An Effective Guide to Behavioral Interview Questions

This article will guide you through some common examples of behavioral interview questions to prepare yourself better for the next interview. Interviewers will often gauge your capability to handle a tricky or challenging situation by posing different situational questions.

Besides technical questions related to your field, behavioral questions also play a significant role in an interview. To create a positive impression on prospective employers, you must give strong responses highlighting your competence.

What Is a Behavioral Interview Question?

A behavioral interview question is an interviewing technique to assess a candidate’s behavioral skills and attributes in a particular circumstance.

These questions test job-related competencies other than the technical aspects related to the position. It helps the employer learn about the candidate’s problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and effective communication capabilities.

The STAR method is an effective approach to answering these behavioral questions. The structure is as follows:

  • Situation: Describe a professional experience related to the question.
  • Task: Describe the task you had to complete to address the issue at hand.
  • Action: Explain the step you took to handle or complete the task.
  • Result: Discuss the outcome of your action and be as specific as possible.
people sitting on chair in front of table while holding pens during daytime
Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash

Examples of Behavioral Interview Questions

One of the most challenging things about being interviewed for a specific position is the behavioral interview question. The employer tests your actions and reactions to a professional setting. Following are some typical examples of behavioral interview questions to help you prepare better. It will help you understand what abilities and attributes they put to the test.

Teamwork Behavioral Questions

Almost every job requires you to work with a team in some way. Therefore, be ready to talk about group dynamics experiences. Consider talking about how you react to project constraints, team disputes, and inspiring others. You should have a scenario that demonstrates your ability to cooperate with others in challenging situations.

  • When did you last have to collaborate closely with someone whose personality was different from yours?
  • Describe a situation where you had to take charge and show leadership skills.
  • Describe a situation when you and your coworker were in a conflict. How did you handle the situation?
  • Explain a situation where you required information from someone, but they weren’t very responsive. How did you act?

Adaptability Behavioral Questions

In these questions, consider speaking of a professional issue you handled well. Find a lesson you learned or a bright spot, even if the outcome wasn’t perfect.

  • Describe a time when your group or company was going through a transition. What effect did that have on you, and how did you adjust?
  • Tell me about an instance when you failed. How did you handle the situation?
  • How did you get adapted to your last job? What did you do to get the hang of things?
  • Talk about a time when you were under a lot of pressure at work. What was happening, and how did you handle it?

Time Management Behavioral Questions

These questions are used to assess your time management skills. Prepare a particular example when you had several tasks on the go, and you prioritized, scheduled, organized,