Top 20 Behavioral Interview Questions with Sample Answers to Ace Interviews

Preparing for a job interview can be a nerve-wracking experience. The thought of being grilled by recruiters and hiring managers can make anyone feel anxious.

One of the most common types of interviews is a Behavioral Interview, where the interviewer tries to gauge the candidate’s past behavior in different situations to predict their future performance. According to a survey conducted by CareerBuilder, 50% of employers know within the first five minutes of an interview if a candidate is a good fit for the position. This highlights the importance of making a strong impression during the interview process, especially when it comes to behavioural interview questions.

These interviews often include open-ended questions that require specific examples and can be challenging to answer without preparation.

In this blog post, we will share the top 20 behavioral interview questions and tips on how to answer them effectively. With these insights, you can go into your next interview with confidence and increase your chances of getting the job.

What are Behavioral Interview Questions

During the interview process, the interviewer uses a variety of question formats to evaluate candidates. One such is by asking behavioral interview questions. These are questions in which candidates have to share examples of real situations that they may have faced or handled. Most of the time, the interviewer will probe for instances in which the applicant might have proven a capability. The majority of these abilities are soft talents like listening, negotiating, and communication.

The interviewer determines whether or not the candidate is qualified for the role by posing these questions. They also check how strong the candidate is in aspects such as teamwork and organizational skills.

20 Critical Behavioral Interview Questions You Must Know How to Answer

Question 1: Tell Me About a Time When You Had to Resolve a Conflict with a Coworker or Team Member

Example: I once found my opinions clashing with my co-organizer of the college fest. The fest was an important event for the entire college hence I made sure no rash decisions were made, and neither did I lose my temper in any such arguments. I pitched in all my ideas calmly and repeatedly until we arrived at a mutual decision.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Be precise. Do not over-explain.
2. Emphasize your conflict-solving and good communication skills.

Question 2: Give Me an Example of a Project You Worked On Where You Had to Take a Leadership Role

Example: I was asked to give a presentation to a new client. I made sure that before we began working, the views of each team member were put on the table and discussed thoroughly. I then gave specific roles to different people keeping in mind their expertise. Finally, I compiled all the work for the final presentation.

Points to keep in mind

1. State a recent example
2. Highlight your contributions to the position and situation clearly

Question 3: Describe a Situation Where You Had to Adapt to a New or Unexpected Change

Example: I am experienced with working in C++ but I was once assigned an important project in python. I believe challenges are inevitable and hence before starting the project I spent a week learning python and its basic. As a result, I was able to timely submit the project to my senior.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Do not complain or show the negative aspects too much
2. Focus on how you managed to adapt to the change..

Question 4: Tell Me About a Time When You Had to Handle a Difficult or Upset Customer or Client

Example: At the bank, I last worked with I encountered upset customers often. One of them was agitated because he was not able to make some online transactions. I reassured him that such technical issues are normal and he will not lose any money. I then got in touch with my co-worker and got the issue solved in a few hours.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Highlight how you used your experience to handle the situation
2. Stress on your conflict-solving techniques

Question 5: Give Me an Example of How You Have Used Your Problem-Solving Skills to Overcome a Challenge

Example: On the occasion of our company event the PR team was unable to fetch media partners. I got together some people from the team and contacted our media partners from previous years, negotiated a few terms and conditions and within 3 days it was all done.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Highlight your skills involved in the problem solving
2. Give a precise and clear example

Question 6: Describe a Time When You Had to Make a Difficult Decision with Limited Information

Example: Being the HR at my previous workplace, I once had to resolve a conflict between two co-workers. Each of them had their version of the situation. It was necessary to uphold the truth and it took me some digging into the matter and consultation with other office members to reach a fair conclusion.

Points to keep in mind:

1. State your optimistic approach in tough situations
2. Make yourself appear confident

Question 7: Tell Me About a Project or Accomplishment That You Are Particularly Proud Of

Example: Back in school, we requested our principal to form a basketball team and allow us to play the zonal matches. A few months from that day, we came back to school with a trophy in our hands and a player of the tournament medal around my neck.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Give an example where you have a major contribution
2. Choose an example related to the job you’re applying for

Question 8: Give Me an Example of How You Have Managed Multiple Tasks or Projects at the Same Time

Example: At my previous job, days before an important meeting my co-worker met with an accident and the responsibility of guiding his team fell upon me. I divided the time slots in the day between the two teams working under me and took turns working with each one of them.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Highlight how well you work with prioritizing different tasks
2. Talk about building plans while multitasking.

Question 9: Describe a Time When You Had to Take Initiative to Solve a Problem or Improve a Process

Example: In the days when I worked in an MBA institute, a professor was unable to attend college on the day of assessment. Being an MBA graduate myself, I discussed with the professor and made the students a question paper then and there which they solved and submitted.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Put through your enthusiasm toward working
2. Do not give examples where you made rash decisions.

Also Read: How to Control The Mind: Rule Your Mind Before It Rules You

Question 10: Tell Me About a Time When You Had to Provide Feedback to a Coworker or Team Member

Example: I noticed my team members are taking the new project lightly and skipping over meetings now and then. I approached my team leader soon after and discussed in detail how to bring back the members’ attention. That weekend we ended up having a long team meeting that ended on a good note.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Showcase your constructive approach
2. Highlight your contribution to raising workplace issues.

Question 11: Give Me an Example of How You Have Demonstrated Attention to Detail in Your Work

Example: At my previous office, we were supposed to submit weekly work reports. I always made sure they were detailed, well maintained and easy to read and further work with.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Come up with an unheard example
2. Talk about how the details helped with the overall work

Question 12: Describe a Situation Where You Had to Work with Someone with a Different Work Style or Personality

Example: During my design internship I was paired with a girl who was a lot into international designs. I am personally inclined toward Indian designs more. However, we worked it through and ended up building a design on indo-western fusion.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Showcase your skills to bridge differences
2. Give examples showing your problem-solving skills

Question 13: Tell Me About a Time When You Had to Prioritize Conflicting Responsibilities or Deadlines

Example: I had my appointment at the passport office on the same day as an important presentation. I wrapped up the work a day prior and went for the appointment the next morning. I was continuously in touch with my team and managed the presentation via an online meeting with the client.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Highlight your ability to multitask
2. Put through your habit of completing tasks before the last date.

Question 14: Give Me an Example of How You Have Handled a Situation Where You Made a Mistake or Faced a Setback

Example: I was the assistant director of the college dramatics society. I forgot to book the venue for our performance while handling other duties. On the day of the play, I rushed to the auditorium, convinced the management, and took special permission for our performance.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Do not talk about panicking in hard situations
2. Mention managing things under pressure

Question 15: Describe a Time When You Had to Work on a Project or Task Outside of Your Comfort Zone

Example: I worked as a class 12 mathematics teacher. One day I was asked to be the substitute teacher for class 5 until a new teacher was found. This was an exciting chance yet challenging as it required more effort to make those little ones understand mathematics. I borrowed help from videos and activities to teach them over those 6 months. This was the time when I worked outside of my comfort zone.

Points to keep in mind:

Question 16: Tell Me About a Time When You Had to Collaborate with Others to Achieve a Goal or Complete a Project

Example: Back in college, I was the president of the dance society. For an international event, we collaborated with the dramatics society and came up with a fusion performance that won the third prize.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Highlight how well you work in a team
2. Talk about your skills that help in the improvement of overall team performance.

Question 17: Give Me an Example of How You Have Effectively Communicated Complex Information to a Team or Group

Example: During my research project, I had to convey all the details I learned in a seminar to my co-workers. I did so by simplifying the information using mind maps and flowcharts and had multiple group discussions on the same.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Talk about your communication skills
2. Discuss how you work to keep the whole team at par.

Question 18: Describe a Situation Where You Had to Make a Significant Change or Improvement to a Process or System

Example: I noticed my previous workplace had no internal complaint committee. I discussed this issue with HR several times and after 2 months of such conversations, we finally got our first ICC.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Portray your activeness in issues of the office and general well being
2. Put forward a confident image with a suitable example.

Question 19: Tell Me About a Time When You Had to Convince Someone to Accept Your Idea or Point of View

Example: I once had to convince my team leader of the idea of giving the team a small gap while working with different clients. I explained to her in a very detailed manner how switching between clients is confusing and hinders productivity.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Showcase your effective convincing skills
2. Talk about the skills you possess which are needed for teamwork

Question 20: Give Me an Example of How You Have Managed a Challenging Situation or Conflict with a Supervisor or Manager

Example: In college, we had to convince our convenor to perform on a sensitive social issue. Being the society president I brought together the entire team, we continuously wrote applications to the principal and met our convenor daily till we were permitted to perform.

Points to keep in mind:

1. Highlight your persistent behaviour
2. Do not mention instances of rash behaviour

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Lack of Preparation: Not rehearsing before the interview can make you seem unprofessional and unprepared. Take time to research the company, review the job description, and practice answering common interview questions.
2. Tardiness: Arriving late to the interview sends the wrong message about your reliability and punctuality. Plan to arrive at least 10-15 minutes early to allow for unexpected delays.
3. Lack of Energy Balance: Being too energetic or too subdued can be off-putting to interviewers. Strive for a balance of energy that shows your enthusiasm for the job while still maintaining professionalism.
4. Ignoring the Questions: Failing to listen to the interviewer’s questions or provide relevant answers can be a deal-breaker. Listen carefully and take a moment to gather your thoughts before responding.
5. Sharing Personal Information: Revealing personal information, such as your age or marital status, can make interviewers uncomfortable and lead to bias. Keep the focus on your qualifications and experience.
6. Using Your Phone: Using your phone during an interview is a major faux pas. Turn it off or leave it in your bag or pocket to avoid distractions.
7. Dressing Inappropriately: Dressing too casually or too formally can send the wrong message about your level of professionalism. Dress in business attire unless otherwise instructed.
8. Not Asking Questions: Failing to ask questions at the end of the interview can make you appear disinterested in the job or unprepared. Prepare a list of questions beforehand to show your interest in the position.

Also Read: Team Leader Interview Questions

Strategies for Showing Your Strengths and Experiences Through Your Answers

Be Specific

When answering behavioural interview questions, provide specific details about the situation, your role, and the actions you took to resolve the issue or accomplish the task. This shows your interviewer that you have experience in handling real-world situations.

Be Honest

While it’s important to showcase your strengths, it’s also important to be truthful about your experiences. Do not try to exaggerate or make up experiences as this can backfire during the interview process.

Focus on the Positive

Even if the situation you describe was challenging, try to focus on the positive outcomes of the situation and the skills you developed. This demonstrates your ability to learn from experiences and improve your skills.

Follow the STAR Method

The STAR method is a structured approach to answering behavioral interview questions. The acronym stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result.

Situation: Begin by describing the situation that you faced. Be specific and provide details about the context, including the time frame, people involved, and any challenges.

Task: Next, describe the task that you needed to accomplish in the situation. This should include your role and responsibilities.

Action: Describe the actions that you took to address the situation and accomplish the task. Be specific about the steps you took and why you took them.

Result: Finally, describe the results of your actions. Include any positive outcomes, what you learned from the experience, and how it helped you grow professionally.

Also Read:

• Social Media Marketing Interview Questions
• Teacher interview questions and answers

Preparing for Behavioral Interviews

As a job seeker, preparing for behavioral interview questions is essential for landing your dream job. By practicing and perfecting your responses to common behavioral interview questions, you can show potential employers how you have handled real-world situations in the past and demonstrate your qualifications for the job.

Remember to follow the STAR method and provide specific, honest, and positive responses to each question. By doing so, you can showcase your strengths and experiences to the employer and stand out as a qualified candidate for the job.

Ace your job interviews with tailored tips for a great first impression! Explore more Interview Tips with us.

Also read- Mock Interview – Tips & Best Practices

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

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