus on the essential elements of the problem. Start with a clear, concise statement about the issue, then add only the most relevant contextual details. Use specific, measurable criteria to define the problem’s scope and impact, but avoid getting bogged down in excessive technical jargon or minute, unhelpful details. Ignoring stakeholders’ perspectives Another common pitfall is failing to consider the diverse perspectives of all the stakeholders the problem affects. This can result in a problem statement that doesn’t fully capture the issue’s complexity or fails to resonate with key decision-makers. To address this challenge, make an effort to gather input from a wide range of stakeholders before finalizing your problem statement. This might include conducting interviews, surveys or focus groups with employees, customers, partners or other relevant parties. Incorporate these diverse viewpoints into your problem statement to create a more comprehensive and compelling representation of the issue. Misalignment with organizational goals Sometimes, problem statements can be well-crafted but fail to align with broader organizational objectives. This misalignment can lead to wasted resources and efforts on issues that, while important, may not be critical to the company’s overall success. To ensure your problem statement aligns with the organization’s goals, review your company’s mission statement, strategic plans and key performance indicators before you get started. Consider how the problem you’re addressing relates to these broader objectives. If possible, explicitly link the problem and its potential resolution to specific goals or metrics in your statement. Failing to review and revise An effective problem statement often requires multiple iterations and refinements. Many project managers make the mistake of treating their first draft as the final version, missing opportunities to improve clarity, precision and impact. To overcome this challenge: Build time for revision into your problem statement writing process. After crafting your initial draft, step away from it for a short period. Return with fresh eyes to critically evaluate and refine your statement. Share it with colleagues or mentors for feedback. Be open to making substantive changes based on their input. The last card Being able to write problem statements is a valuable skill that can significantly enhance your problem-solving capabilities and drive meaningful change within your organization. They enable you to set the stage for innovative solutions and improved processes – but to do this, you’ll need to clearly articulate challenges, provide context and focus on measurable outcomes. A well-crafted problem statement is a powerful tool for aligning teams, securing resources and guiding decision-making. It’s the foundation for effective problem-solving strategies. As you get better at writing problem statements, you’ll find that complex challenges become more manageable and your ability to drive positive change increases. At Pip Decks, we’re passionate about equipping professionals with the tools and knowledge they need to excel in their roles. Whether you’re looking to improve your problem-solving skills, enhance team collaboration or develop your leadership abilities, you’ll find the answers you need in our expert-written card decks. Level up your career with Pip Club Join 100,000+ leaders who get unique tips every week on storytelling, leadership and productivity - plus exclusive how-to guides, first-dibs on upcoming Pip Decks and our very best discounts. Nearly there... Check your inbox to confirm your email. No spam, no email sharing - ever. Privacy Policy One of the few newsletters I look forward to. — Dave Cunningham, Head of DesignOps @ NHS 134 COMMENTS Behavioral Interview Questions About Problem Solving 9. Tell us about a time when you identified a potential problem and resolved the situation before it became a serious issue. Sample answer to show you can identify problems and solve them. 10. Give a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem. Sample to show how you use logic to solve work problems. Problem-Solving Interview Questions: How-to + Examples To put these skills to the test, recruiters use "problem-solving" job interview questions, also known as analytical questions. Here are some common ones: Tell me about a situation where you had to solve a difficult problem. Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem. Top 20 Problem Solving Interview Questions (Example Answers Included) MIKE'S TIP: When you're answering this question, quantify the details. This gives your answer critical context and scale, showcasing the degree of challenge and strength of the accomplishment. That way, your answer is powerful, compelling, and, above all, thorough. 2. Describe a time where you made a mistake. 8 Common Problem-Solving Interview Questions and Answers 2. Tell me about a time when you faced an unexpected challenge at work. Tip: For this question, you'll want to choose a specific example from your work history to demonstrate your ability to be flexible while solving problems. To stay focused, you can use the STAR method to answer this question. The Top 30 Behavioral Interview Questions to Prep For Scan the job description for anything that seems to be mentioned more than once or is otherwise emphasized—say, "takes initiative," or, "works independently.". Then come up with some stories about those things! 2. Brush up on the STAR method. Stories can get big and unwieldy, especially when we're nervous. 40+ Behavioral Interview Questions (Tips + Sample Answers) Summary of the Main Points. Behavioral interview questions are the questions that begin with "Tell me about a time when…" "Can you recall a situation in which…" "Talk about a time when…" "Give an example of a time when…". These questions focus on your past behavior in order to predict how you'll behave in the future. 25 Important Behavioral Interview Questions (and Example Answers) Assess problem-solving and decision-making skills: Behavioral questions help gauge a candidate's ability to think critically, make sound decisions, and solve problems. These skills are crucial in many job roles, and responses to these types of questions can provide insight into a candidate's thought process and approach to various challenges. Prove Your Problem-Solving Skills: Behavioral Interview Questions These questions aim to uncover your past behavior to predict your future performance. To excel in these interviews, you'll want to use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for answering each question. Here are 40 common behavioral interview questions along with tips on answering them: 1. Stress Management. Behavioral Interview Questions: These Are 40 Most Common Ones To prepare for a behavioral interview, reflect on your past work experiences and identify examples that showcase your problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and adaptability skills. Practice articulating these experiences clearly and concisely, using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses. 51 Behavioral Interview Questions & Answers To Master Behavioral questions are designed to help interviewers learn how you would respond to a specific situation and how you solve problems to achieve successful results. Behavioral interview questions require the candidate to explain how you resolved an issue, solved a problem or fixed something. The 13 Most Common Behavioral Interview Questions + How to Answer Them Problem-solving skills are a set of particular skills to use in difficult, unexpected, or complicated matters that arise in the workplace. 4. Tell me about a time you made a mistake at work and how you moved forward from it. The key here is to focus on how you moved forward from the mistake, not the mistake itself. How to Answer 11 Common Behavioral Interview Questions Communication: Your ability to convey information clearly and concisely to others. Teamwork: How effectively you collaborate with team members on projects and tasks. Problem-solving: Your approach to identifying and addressing challenges in your work. Adaptability: How you handle change and adapt to new situations. Problem solving behavioral interview questions Problem solving is a key set of skills tested in behavioral interviews. And most companies will test this in both behavioral *and* case interviews. Cases interviews evaluate specific problem solving attributes: logic, focus, rigor, process. Behavioral problem solving questions evaluate another: intuition, proactiveness, scrappyness, impact ... 20+ Behavioral Interview Questions and Answers The purpose of behavioral interview questions . Behavioral interview questions serve several important purposes during the hiring process. They: Assess past performance: These questions evaluate how you have approached and handled situations in the past, providing insights into your abilities, decision-making skills, and problem-solving ... 45+ Behavioral Interview Questions in 2024 (+ Sample Answers) Question #37. Tell me about a time when you solved a problem at your job that wasn't part of your job description. Situation: "I was working as a sales associate at a popular clothing store, and one day our point-of-sale system went down. It was a busy Saturday afternoon, and the store was packed with customers." 25 examples of behavioral interview questions and how to ... Behavioral questions about decision making and problem-solving Q1: Describe a situation in which you used good judgment and logic to solve a problem. Q2: Give me an example of a time when you had ... 10 Proven Problem-solving Interview Questions [+Answers] 5. Recall a time when you successfully used crisis-management skills. This question assesses candidates' ability to remain calm and make effective decisions under pressure. Look for their problem-solving approach and their ability to handle high-stress situations. 10 Behavioral Interview Questions (With Sample Answers) Behavioral interviews help employers determine your skills and qualities, such as problem-solving, customer service, critical thinking and communication. You can structure your answers to these questions using the STAR technique , which includes the following components: Problem solving behavioral interview questions Problem solving is a key set of skills tested in behavioral interviews. And most companies will test this in both behavioral *and* case interviews. Cases interviews evaluate specific problem solving attributes: logic, focus, rigor, process. Behavioral problem solving questions evaluate another: intuition, proactiveness, scrappiness, impact ... How to Ask Problem Solving Interview Questions The three main categories of interview questions that will help you assess problem-solving skills include: 1. Behavioral Interview Questions. Great problem solving interview questions focus on behavior, revealing how candidates have handled stress or adversity in the past and highlighting their temperament. Understanding the candidate's past ... Problem Solving Interview Questions and Answers Problem solving-related behavioral questions can best be responded to using the STAR format which helps you organize your response by creating a story related to the question. The STAR format uses the following framework: Situation - Briefly describe a situation related to the question. Ensure the situation you use describes a time you used ... 21 Behavioral Interview Questions and How to Respond It's a formula worth memorizing because it can help you structure your responses to behavioral interview questions. Situation: Start by establishing the situation and sharing any important details. Task: Recount your specific task or responsibility. Action: Describe, step-by-step, what you did to address the task or responsibility. How to Write an Effective Problem Statement: A Comprehensive Guide An effective problem statement frames the issue in a way that facilitates a deeper understanding and guides the problem-solving process. At its core, a well-crafted problem statement should capture the essence of the challenge at hand, providing enough context for stakeholders to grasp the issue's significance. Solve the problem with ESPN & ABC! Solve the problem with ESPN & ABC! So I sat down about 20 minutes ago to watch the Braves/Phillies game, and all I get is a message that the channel is having a problem with the video feed. After googling, I find out that the problem isn't with ESPN or the video feed--it's with you guys! essay homework paper phd project resume review study thesis