Interviews can be intense, but behavioral questions often provide you with the opportunity to tell your story. Rather than asking technical questions, interviewers want to know how you have handled specific situations previously. Here’s an overview of some common behavioral interview questions, why they are asked, and tips for answering them.
What are Behavioral Interview Questions
Behavioral interview questions require you to describe specific instances in which you applied certain skills, particularly the soft ones. Such questions usually begin with statements such as: “Tell me about a time when….”. Such behavioral interview questions are used to enable an interviewer to draw some conclusions based on what you have done in the past and how you might approach similar problems in the future.
The Need for Behavioural Interview Questions
Interviewers ask these behavioral interview questions to see your problem-solving, teamwork, and adaptability skills, among others. Instead of vague descriptions of your abilities, they get specific examples of your behavior, revealing how you’ve approached real-life situations. Behavioral interview questions are therefore important for your approach.
Examples of Behavioral Interview Questions
Here’s a list of some common behavioral interview questions that you might encounter. Prepare by thinking of stories that showcase your abilities across different scenarios.
Teamwork Behavioral Interview Questions
Many jobs are team jobs, so you will be expected to respond about working with others. Prepare for a story telling time of how you demonstrate teamwork under rather difficult conditions.
- “Tell me about a time when you worked closely with someone who had a different personality than yours.”
- “Give me an example of a time you encountered conflict with a coworker. How did you handle it?
- “Tell me about a time when you had to take on a leadership role.”
Sample Teamwork Answer:
“Once, I was paired with a coworker who approached tasks very differently than I did. She is detail-oriented, and I’m more big-picture. We had a challenging project and realized that we needed both of us. We divided the tasks based on our strengths and ended up delivering the project successfully on time. This experience taught me the value of diverse working styles.”
Customer Service Behavioral Interview Questions
For the client-facing positions, you may be asked about previous experiences working with clients or customers. Consider a time you represented your team well or provided really great service.
- “Tell me about a time when it was really important to make a good impression on a client. How did you do it?”
- “Tell me about a time you had to handle a difficult client or customer. How did you handle it?
Customer Service Example:
“It was due to an unhappy client because a project was not up to what she wanted. I scheduled a meeting to discuss her concerns in detail. By actively listening and making adjustments based on her feedback, I was able to restore her confidence and strengthen our professional relationship.”
Adaptability Behavioral Interview Questions
These behavioral interview questions usually revolve around how you have reacted to changes or challenges in the workplace.
- “Describe a situation where you were under extreme stress. How did you handle it?”
- “Describe a situation when your team was faced with change. How did you manage this challenge?”
Sample Adaptability Question Answer:
“When my former supervisor moved, I had to adapt within a few weeks to the reporting lines. So, I established ‘daily updates’ with the team to know their statuses. This kept everyone engaged and in high spirits throughout the changeover process. I learned and developed my ability to survive in volatile environments.”
Time Management Behavioral Interview Questions
Interviewers are interested in knowing how you balance multiple tasks and complete them within assigned timelines. Here are some more behavioral-based interview questions:
- Can you give me an instance where you managed a lot of tasks? How did you prioritize?
- Tell me about a long-term project that required keeping on track with time. How did you manage that?
Sample Answer to Time Management Question:
While working on multiple projects, I prioritized tasks by deadlines and complexity. I used project management software to organize and monitor progress, allowing me to stay on top of each task and finish ahead of schedule.”
Organizational Skills Questions
These questions probe your ability to stay organized and manage tasks efficiently.
- “Tell me about a time when you had to establish priorities.
- “Describe a time when your organizational skills helped you meet a deadline.”
Sample Organizational Skills Answer:
“I had a project with many moving parts, so I created a detailed checklist of each task and timeline for completion. Breaking down the project into smaller, more manageable parts allowed me to stay organized and deliver the project by its deadline.”
Communication Questions
Communication skills are the requirements of most jobs, so here are some good interview questions regarding your ability to communicate effectively.
- “Tell me about a time when you had to utilize written communication to explain your concept.”
- “Tell me about a time you convinced someone to adopt your perspective.”
Sample Answer for Communication Question:
During a group project, I had to explain a tough idea to one of the members who was no technical person. I explained it using simple, relatable examples. She understood that and did her job very well.
Motivation and Values Questions
These questions will let the interviewer know what drives you and what kind of work environment you thrive in.
- “Tell me about a time when you saw a problem and took the initiative to solve it.”
- “Tell me about a time you were frustrated in your job. What would have made it better?”
Sample Answer to the Motivation Question:
“At my last position, I experienced inefficiency in our file sharing. I proposed a new system that involves efficient, proper organization and saves much time. The sense to tackle this problem not only made the team stronger but also made me more motivated to change processes.”
How to Best Answer Behavioral Interview Questions
The best interview questions to ask definitely depend on the context. The best way to answer behavioral questions with the STAR Method is as follows:
- Situation: Briefly describe the context.
- Task: Explain your role or responsibility.
- Action: Tell about what you did to resolve the problem.
- Result: Tell about what happened and hopefully can put a positive spin on it.
Example of Responses to a Question with Regard to Conflict
Once, in a project, one of the members disagreed with our execution. We listened to him and looked for common ground. With some inclusion of his suggestions, we made the whole project work better than before, and our relationship at work became stronger.
Behavioral Interview Questions Tips
1. Make It Relevant
Use your tale to illustrate the specific job and skill the question intends to check.
2. Be Self-Aware
If recounting a mistake, emphasize what you learned and how that made you grow as a result.
3. Practice, Don’t Memorize
Learn your tales, but be flexible enough to segue into any variant of the question.
4. Be Brief
Be able to answer in 1–2-minute duration, providing adequate details without sounding too loose.
Why Preparation Matters
Behavioral interviews occur with near certainty and will let you stand out. Preparing your stories ahead of time will enable you to show some concrete examples that demonstrate your ability and really make an impression on the interviewers. It’s normal to be nervous, but you should try to be confident. Preparing for all possible behavioral interview questions can help take the edge off during the real thing.
Conclusion
Preparing answers to behavioral interview questions can really help build your confidence and performance. These questions are sure to help you prepare for your dream job and leave a great impression on your employers. Take a little time in thoughtful preparation, make sure you have the STAR method down pat, and you will ace any interview. Good luck, and do your best!
FAQs
1. What are behavioral interview questions?
Answer: They are questions where interviewers ask about past experiences to see how you’ve handled situations that show key skills like teamwork or problem-solving.
2. Why do interviewers ask behavioral interview questions?
Answer: These questions reveal your work style and soft skills, helping interviewers predict your future behavior and performance.
3. How should I prepare for behavioral interview questions?
Answer: Review common questions, prepare relevant stories, and use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to keep responses clear and focused.
4. What are some common examples of behavioral interview questions?
Answer: Typical questions include: “Describe a time you resolved a conflict” and “Tell me about a time you showed leadership.” Preparing answers helps you respond confidently.
