20 behavioral-based interview questions to practice before your next interview
Teamwork
Employers are looking for your ability to work with others under various circumstances. Reflect on instances where you had to manage conflict, relationships, or projects.
Describe a time when you worked as a member of a multidisciplinary team. Describe your role. What did you contribute?
Tell us about a time when you were in a new situation. How did you develop professional relationships with others? Be specific.
Have you ever been on a team with an unproductive person? How did you handle that?
Can you tell us about a time you wish you’d handled a situation differently with a colleague?
"The best predictor of future performance is past behavior"
Performance
The best predictor of future performance is past behavior! Reflect on your previous accomplishments as well as your areas for improvement and what you learned.
Describe an accomplishment. What steps did you take to make that happen? Be specific.
Tell me about a time you performed well in a stressful situation. What did you do?
Please share with us about a time when you took the initiative and went beyond what was expected of you to complete a project.
This role requires the ability to handle various competing priorities. Tell us about a time you had to prioritize multiple important projects. Were you successful; why or why not?
Adaptability
Change is inevitable, and work environments are no exception. Reflect on instances where you felt possibly uncomfortable, unsure, or had to navigate a situation with little information.
Tell me about a time when you had to deal with ambiguity.
Tell me about a time you were under a lot of pressure to meet a deadline. What was going on, and how did you get through it?
Tell me about a time you experience staff, team, or company changes that directly affected your work. How did you deal with the situation?
Give us an example of when you experienced a change in priorities with a project or your role. How did you handle this situation?
Communication
Communication is half the battle! The way we communicate can be influenced or change depending on various factors within the workplace. Reflect on instances involving misunderstandings, office politics, language barriers, multiple stakeholders, internal communication, and external communication.
Give us an example of a time when you were able to persuade someone successfully.
Describe a time you had to present to a large audience. What strategies do you use when presenting?
Tell me about a time you had to communicate a complex topic to someone with limited knowledge of the topic.
Tell us about a time you had to communicate something difficult to a supervisor?
Ownership
The higher the position, the more decision-making and ownership required. In an interview, you may be asked a negative facing question, meaning that something did not go well. We all make mistakes, but the employer wants to know if you take ownership and find ways to improve in the future. Reflect on experiences where you have made a mistake, a negative result, or ways you want to improve.
Describe a time where you were responsible for making a high-level decision. What was the outcome? What would you have done differently?
Describe a time you were faced with an ethical dilemma or had to make an ethical decision.
Tell me about a recent time when you found errors in your work. When did you discover the errors, and how did you resolve them?
Please provide an example of when you did not meet expectations (your own or someone else's). What happened, and how did you rectify the situation?
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