According to the society of human resources management, behavioral interview questions are a very effective interview technique working across various types of organizations making them an important part of the hiring process when evaluating a candidate’s work experience and work style.
These types of interview questions help the interviewer create a structured process by using the same set of standardized questions to compare and evaluate multiple candidates interviewing for the same job opening.
What are behavioral interview questions?
Behavioral Interview questions focus on a candidate’s past experiences. They help employers gauge a candidate’s particular behavior in relation to skills, abilities, and knowledge.
An interviewer will have the candidate describe a specific work experience using situational questions revealing how they acted under similar situations.
What are the benefits of asking behavioral interview questions?
By adding behavioral interview questions to screening process employers can avoid hypothetical what-ifs by extracting concrete answers on how candidates behave in different work situations and settings.
When conducting onsite interviews these types of questions are a verified way to gauge a candidate’s potential and ability to communicate adapt, lead, and reinforce a companies culture.
When an employer looks at candidates’ past behavior, skills, and critical thinking experience they can reveal if a candidate has the attributes necessary to match job description requirements.
What is a good response length for behavioral interview Questions?
Answers to behavioral interview questions should last between one and two minutes on average, with factual answers being even shorter.
We list 50 behavioral interview questions to ask candidates that will help you evaluate a candidate’s work experience, customer service skills, communication style, and leadership principles under real situations to make informed hiring decisions.
During interviews, understanding a candidate’s long-term aspirations is as valuable as their immediate competencies. When they express ambitions aligned with complex roles such as a career in psychology, or other occupations you gain insights into their commitment to learning and growth. This can be crucial for assessing adaptability and future leadership potential.
Top Behavioral Interview Questions (with Best Answers & Tips)
Ace your next job interview by preparing for these common behavioral questions. Learn what hiring managers are looking for and how to craft compelling STAR method responses.
General Behavioral Interview Questions
These questions assess your work ethic, problem-solving skills, and overall fit within a company culture.
- What Defines an Ideal Coworker? (Focuses on collaboration, respect, and team support)
- Why this works: Targets keywords like “ideal coworker,” “team collaboration,” and “workplace relationships.”
- How Do You Prioritize Projects Under Tight Deadlines? (Highlights time management, organization, and efficiency)
- Why this works: Uses “prioritize projects,” “tight deadlines,” and “time management skills.”
- Managing Schedule Interruptions: Your Approach? (Evaluates flexibility, adaptability, and problem-solving)
- Why this works: Incorporates “schedule interruptions,” “adaptability,” and “flexible work.”
- When Have You Flexed Company Policy for Client Satisfaction? (Examines judgment, customer focus, and ethical decision-making)
- Why this works: Targets “company policy,” “client satisfaction,” and “customer service ethics.”
- Overcoming Professional Setbacks: Share Your Experience. (Assesses resilience, learning from failure, and perseverance)
- Why this works: Uses “professional setbacks,” “handling failure,” and “resilience at work.”
- Addressing Poor Job Training: What’s Your Strategy? (Looks for proactiveness, problem-solving, and self-advocacy)
- Why this works: Targets “job training issues,” “improving training,” and “proactive learning.”
- De-escalating Angry Clients: A Successful Example? (Tests conflict resolution, customer service, and composure)
- Why this works: Incorporates “angry clients,” “conflict resolution skills,” and “customer de-escalation.”
- Professional Regrets: What Lessons Have You Learned? (Explores self-awareness, growth mindset, and accountability)
- Why this works: Uses “professional regrets,” “learning from mistakes,” and “career lessons.”
Communication Behavioral Interview Questions
Effective communication is key in any role. These questions explore your ability to articulate, listen, and influence.
- Effective Communication with Previous Managers: Examples? (Focuses on reporting, feedback, and professional dialogue)
- Why this works: Targets “communication with managers,” “manager feedback,” and “workplace communication.”
- Persuading Colleagues: A Time You Influenced a Positive Outcome? (Evaluates influence, negotiation, and interpersonal skills)
- Why this works: Uses “persuading colleagues,” “influencing others,” and “negotiation skills.”
- Communication Breakdown: When You Failed to Get Your Point Across? (Assesses self-awareness, improvement, and adaptability in communication)
- Why this works: Incorporates “communication breakdown,” “improving communication,” and “effective speaking.”
- Group Presentation Experience: Describe Your Role. (Highlights public speaking, teamwork, and content delivery)
- Why this works: Targets “group presentation,” “public speaking skills,” and “team presentations.”
- Handling Difficult Clients or Customers: Your Approach to Stressful Situations? (Tests customer service, empathy, and conflict resolution)
- Why this works: Uses “difficult clients,” “customer conflict,” and “stressful customer situations.”
- Delivering Bad News Professionally: How Did You Prepare and What Was the Outcome? (Explores difficult conversations, empathy, and professionalism)
- Why this works: Incorporates “delivering bad news,” “difficult conversations,” and “professional communication.”
Teamwork Behavioral Interview Questions
Collaboration is vital. These questions uncover your ability to work effectively within a team environment.
- Working with Challenging Coworkers: Your Strategy for Interactions? (Focuses on interpersonal skills, conflict management, and collaboration)
- Why this works: Targets “difficult coworker,” “team conflict resolution,” and “interpersonal skills.”
- Getting Information from Unresponsive Coworkers: What Steps Did You Take? (Evaluates proactiveness, problem-solving, and persistence)
- Why this works: Uses “unresponsive coworker,” “information gathering,” and “team communication challenges.”
- Your Role in a Successful Team Project: Describe Your Contributions. (Highlights collaboration, accountability, and project contribution)
- Why this works: Incorporates “team project role,” “team contributions,” and “successful team collaboration.”
- Team Disagreements: How Did You Handle Dissenting Opinions? (Assesses conflict resolution, compromise, and communication within a team)
- Why this works: Targets “team disagreements,” “managing team conflict,” and “conflict resolution skills.”
- Addressing Underperforming Team Members: What Was Your Approach? (Examines accountability, peer feedback, and team responsibility)
- Why this works: Uses “underperforming coworker,” “team accountability,” and “addressing poor performance.”
- Team Compromise: A Situation and Its Results. (Explores negotiation, flexibility, and collective decision-making)
- Why this works: Incorporates “team compromise,” “negotiation in teams,” and “collective decision-making.”
- Motivating Others for Reorganization: Your Leadership Approach? (Tests leadership, influence, and change management)
- Why this works: Targets “motivating employees,” “change management leadership,” and “organizational change.”
Adaptability Behavioral Interview Questions
Change is constant. These questions gauge your ability to adjust, learn, and thrive in dynamic environments.
- When Efforts Fell Short: What Did You Learn from Unsuccessful Outcomes? (Focuses on resilience, learning from failure, and perseverance)
- Why this works: Targets “failed efforts,” “learning from mistakes,” and “resilience in the workplace.”
- Learning from Mistakes: An Overlooked Solution and Its Impact? (Assesses self-awareness, continuous improvement, and problem-solving)
- Why this works: Uses “learning from mistakes,” “problem-solving skills,” and “continuous improvement.”
- Embracing New Systems/Technology: A Successful Adaptation Story? (Highlights tech-savviness, willingness to learn, and change adoption)
- Why this works: Incorporates “new technology adoption,” “adapting to change,” and ” embracing new systems.”
- Handling Tasks Outside Your Job Duties: Describe the Outcome. (Evaluates flexibility, initiative, and willingness to step up)
- Why this works: Targets “tasks outside job description,” “flexibility at work,” and “taking initiative.”
- Adapting to Change When Coworkers Resisted: Your Strategy? (Examines leadership, influencing others, and navigating resistance)
- Why this works: Uses “adapting to change,” “coworker resistance,” and “managing change resistance.”
- Overcoming Major Obstacles: How Did You Complete the Task? (Focuses on problem-solving, persistence, and strategic thinking)
- Why this works: Incorporates “overcoming obstacles,” “problem-solving strategies,” and “task completion challenges.”
- Biggest Change Experienced: How Did You Adapt and Grow? (Tests resilience, personal growth, and continuous learning)
- Why this works: Targets “biggest change,” “personal adaptation,” and “career growth.”
Ethics and Integrity Behavioral Interview Questions
These questions delve into your moral compass and commitment to honest and ethical conduct.
- Questioned Honesty: How Did You Respond to a Teammate or Client? (Focuses on integrity, conflict resolution, and maintaining trust)
- Why this works: Targets “questioned honesty,” “workplace integrity,” and “ethical dilemmas.”
- Difficult Honesty: Your Thought Process in a Challenging Situation? (Evaluates ethical decision-making, transparency, and personal values)
- Why this works: Uses “difficult honesty,” “ethical decision-making,” and “workplace ethics.”
- Following a Rule You Disagreed With: Explain Your Reasoning and Feelings. (Explores compliance, professionalism, and handling disagreements)
- Why this works: Incorporates “following rules,” “professional compliance,” and “disagreeing ethically.”
- Addressing Coworker Misconduct: What Action Did You Take? (Assesses integrity, accountability, and ethical responsibility)
- Why this works: Targets “coworker misconduct,” “reporting unethical behavior,” and “workplace accountability.”
- Dishonesty in a Challenging Work Situation: What Happened? (Examines honesty, learning from mistakes, and ethical boundaries)
- Why this works: Uses “workplace dishonesty,” “ethical challenges,” and “integrity in difficult situations.”
Growth Potential Behavioral Interview Questions
Hiring managers want to see your ambition and capacity for development.
- Problem Solving Without Supervision: A Situation and Its Outcome? (Focuses on initiative, autonomy, and independent problem-solving)
- Why this works: Targets “problem solving without supervision,” “taking initiative,” and “autonomous work.”
- Seeking Direct Feedback: When and Why Did You Ask Your Manager? (Evaluates proactiveness, self-awareness, and commitment to development)
- Why this works: Uses “seeking feedback,” “professional development,” and “manager feedback.”
- Motivation for Career Transition: What Drives Your Next Move? (Explores career goals, ambition, and long-term aspirations)
- Why this works: Incorporates “career motivation,” “job transition reasons,” and “career goals.”
- Recent Career Goal Achieved: Share Your Success Story. (Highlights accomplishments, ambition, and goal attainment)
- Why this works: Targets “career goal achievement,” “professional accomplishments,” and “career success stories.”
- Passed Over for Promotion: Was It Fair and What Did You Learn? (Assesses resilience, self-reflection, and learning from setbacks)
- Why this works: Uses “passed over for promotion,” “career setbacks,” and “learning from disappointment.”
Prioritization Behavioral Interview Questions
These questions assess your ability to manage tasks, time, and resources effectively.
- Overwhelmed and Stressed at Work: How Did You Manage? (Focuses on stress management, coping mechanisms, and time management)
- Why this works: Targets “overwhelmed at work,” “stress management techniques,” and “handling work pressure.”
- Project Planning and Management: Describe Your Process. (Evaluates organizational skills, project management, and execution)
- Why this works: Uses “project planning,” “project management process,” and “organizing assignments.”
- Managing Multiple Projects: Your Time Management Strategies and Results? (Highlights multitasking, efficiency, and productivity)
- Why this works: Incorporates “managing multiple projects,” “time management strategies,” and “multitasking skills.”
- Successful Task Delegation: Tell Me About a Time You Delegated Effectively. (Assesses delegation skills, trust, and team leverage)
- Why this works: Targets “task delegation,” “effective delegation,” and “team efficiency.”
- Estimating Task Completion Time: Your Method for Reasonable Deadlines? (Examines planning, realism, and project estimation)
- Why this works: Uses “estimating task time,” “project deadlines,” and “realistic time estimates.”
Leadership Behavioral Interview Questions
For roles with leadership potential, these questions reveal your ability to guide, inspire, and make impactful decisions.
- Employee Concerns: How Did You Handle a Challenging Situation? (Focuses on empathy, problem-solving, and employee relations)
- Why this works: Targets “employee concerns,” “handling employee issues,” and “employee relations.”
- Changing Project Priorities: Your Steps to Initiate the Shift? (Evaluates change management, strategic thinking, and decisive action)
- Why this works: Uses “changing project priorities,” “managing project changes,” and “strategic project leadership.”
- Building Stakeholder Credibility: Describe Your Actions. (Highlights relationship building, influence, and trust)
- Why this works: Incorporates “building stakeholder credibility,” “influencing stakeholders,” and “stakeholder management.”
- New Information Affecting a Decision: How Did You Proceed? (Assesses adaptability, critical thinking, and decision-making under new data)
- Why this works: Targets “decision-making challenges,” “adapting decisions,” and “information-driven decisions.”
- Presenting an Unpopular Idea to Management: What Was Your Next Move? (Examines persuasion, resilience, and strategic communication)
- Why it works: Uses “presenting ideas to management,” “managing resistance,” and “persuading leaders.”
- Industry Disruptions: How Should We Meet These Challenges? (Focuses on foresight, strategic planning, and innovative thinking)
- Why it works: Incorporates “industry disruptions,” “meeting challenges,” and “strategic foresight.”
- Leadership Challenges: How Did They Change Your Thinking and Improve Your Abilities? (Tests self-awareness, continuous learning, and leadership development)
- Why it works: Targets “leadership challenges,” “leadership development,” and “improving leadership skills.”
Give some of these example behavioral interview questions to ask candidates a try in your next interview.
Also Make use of a professional email address while reaching out to your candidates for a better response. Having trouble finding the right technical talent for your opportunity need engineering or IT staffing services? Reach out to Apollo Technical
