Behavioral Interview Questions
Behavioral Interview Questions
Many employers are moving away from a resume-driven style of interviewing to a
behavioral format. Behavioral interviews are very probing in nature and are
based on the concept of "predictable future behavior." In other words, what
you have done in the past strongly suggests what you will do in the future.
Navigating these interviews successfully requires that you know yourself inside
and out. This will require a lot of introspection and soul-searching on your
part.You must be able to:
* Know why you have made the decisions you have made that have brought you
to this point in your life
* Explain and defend your decisions
* Provide concrete, specific examples of where you have demonstrated the
proficiencies employers are seeking.
Example Behavioral Interview Questions
1. How have you demonstrated initiative?
2. How have you motivated yourself to complete an assignment or task that you
did not want to do?
3. Think about a difficult boss, professor or other person. What made him or
her difficult? How did you successfully interact with this person?
4. Think about a complex project or assignment that you have been assigned.
What approach did you take to complete it?
5. Tell me about the riskiest decision that you have made.
6. Can you tell me about an occasion where you needed to work with a group to
get a job done?
7. Describe when you or a group that you were a part of were in danger of
missing a deadline. What did you do?
8. Tell me about a time when you worked with a person who did things very
differently from you. How did you get the job done?
9. Describe your three greatest accomplishments to date.
10. Tell me about a situation when you had to learn something new in a short
time. How did you proceed?
11. Can you tell me about a complex problem that you solved? Describe the
process you utilized.
12. Tell me about a challenge that you successfully met.
13. Walk me through a situation where you had to do research and analyze
the results for one of your classes.
14. What leadership positions have you held? Describe your leadership style.
15. Have you generated any new ideas or suggestions while at school or at work?
16. Summarize a situation where you successfully persuaded others to do
something or to see your point of view.
17. Give an example of when your persistence had the biggest payoff.
18. Describe a situation where class assignments and work or personal
activities conflicted. How did you prioritize? How did you manage your time?
What was the outcome?
19. How have you most constructively dealt with disappointment and turned it
into a learning experience?
20. Describe a situation in which you effectively developed a solution to a
problem by combining different perspectives or approaches.
Sample Behavioral Interview Questions
You may want to read about the STAR Technique as a method of answering
behavioral-based questions at http://www.quintcareers.com/STAR_interviewing.html
Here is a list of sample behavioral-based interview questions that may help
you practice:
* Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully
convince someone to see things your way.
* Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that
demonstrated your coping skills.
* Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in
solving a problem.
* Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or
achieve it.
* Tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to influence
someone's opinion.
* Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with
which you did not agree.
* Please discuss an important written document you were required to complete.
* Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in
order to get a job done.
* Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required
to prioritize your tasks.
* Give me an example of a time when you had to make a split second decision.
* What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example.
* Tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with another person
even when that individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa).
* Tell me about a difficult decision you've made in the last year.
* Give me an example of a time when something you tried to accomplish and failed.
* Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead.
* Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset
customer or co-worker.
* Give me an example of a time when you motivated others.
* Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively.
* Give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to solve
a problem.
* Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem.
* Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed
preventative measures.
* Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision.
* Please tell me about a time you had to fire a friend.
* Describe a time when you set your sights too high (or too low).