Behavioural job interview questions can be among the most revealing questions you will be asked. These are where the employer inquires about your past work experience and challenges. They want to find out what your work style was, what you accomplished, and how you dealt with setbacks on the job.
The theory is that an employer can get the most accurate impression of how a potential hire will perform on the job by learning how they have handled similar situations in the past.
The way you answer those questions can also indicate how self-aware you are, how much you've learned at your previous jobs, and what you know about the role you are interviewing for.
A savvy candidate will be able to speak about their on-the-job struggles, their accomplishments, and their progression. A very savvy candidate will be able to articulate these things in ways that are particularly relevant to the employer and the opportunity at hand.
Many a candidate will find these behavioural questions amongst the most difficult to answer off the top of their head. That is why it is best to have several stories prepared in advance. Think about your past on-the-job accomplishments, setbacks, conflicts, and resolutions. These will be useful when answering many of the situational questions employers may have.
Use those stories and the STAR method to formulate your responses. The word STAR refers to explaining the Situation, describing what your Task was, listing the Actions you took, and detailing what the Results were.
Behavioural job interview questions will very often begin with phrases such as "Describe a situation where…", "Tell me about a time when…", or "Could you give me an example of …."
For example, here is a behavioural question. Describe a situation in which you had to take on a new technology or process that was different from how you were used to doing your job.
A STAR answer:
Situation
When I was hired as the Marketing Manager for ABC Co., I was given the responsibility of updating the company's website and online communications. They were using a platform that I had never worked with previously, which made creating the project plan difficult from the outset.
Task
My department was tasked with updating all of the page templates for a new brand strategy and drafting content that reflected the company's new direction.
Action
I created a cross-functional committee to bring the IT team into the fold, and the marketing staff worked with them to understand the possibilities and limitations of the Content Management System. I spent a day shadowing a colleague from the tech department to get familiar with the program.
Results
Once up to speed on the complexity of the system, I created a timeline for the rebrand, built new page templates reflecting the brand elements, drafted the required content, and delivered an updated website on schedule.
That's the STAR answer in action. Now, here is a look at some of the most common behavioural questions you are likely to be asked – along with how to answer them.
Tell me about a time that you worked on a project that was unsuccessful.
It can be difficult to talk about your failures, especially in a job interview where you are trying to impress an employer. But not all projects will be successful. Everyone is going to encounter situations that don't work out over the course of their careers.
Employers will ask this question not only to see how you deal with setbacks but also to ascertain what you learned from the situation and how you have grown. They are also likely aware that it is an uncomfortable question, so it can be revealing as to how well you communicate in stressful conditions.
Describe the situation that didn't work out, explain what efforts you took, how the department recovered from the setback, and how you now approach similar problems. Failure can be a learning opportunity. Show how you've grown.
Similar setback-related behavioural job interview questions include:
- Have you ever faced a work-related setback? How did you handle it?
- Describe a time when you have had to revise a strategy in the middle of a project.
- What has been your biggest on-the-job failure?
- Tell me about a time you made a mistake at work.
You can use your story of a setback, the actions taken in the face of difficulties, and what you learned from the situation to craft a STAR answer for any of these variations.
Could you give me an example of a time you were involved in a workplace conflict and how you dealt with it?
You might be tempted to say that you get along with everyone and have never been involved in a conflict. However, that will likely come across as disingenuous. It's akin to saying your biggest weakness is that you 'work too hard.'
Nobody gets along with everyone all the time. Disagreements are going to happen. The important thing is to handle these differences of opinion professionally. The employer wants to know how you will deal with potential clashes on the job if they hire you. The best way to demonstrate that you can handle future situations is with examples of your past behaviour.
Describe an occasion where you and a co-worker didn't get along. Don't speak badly of anyone. Being negative will only reflect poorly on you. Just tell the employer how you maintained a productive working relationship and didn't let personal disagreements affect your professionalism.
Briefly detail the challenging working relationship, explain how you managed it, and highlight the successful results.
Similar behavioural job interview questions about your working relationships include:
- Tell me about a time when people you were working with disagreed with your ideas. How did you handle it?
- Have you ever had to make an unpopular decision at work? How did you communicate it? What steps did you take to ensure team buy-in?
- Describe a situation where you had to work with a person whose work style and communication style was completely different from yours. How did you manage the collaboration?
- Have you ever had to deal with an unreasonable client? How did you handle their demands?
For all of these and other similar questions, the story you want to relate is how you manage professional relationships professionally. While people have different approaches to work, and some personalities even clash, you assess the situation, make rational decisions, treat everyone with kindness and respect, and ultimately deliver successful outcomes.
Describe a workplace achievement that you are particularly proud of.
Most employers will ask about your on-the-job accomplishments, so be prepared for this. Even when asked what you are most proud of in your career, your answer should instead be the accomplishment that is most relevant to the needs of the employer.
Remember, they are enquiring about your past behaviour to get an idea of what you can do for them in the future. So, be prepared to talk about an achievement that would be meaningful for the employer and the job at hand.
Don't just talk about the company or your department's wins but describe your actual contributions. It's not boastful to talk about your accomplishments in a job interview; it's a necessity. And anyway, they asked.
Your STAR story should describe the challenging situation you were confronted with, the task you undertook, how you created and implemented a strategy for achieving it, and the successful results that you are proud of.
Similar accomplishment-based behavioural job interview questions may include:
- Describe a successful project that you planned and delivered. What were the results?
- Tell me about a time when you had to solve a difficult problem. What did you do? How did it go?
- What would you say is your most significant career accomplishment, and why?
Tell me about a time you were under a great deal of pressure at work. How did you deal with it?
Just about every job comes with some degree of stress. From meeting deadlines and quotas to dealing with the public and co-workers or reacting to unexpected setbacks or challenges, stressful situations are likely to occur. Employers want to know that their new hires will be able to remain calm, think on their feet, and perform under pressure.
Have a story ready of a time when you were in a challenging situation, but you still managed to accomplish your professional goals.
Describe the situation, emphasize your ability to formulate solutions and set priorities, highlight how you remained calm and focused on the outcome. Detail the actions taken and the successful outcomes achieved.
Remember, the job interview itself is a high-pressure, stressful situation. Your employer will be observing how you remain professional and personable and how you communicate throughout the interview as an example of what your composure might be like on the job.
Other behavioural job interview questions about your ability to handle stress may include:
- What has been the most stressful situation you have ever been in at work? What did you do?
- What was the most difficult decision you have had to make at work?
- What strategies have you employed to alleviate the stress levels for yourself or your team at work?
There can be some overlap in where your stories apply. For example, your biggest workplace failure or setback can also be your most stressful situation. Just be careful not to rely too heavily on the same one or two anecdotes for multiple questions. That can get repetitive and give the impression that you do not have much depth of experience.
Remember, behavioural job interview questions are about your past work, but their real purpose is to highlight your potential for the future should the employer hire you. Demonstrating how you have handled setbacks and stress, managed working relationships, and achieved success in your previous workplaces gives a preview of what you can accomplish for them.
Prepare your essential stories in advance but be sure to deliver them in a conversational tone at the interview. You don't want to sound rehearsed. A useful way to describe these past behaviours is with the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to answer the questions in a concise and organized way.
