Behavioral Interview Questions
Behavioral Interview QuestionsUtilize behavioral interview questions to gauge how your candidate reacts to stress, what their skill-level is, and how they conduct themselves in a professional environment. On average, aim to implement five to six behavioral interview questions into your in-person or virtual interview process. It is important to align your choice of behavioral interview questions with the responsibilities of the position you are looking to fill. These questions can also aid in uncovering additional information when reviewing applicant qualifications. For additional interview tips please reach out to your designated talent acquisition partner.
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Adaptability
Adaptability- Can you describe a time when change occurred within your organization that impacted your role, and how did you adapt? Ex. New system, process, technology, or culture change
- Can you think of a time when you weren’t comfortable with a change in your organization? What did you do?
- Can you tell me about a time when you changed the course of a project? How did you relay the changes to your team, and maintain momentum towards the completion deadline?
- Can you tell me about how you handled your transition between different jobs or positions in the past?
- Can you explain a time in your career when you were faced with a difficult situation? If any, how did you maintain a positive attitude while responding?
- Can you give me an example of a time when you were faced with a difficult or awkward situation in the work place in which you needed to delicately disengage, and how you did so?
- Recall a time when you were assigned a task outside of your job description. How did you utilzie available resources, and what was the outcome?
- Tell me about a time when you had to adjust to a colleague’s working style in order to complete a project or achieve your objectives.
- Tell me about a time when you felt you were under a lot of pressue due to an upcoming project deadline. What was going on, and how did you get through it?
- Tell me about a time when you were faced with adapting to a new leadership style in the work place.
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Analytical Skills
Analytical Skills- Can you talk about a time when you used analytical skills to discover a problem, and how you went about finding a solution?
- Can you tell me about a situation where your analysis of a problem was deemed to be incorrect? What would you have done differently?
- Can you tell me about a time when you discovered a more efficient way to complete a daily or weekly work task?
- Describe a project or situation where you successfully demonstrated your analytical abilities.
- Describe a time when you had to solve a problem, but didn’t have all necessary information about it in hand. What did you do?
- How do you weigh pros and cons before making a decision related to an important work task?
- If you had to choose between two or three options, how would you decide? (e.g. hiring decision, budgeting, performance evaluation systems, training)
- Tell me about a task that really tested your analytical abilities, and why?
- Tell me about a tricky situation for which you found a very simple solution?
- Tell me how you fulfilled reporting requirements of relevant government rules and regulations in your last company?
- What types of metrics do you currently track, and how do you use these to make a decision?
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Attention to Detail
Attention to Detail- Can you describe a time when a co-worker made a mistake and you discovered it? How did you proceed?
- Describe a situation when you coordinated several projects at the same time. How did you keep track of what needed to be done for each individually? How did you ensure all were completed correctly and on time?
- Describe a time you made an error. Why did you initially miss the mistake, and how did you handle finding a resolution?
- Describe an incident when you had to listen attentively in order to act quickly enough to meet a deadline.
- Do you have any specific processes you follow in your line of work?
- Do you prefer to work on the details of a project, or would you rather pass those tasks on to a co-worker?
- Have you ever had to explain to someone in a superior position that they made a mistake? How did you approach it and what were the results?
- How do you ensure quality when there are tight deadlines? Have you ever had to sacrifice quality just to meet a deadline?
- How do you handle projects with short deadlines that require precise calculations and analysis? What is your approach?
- Tell me about a time that you were confused by a supervisor's request. What steps did you take to clarify things?
- Tell me about a time when you were given an assignment, but you were not clear of how to go about it. How did you tackle this situation?
- Once you have completed an important project or task, what do you do to verify that your work is accurate?
- What tools do you use to ensure that there are no mistakes in your work?
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Communication
Communication- Can you describe a time when you had to work with a remote co-worker? How did you stay in touch? What difficulties did you experience?
- Can you talk about a time when communication with a co-worker failed? What caused your lack of communication? How did you handle the situation?
- Can you talk about how you’ve used your written communication skills during a project or task ?
- Can you tell me about a time when you communicated with a person at work that you didn’t always see eye to eye with?
- Can you tell me about how you communicated with your previous managers or supervisors?
- Describe a time when you made an extra effort to make sure the person with whom you were communicating with had really understood your point. How did you do this?
- Give an example of a time when you persuaded a supervisor, customer, or peer to your point of view, even when that individual may not have agreed with you.
- Give me an example of a time when you had to explain something fairly complex to a frustrated client. How did you handle this delicate situation?
- Give me an example of a time when you had to get your point across in a meeting to which most of the people were reluctant to hear. (e.g. organizational or operation changes)
- Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully persuade someone to see things your way at work.
- Have you ever given a speech or presentation for your job? How did you prepare? How was the presentation received?
- How do you go about explaining a complex technical problem to a person who does not understand technical verbiage?
- How do you keep subordinates informed about information that affects their jobs?
- Tell me about a successful presentation you gave and why you think it was a hit.
- What challenges have occurred while you were coordinating work with other units, departments, and/or divisions?
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Conflict Resolution
Conflict Resolution- Can you describe a time when you tried to solve a dispute within the team? What was the result?
- Can you give an example of a time when you wish you’d handled a conflict in the work place differently? What was it and how do you wish you’d handled it instead?
- Can you tell me about a time when you had to work through some negativity to get a task or project completed?
- Describe a difficult situation with an employee and how you handled it.
- Describe a situation where a co-worker who was upset about a situation in your workplace approached you with a problem. How did you handle the situation?
- Describe a time when everyone in the meeting was opposing your ideas. How did you manage to work it out?
- Describe a work situation that required you to follow an established pattern and schedule, but you got off track and behind schedule
- Have you ever worked with a difficult manager? In what way were/are they difficult, and how did you handle it?
- Talk about a time when you had to abide by a policy that you did not personally agree with.
- Can you tell me about a time when you communicated with a person at work that you didn’t always see eye to eye with?
- Tell me about a situation where you were aware of a serious mistake made by a colleague and what did you do about it?
- Tell me about a time when you helped to successfully mediate in a conflict? How did you feel?
- Was there ever a time when you were part of a team where the people didn’t get along? What happened? What did you do?
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Creativity
Creativity- Can you tell me about a situation where you used your creativity to solve a very difficult problem?
- Give me an example of when someone brought you a new idea that was odd or unusual. What did you do?
- How do you utilize feedback from other departments in your organiztion? How do you develop a new system or work process while always keeping the department's response well in mind?
- How many things (like systems, methodologies, standards, etc.) were changed at your last job because of your suggestions? How did it benefit the company?
- Tell me about an instance when you tried to solve a problem with a totally different approach than is normally used. What was the result?
- When was the last time that you volunteered to expand your knowledge at work, as opposed to being directed to do so?
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Customer Service
Customer Service- Can you describe a time when you went out of your way to please a customer?
- Can you describe the steps you take to develop a relationship with a customer?
- Can you give an example of how you handled alerting a customer when your product/service caused a major problem?
- Can you give me an example of a situation where there were major problems with your product/service and you needed to respond without having all the answers yet?
- Can you tell me about a situation with a customer when there wasn’t a clear policy to use and you needed to make a judgment call? How did you approach your decision, and what happened?
- Can you tell me about a time that you were unsure about a customer’s request, and the strategy you used to find clarification?
- Can you tell me about a time you convinced a customer to stay with the business? What steps did you take?
- Describe a time when it was especially important to make a good impression on a client. How did you go about doing so?
- Describe a time when you had to interact with a difficult client. What was the situation, and how did you handle it?
- Give me an example of a time when you did not meet a client’s expectation. What happened, and how did you attempt to rectify the situation?
- Have you ever defended a customer? Why? How did your co-workers or boss react?
- In your past work, have you ever received negative feedback from a customer? What did you do with that feedback?
- Tell me about a time when a customer was reporting a technical issue that you didn’t know the answer to. What was your approach, and how did it end up?
- Was there ever a time when a co-worker’s customer was passed off to you? How did you let the customer know? How did you build relationship and trust with them?
- 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?
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Decision Making
Decision Making- Can you talk about a time you had to make a decision with limited information? How did you determine what would be the best decision?
- Can you tell me about a time when you felt pressure while making a decision? How did the pressure impact your ability to ultimately make a decision?
- Can you tell me about a time when you had to make an immediate decision that had a large impact at work?
- Describe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish multiple tasks by the end of the day, and there was no conceivable way that you could finish them.
- Give me an example of a business decision you made that you ultimately regretted. What happened?
- Think about an occasion when you needed to choose between two or three seemingly equally viable paths to accomplish a goal. How did you make your decision about the path to follow?
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Diversity
Diversity- Describe a situation in which you encountered a conflict with a person from a different cultural background than yours. How did you handle the situation? (Please be specific)
- Describe a situation in which you utilized your multicultural skills to solve a problem.
- Describe how you, as a staff member, function and communicate effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, and backgrounds.
- Give an example of how you honor commitments and describe a time when you were asked to compromise your ethics. What did you do? What would you do in the future?
- Give an example of how you walk in the shoes of people we serve and those with whom we work.
- How has your current/previous employer benefited from multiculturalism?
- In previous work experiences, what has been the greatest obstacle in developing a multicultural-competent staff?
- In what ways have you integrated multicultural issues as part of your professional development?
- Please describe how you would work to create a campus environment that is welcoming, inclusive and increasingly diverse.
- Suppose that in working with a University unit you discover a pervasive belief that diversity and excellence are somehow in conflict. How do you conceptualize the relationship between diversity and excellence?
- Talk about a time that you successfully adapted to a culturally different environment.
- Talk about how you responded to a co-worker who made an insensitive remark.
- Tell us about a time when you changed your style to work more effectively with a person from a different background.
- Tell us about a time when you had to work with someone who had the direct opposite personality of yours?
- What do you see as the most challenging aspects of an increasingly diverse academic community? Follow-up question: What initiatives have you taken to meet such challenges?
- What is your definition of diversity? How do you encourage people to honor the uniqueness of each individual? How do you challenge stereotypes and promote sensitivity and inclusion?
- What kinds of leadership efforts are needed to encourage a commitment to excellence through diversity?
- What opportunities have you had working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural and inclusive settings.
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Goal Setting
Goal Setting- Can you talk about a career goal you made? Did you reach it? What obstacles did you encounter?
- Describe a time when you took on additional work to help your team meet a crucial work goal?
- Describe a work related goal that you have set for yourself.
- Give me an example of an important goal which you had set in the past and tell me about your success in reaching it.
- How do you communicate goals to subordinates? Give an example.
- Tell me about a goal you've achieved which at some point seemed hopeless? What motivated you to continue striving to reach that goal?
- What is the greatest achievement in your career? Greatest frustration or disappointment? How did each impact the course of your career?
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Handling Stress
Handling Stress- Can you describe a stressful work situation you experienced? How did you handle the situation?
- Can you describe a time when your stress resulted in making errors at work?
- If assigned with multiple tasks at the same time, how would you organize yourself to produce quality work under tight deadlines?
- Please give an example of when you worked with a team that faced a very stressful problem?
- What advice would you give to calm down a colleague who’s stressed out about a deadline?
- What was your most stressful project? Why was it stressful? What did you do to manage the stress? How did the project turn out?
- With such a large campus and decentralized HR model, please explain how you currently manage multiple projects or deadlines.
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Integrity
Integrity- Can you describe a time when a co-worker or customer questioned your honesty? What did you do?
- Can you tell me about a time when you followed a rule that you didn’t agree with? Why did you comply? How did you feel?
- Describe a work circumstance when the pressures to compromise your integrity were strong. How did you respond to that?
- How have you handled situations in the past where you were asked to put your integrity aside or look the other way?
- Please describe a time when you maintained confidentiality, even when pressured by others to release private information.
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Interpersonal Skills
Interpersonal Skills- Can you describe a time when you had a conflict with someone at work? What did you do?
- Can you tell me about a time when you disagreed with a manager? What did you do?
- Do you think it is important to promote team building among employees in the organization? What steps do you take to ensure this?
- Give an example of a time when you assisted a co-worker to enhance their work skills?
- Give me an example of a situation where you helped your colleague perform a particular task in which you had better knowledge on the subject?
- If you have reporting staff, how would these staff members describe your management style with them?
- Tell me about a time when you acted as a mediator to help colleagues resolve their differences.
- When you have entered a new workplace in the past, describe how you have gone about meeting and developing relationships with your new coworkers, supervisors, and reporting staff.
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Leadership
Leadership- Give me an example of a time when you had to communicate something fairly complex (i.e. benefits, employment policies, etc.) to a frustrated employee. How did you handle this delicate situation?
- Can you describe a time when you had to delegate work among a team? How did you decide who would do each task? Is there anything you would do differently?
- Can you describe something that challenged you as a leader? How did the lessons learned impact your leadership style moving forward?
- Can you talk about a time when you took charge of a team project that lacked leadership or direction?
- Can you talk about a time when when a project fell behind its deadline, you needed motivated your team?
- Can you tell me about a time when you had a difficult group to lead? What did you do to manage them?
- Describe a time you had to make a tough decision (e.g. fire a team member or choose between two job offers.) How did you make sure you were objective?
- Give me an example of a time when you felt you lead by example.
- Give me an example of a time you had to “sell” an idea to your coworkers or group? How did you do it?
- How do you perform when others need your guidance while juggling with other tasks?
- Tell me about a time when you delegated an important task successfully.
- What is he most difficult aspect of leading or managing for you? How have you faced that challenge?
- What was your greatest achievement as a leader? What were you most proud of?
- When you need to create an order of job tasks that need to be completed, how do you decide which task has priority?
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Motivation
Motivation- Can you tell me at least three things that you have done in the past year to improve yourself, both business-wise and competency wise?
- Describe a time when you uncovered a problem and took the initiative to correct it.
- Describe a time when you took on additional work to help your team meet a crucial work goal?
- Describe a work related goal that you have set for yourself.
- Give me an example of a time you were able to be creative with your work. What was exciting or difficult about it?
- How do you get subordinates to work at their peak potential? Give an example.
- Tell me about a goal you achieved which at some points seemed hopeless? What motivated you to persevere through the obstacles?
- Tell me about a time when you and your team encountered a troubling setback during a project. What do you do to raise spirits?
- Tell me about a time when you willingly volunteered for a task. Also, why were you so interested in this specific task?
- Tell me about a time when you worked under close supervision or extremely loose supervision. Which do you prefer?
- Tell me about your proudest professional accomplishment.
- Would you regard yourself as a self-starter? Can you give me a recent example where you displayed this quality?
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Multitasking
Multitasking- Give an example of a time when you had two important projects competing for your time. How did you handle? What happened?
- Can you tell me about a time when you discovered a more efficient way to do a work task?
- Describe a time in which you had to adjust quickly to changes over which you had no control. What was the overall impact on the way you approached the task or project?
- Describe a time when you recognized that you were unable to meet multiple deadlines. What did you do about it?
- Give an example of how you work in a situation where you must prioritize and multitask without supervision.
- Have you ever been given an urgent project that conflicted with other projects you’re working on? How did you handle balancing both?
- If you've previously reported to multiple supervisors at the same time, how did you get to know each person's preferences and juggle conflicting priorities?
- Tell me about a time when you had too much to do, but not enough resources (this could include staffing, time, money). How did you handle the pressure, overcome the deficit and/or achieve goals?
- Tell me about a time when you were given a task to accomplish without any direction. What first steps were taken to determine the best course of direction?
- Please explain how you currently manage multiple projects and tight deadlines?
- What productivity tools (e.g. time-management or project-management software) have you found useful?
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Organization
Organization- Describe a time when your organizational skills helped you succeed.
- How do you manage your time in a project when the project has a tight deadline?
- If assigned with multiple tasks at the same time, how would you organize yourself to produce quality work under tight deadlines?
- Illustrate how you prioritize each day’s tasks?
- Tell me about a time when your planning led to positive results.
- When it is your responsibility to organize and plan a project what steps do you take?
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Problem Solving
Problem Solving- Describe a situation in which you recognized a potential problem as an opportunity. How did that influence how you approached finding a resolution?
- Describe the biggest work-related problem you have faced in the past 12 months. How did you handle it?
- Give a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
- How do you weigh the pros and cons before making a decision?
- Please give me a example of how you obtain specific information to solve a problem?
- Tell us about a time when you identified a potential problem and resolved the situation before it became a serious issue.
- When faced with a work-related problem, what steps do you take to address the issue?
- When faced with a disagreement between coworkers, how do you address mediating the situation to get back on task?
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Project Management
Project Management- Among the management requirements for this position are strategic planning, management of staff, project management, budget and cost containment. Describe your experience and skills in these areas.
- Have you ever had to deal with a project with unrealistic timelines?
- How would you handle an instance where one of your team members is requesting additional time to complete a task?
- How do you set project goals? How do you monitor the progress of those goals?
- How would you create an environment of collaboration on your team?
- Tell me about how you schedule projects and manage milestones and timelines.
- Tell me about a time where you faced a major obstacle that threatened the completion of your project. How did you manage both your team and the task planning to make sure the project stayed on course?
- What is your experience with budget management?
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Resilience
Resilience- Tell me about a particular work-related setback you have faced. How did you deal with it?
- Tell me about an instance where you refused to let a previous failure hold you back from ultimately achieving success.
- What strategies or coping methods do you utilize in time of adversity?
- When have you ever found yourself in a competitive situation professionally? How did you handle it?
- When have you seen your resilience really pay off in a professional setting? What was the outcome?
- Would you describe yourself as resilient? If so, please give some recent examples.
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Taking Initiative
Taking Initiative- Can you describe a time where your team as a whole were faced with a problem, and you were able to take initiative in finding a resolution?
- Can you tell me about a time where you were ahead of schedule with your current tasks, and decided to seek additional training/projects to help your team?
- Describe a time when you saw some problem and took the initiative to correct it rather than waiting for someone else to do it.
- Give me an example of a time you were given free reign to use your own creativity on a project. Was it difficult or did you enjoy the creative freedom?
- Tell me about a time you saw a problem as an opportunity, and used it to make processes at work more efficient.
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Teamwork/Collaboration
Teamwork/Collaboration- Can you talk about an instance when members of your team needed to compromise during decision making? What was the result?
- Can you talk about the last time you worked on a project as a team? What was the goal at hand, and how was the work delegated amongst the group?
- Give an example of a time when you had to make an adjustment to your personal style in order to successfully work with a coworker.
- Have you had to convince a team to work on a project they weren’t thrilled about? How did you do it?
- Tell me about a time you needed to get information from someone who wasn’t very responsive. What did you do?
- We all make mistakes we wish we could take back. Tell me about a time you wish you’d handled a situation differently with a colleague.
- What role do you typically volunteer to take on during a team project? Have there been any instances where you have challenged yourself to step outside of that comfort zone and take on a larger role?