You’ve been preparing endlessly for that upcoming job interview.
You’ve even memorized the most common job interview questions and prepared answers. At this point, you’re ready for anything the hiring manager can throw at you!
Well, almost ready.
There are still some tricky behavioral interview questions you need to prepare for.
And in this guide, we’re going to teach you how!
Read on to learn about:
What Are Behavioral Interview Questions?
45 Most Common Behavioral Interview Questions
How to Answer Any Behavioral Interview Question
45 Sample Answers for Different Professions and Experience Levels
What Are Behavioral Interview Questions?
Behavioral interview questions aim to help the interviewer understand how you acted in a specific situation.
They’re meant to gauge how you react to stress, what your skill level is, and how you conduct yourself in a professional environment.
Like the most common interview questions, they also allow the interviewer to get a much better understanding of you as a candidate.
“Can you tell me of a time when you went above and beyond the line of duty?”
You might think that answering a behavioral interview question like that requires some serious work experience and the achievements to back it up but don’t worry.
You don’t need to have a ton of experience to answer these questions right – you just need the right approach.
Now that we’ve got the basics covered, let’s look at the most common types of behavioral interview questions.
45 Common Behavioral Interview Questions
There are tons of behavioral interview questions out there. Hiring managers can give you a question that’s super specific to the job or ask something broader that can apply across different industries and roles.
That being said, most behavioral interview questions can be divided into categories. Let’s take a look:
5 Questions About Time Management
How do you accomplish tasks under a tight deadline? Give me an example.
Describe a long-term project you managed. How did you make sure everything was running smoothly?
Sometimes, it’s almost impossible to get everything done on your to-do list. What do you do when your list of responsibilities becomes overwhelming?
Tell me about a time you set a personal goal for yourself. How did you make sure you would meet your objectives, and what steps did you take?
Can you describe a time when your supervisor or manager just gave you too much work with too little time? What did you do?
8 Questions About Communication Skills
How do you handle a disagreement with your coworkers? Give me an example of a time when you successfully persuaded someone to see things your way.
What would you do if you misunderstood an important task on the job? Give me an example.
How do you handle criticism from coworkers or supervisors?
Tell me about a time you disagreed with a performance assessment you received. How did you handle it?
Have you ever had to work under someone who wasn’t very good at communicating? What happened?
Tell me about a time when you successfully explained a technical problem to a coworker or a customer who didn’t have a tech background.
What do you think about one-on-one meetings? How often do you think they should happen?
Can you tell me about a time you gave a presentation that was particularly successful? Why do you think it went well?
8 Questions About Teamwork
Describe a time when you helped a member of your team succeed.
Tell me about a time when you had to work with someone completely different from you. How did you adapt to collaborate better?
What do you do when your team member refuses to or just can’t complete their part of the work? Give me an example.
Have you ever mentored a coworker or been mentored? Tell me about it.
In your previous roles, did you have a time when you disagreed with a supervisor’s decision? If so, how did you handle it?
Tell me about an experience that helped you feel like part of the team at your previous job.
Do you have experience training new hires? Describe a time when you had to teach a coworker to do something.
3 Questions About Working with Clients and Customers
Sometimes, clients can be difficult to work with. Can you describe a situation when a client was wrong and you had to correct them?
Describe a time you dealt with a frustrating customer or stakeholder.
Everyone makes mistakes they regret. Is there a situation where you wish you had handled things with a client differently?
6 Questions About Adaptability
Tell me about your first job in the industry. What did you do to learn the ropes?
Have you ever had to put in long hours to finish a task? How did you handle it?
Can you give me an example of when you had to adapt to a new and sudden change in the workplace? What happened?
Tell me about a time when you felt extremely stressed out by work. What caused it, and how did you manage it?
Give me an example of when you had to suddenly perform under pressure. What happened, and how did you handle it?
Have you had to switch between an in-office and remote or hybrid work environment? How did you navigate the change?
5 Questions About Leadership
Have you ever led a project?
Tell me about a time when you successfully delegated tasks to your team.
What’s one project or achievement you’re very proud of?
Tell me about a time when you had to perform a task or work on a project you had no previous experience with. How did you approach this situation, and what did you learn?
Have you ever wanted to improve the company culture? What did you do to contribute?
4 Questions About Problem-Solving
Describe a time when you didn’t know how to solve a problem. What did you do to resolve the issue?
Tell me about a time when you solved a problem at your job that wasn’t part of your job description.
How would you solve a specific problem in your line of work?
What have you done to make your work more productive in your previous roles?
6 Questions About Success and Failure
Tell me about a time you went above and beyond at work.
Have you ever contributed something in any of your previous roles that made people congratulate you?
Give me an example of a goal you failed to meet and how you handled the situation.
Tell me about a time when you made a risky decision and it didn’t pay off.
Describe a time you realized you were wrong about something. What happened?
Do you have any work habits you’d like to improve?
How to Answer Any Behavioral Interview Question
The easiest way to answer behavioral interview questions is to follow the STAR method.
According to the STAR method, each interview answer should use the following structure:
(S)ituation. Set the stage for your example by describing the situation where everything happened.
(T)ask. Describe the task you had to complete to address the issue at hand.
(A)ction. Explain what actions you took to complete the aforementioned task.
(R)esults. Talk about the results of your actions, and try to be as detailed as possible.
Let’s take the STAR method from theory to practice. Here’s what a good answer looks like according to the STAR method:
STAR Method Interview Answer
Q: Give me an example of how you handled a challenge in the workplace.
Situation: “Around the time I started working at Company X, the team I was working with was just finishing up a very important project on a tight deadline. They had to review everything before submitting the work to the client, and my manager didn’t have a lot of time to pay attention to me to make sure I was caught up to speed.”
Task: “Everyone around me was constantly working, and because of the timing, they didn’t seem very approachable. So, to make sure I didn’t get left behind, I had to prove myself and take initiative.”
Action: “My plan was simple. I wanted to talk to my manager and a few of my coworkers whenever they had time, such as over lunch or when we got coffee together. Then, I would try to get to know them in a different environment and also learn more about the company. In the meantime, I would always go over my onboarding material and resources to get better at my job.”
Results: “In the end, I’m glad to say everything worked out and I actually made a few good friends too. By the time my manager came around to review my work and talk about the next steps, I already knew most of it and the company’s main clients in detail. And I also knew my coworkers, who I’d be working with too. If anything, he was a bit surprised, but ultimately, he was happy I didn’t fall behind. This saved him a lot of time, something he was very grateful for.”
45 Samples Answers for Different Professions and Levels of Experience
Need more inspiration? No worries!
We’ve curated a detailed list where you can see sample answers for each of the behavioral work questions we listed, and you can compare them for different levels of experience.
Question #1
How do you accomplish tasks under a tight deadline? Give me an example.
Situation: “Well, typically, I try to never commit to a deadline I don’t think I can meet. But sometimes unexpected things happen, and you’re forced to think on your feet. For example, at my last job, my coworker had to take some time off work because of an emergency, and his project was left without a manager.”
Task: “My supervisor then instructed me to take over his project and complete what work was left. Suddenly, I had a new project on my hands, and I wasn’t really sure how to handle it, as the deadline was in one week.”
Action: “First, I requested a reduction on my own daily sales goals - which I was granted. This way, I could pay more attention to the project and only dedicate a few hours per day to my original tasks. Once I had a consistent schedule and hours set for each of my tasks, it was mostly easy from there.”
Results: “Thanks to my teammates and my good time management skills, I managed to finish up two days before the deadline. And once my coworker came back to work, I was able to review the whole thing with him before submitting it. For what it’s worth, he was thoroughly impressed. And a few months later, I even got promoted based on my performance.”
Question #2
Describe a long-term project you managed. How did you make sure everything was running smoothly?
Situation: “When I was at Company X, I was managing the web development team in charge of setting up a new website for one of our biggest clients at the time. With most projects, we had a process set up and we would get most sites done in up to two months. This project, however, was a bit different, as the website was supposed to be more detailed, with a lot of unique pages. So, we had to be a lot more careful with our time management.”
Task: “We had a strict deadline of 15 weeks, and I had to make sure that we used up our time as efficiently as possible.”
Action: Before getting to actual work, I decided that we should plan everything out by the week. After some research and consulting with our team of developers, we decided to split the workload between different stages. We would devote around one week to the discovery phase, five weeks to design, three weeks to initial development, and the rest to any modifications and updates.
Results: “In the end, we actually finished the website with all the promised functionalities in just under three months. The client was very satisfied with the result and eventually ended up recommending partners to our firm.”
Question #3
Sometimes, it’s almost impossible to get everything done on your to-do list. What do you do when your list of responsibilities becomes overwhelming?
Situation: “As a senior at University X, there were times when I just couldn’t physically get everything done on time. For example, towards the end of my final semester, I was the Student Council President and I was also writing my thesis. I had to submit my thesis the next day, and I was also working with my fellow student council members to organize the end-of-the-year ceremony for the university.”
Task: “If I had tried to multitask both, I would just have done a poor job. Now, for me, the University thesis was clearly higher up on my list of priorities. After all, this was what my studies had been building up to for so long. But I couldn’t just abandon my council members either. With 24 hours until my thesis deadline, I had to think fast.”
Action: “I decided that the best approach was to send all of my notes and outlines for the event to the Student Council Vice President, who was also a close friend of mine. Luckily, he understood my situation and took over my event-management responsibilities. Then I had just enough time to edit and finalize my paper.”
Results: “Thanks to the VP, I was able to fix and finalize my thesis. Fortunately, the event went without a hitch too. In the end, I learned a valuable lesson on time management and how important it is to have a team you can rely on.”
Question #4
Tell me about a time you set a personal goal for yourself. How did you make sure you would meet your objectives, and what steps did you take?
Situation: “I think the most recent, and important, personal goal that comes to mind is that I managed to teach myself web development from scratch. You see, I wasn’t very satisfied as a sales rep at Company X. My coworkers were nice, and the pay was decent too, but I just didn’t see myself growing there.”
Task: “So, I decided that I wanted a career change in a field I’ve always been interested in - web development. Now, because I was working full-time, I had to be very efficient with my time management skills.”
Action: “I did some research, and all that was left to do was just follow my routine and stay committed. I set up a personal calendar and made sure to study HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for at least 2 hours every day. I gathered a list of beginner-friendly books to start with, and once I was done with those, I paid for some advanced online courses to improve my React and Vue.js skills. When I felt comfortable, I started working on some personal projects for my portfolio and did some freelance work part-time while I was still working at Company X.”
Results: “In the end, I’m glad I stuck to my plan and continued with my set curriculum. If I hadn’t had my calendar planned out with specific objectives, I definitely would have been overwhelmed. Sure, at times, it felt like I was basically working two jobs and that a lot of the material wasn’t making sense. But I just kept moving forward, and then I got my first real break as a junior web developer at Company Y.”
Question #5
Can you describe a time when your supervisor or manager just gave you too much work with too little time? What did you do?
Situation: “I had a pretty rocky start with my manager at Agency X, as we had different expectations for my workload. Normally, I don’t have a problem with a fast-paced working environment, and I tend to thrive when I’m thinking on my feet. But at the agency, I had just finished onboarding, and I was already bombarded with tasks and weekly reports. For the most part, I was managing to get everything done on time, but I realized the quality would suffer if my list of tasks kept getting longer.”
Task: “So, I had to take up my work schedule issue with my manager and let him know about my concern. I decided that being direct and respectful was the best approach, and I booked the meeting.”
Action: “During the meeting, I remained calm and just went straight to the point. I explained how I liked my work, but the heavy workload was really impacting the quality of the work.”
Results: “Luckily, he was understanding. I was the first in-house graphic designer they’d hired, and they weren’t 100% sure what was a lot of work, and what wasn’t. We ended up working together to better define my responsibilities. From then on, I was, for the most part, only getting the workload I could handle without diminishing the quality of my work.”
Question #6
How do you handle a disagreement with your coworkers? Give me an example of a time when you successfully persuaded someone to see things your way.
Situation: “When I was working as a recruiter at Company X, I noticed that one of the candidates who had sent in their application was perfect for the role. Though he didn’t have a university degree and his resume wasn’t too polished, reading his cover letter, it was obvious he knew the industry and had delivered clear results.”
Task: “I thought it was worth giving him a shot, but my supervisor didn’t see it that way. She skimmed through the resume and told me not to waste time and just discard the candidate.”
Action: “I was, however, still pretty confident in the candidate, so I talked to the supervisor over lunch. I took a bit of an indirect approach, though. Instead of trying to directly pitch the candidate, I asked her to clarify the job description a bit more. We went a bit in-depth on what, exactly, we were looking for in the candidate, and once we were done discussing it, I told her that we happened to have a candidate who possessed all the relevant experience, but his resume was a bit weak.”
Results: “Convinced, the supervisor decided to give the candidate’s application a more in-depth look and realized that they were, in fact, very qualified. She thanked me for bringing it up and agreed with me that the candidate was worth calling in for an interview.”
Question #7
What would you do if you misunderstood an important task on the job? Give me an example.
Situation: “At my previous internship at Company X, I underestimated the amount of time it would take me to finish a presentation for a team meeting. The deadline my boss gave me was around a week, which was completely fair and I didn’t think it would be a problem. However, apparently, we had some miscommunication about what he meant with the deadline. I thought it was the date when we would go through the presentation, edit it together, and submit it like that. Apparently, what he’d meant, though, was to have the presentation 100% ready on that date.”
Task: “So, I had to submit a draft presentation first, edit it based on my manager’s comments, and then present the report, all within two days.”
Action: “I booked a meeting with the manager for the following day and spent four extra hours at the office to make sure that the first draft of the presentation was spotless. We held the meeting the next day and went through the presentation together to make sure it was spotless.”
Results: “The manager loved the work, and it only took us around 30 minutes to finalize the whole thing.”
Question #8
How do you handle criticism from coworkers or supervisors?
Situation: "Early in my role at Company X, during a quarterly review, my project manager said that some of my project reports weren't as detailed as we needed them to be. This took me by surprise since I had been receiving praise from my immediate team."
Task: "But the timing was crucial. These reports were going to shape our strategy for the next quarter, so I needed to quickly improve. I had to make sure my reports met the higher standards expected by senior management."
Action: "I decided to schedule extra meetings with my project manager to go over the reports in depth. I also sought advice from a couple of coworkers who I knew made detailed reports. Then, I dedicated some time each day to reviewing past reports that were praised, so I could figure out what I was missing and adopt the best practices."
Results: "My efforts paid off - my reports became more thorough, and they were well received. We enhanced the decision-making for our next quarter's strategy and I got to strengthen my relationship with the team. My project manager was especially grateful for how quickly I took his feedback to heart and ended up ultimately contributing to a more streamlined process."
Question #9
Tell me about a time you disagreed with a performance assessment you received. How did you handle it?
Situation: "At my last annual review at Company X, my supervisor marked me as 'meeting expectations' in some areas where I honestly felt I had gone above and beyond. I had even taken on extra projects throughout the year.”
Task: "I knew I needed to clear this up. On one hand, my career’s progression depended on it, but I also needed to feel valued and appreciated at work."
Action: "I requested a follow-up meeting with my supervisor to discuss the assessment in more detail. Before the meeting, I put together a clear summary of my additional projects and the positive feedback I had received from different teams. Then, I shared everything during our meeting to highlight my contributions over the past year.”
Results: “The meeting went really well. My supervisor appreciated the detailed overview and, after discussing my achievements, agreed to adjust my performance rating. My contributions were reflected more accurately, and we also made an agreement to sync up more frequently so we could better align our expectations moving forward.”
Question #10
Have you ever had to work under someone who wasn’t very good at communicating? What happened?
Situation: “Yes, at my last job as a tech recruiter, the hiring manager I was working directly with was somewhat more difficult to communicate with. He had very strict and precise requirements for the types of candidates he wanted to invite for interviews. He wasn’t open to much communication on the matter or trying new things, even when the company desperately needed new hires. This one time, I got a candidate that was a pretty good fit for the job but was lacking in a few aspects.”
Task: “I wanted to make sure that we got the person in for an interview, but I was 100% sure that my hiring manager would shut me down.”
Action: “So, before running the candidate through him, I called them and collected his biggest strengths to present to the hiring manager.”
Results: “The hiring manager did indeed end up liking the candidate and calling them in for an interview.”
Question #11
Tell me about a time when you successfully explained a technical problem to a coworker or a customer who didn’t have a tech background.
Situation: “I’ve worked as a tech support specialist before, so I really excel at this. I’ve had to explain complex concepts to customers on a regular basis, but to give you one single example, I’ve had to explain to customers with next to no understanding of computers how to delete a virus on their computer, which usually requires at least some computer skills.”
Task: “After trying to give basic instructions to the customer, they still didn’t really understand much, so I had to come up with a smarter solution.”
Action: “So what I did was walk them through the entire thing step by step while explaining it simply but in no condescending terms. Instead of making them do most of the work, I walked them through the process of getting me to connect with their computer, and then I explained to them what, exactly, I did.”
Results: “The customer was very happy with my work, and we managed to fix the issue with their computer.”
Question #12
What do you think about one-on-one meetings? How often do you think they should happen?
Situation: "I think one-on-one meetings are great. When I was at Company X, at first our team rarely had scheduled one-on-one meetings. That sometimes left us unsure about project details or personal performance feedback."
Task: "I saw the need for more consistent communication to help myself and the whole team stay on track and feel supported."
Action: "So, I suggested to our team leader that we start having one-on-one meetings every other week. I explained how these could help clarify our project roles and give us each a regular opportunity to voice concerns and receive feedback."
Results: "After we started the bi-weekly meetings, I noticed a real change. My projects ran smoother because I had clearer expectations, and it was easier to discuss any issues when they appeared. Plus, it’s helped me build a stronger relationship with my manager, which made work feel more collaborative and the environment more supportive."
Question #13
Can you tell me about a time you gave a presentation that was particularly successful? Why do you think it went well?
Situation: “Sure thing. As the business development manager at Firm X, there were quite a few opportunities when I had to speak in front of a crowd. The most recent and successful one was for the new project we were launching. “
Task: “I was called on to speak for a two department-wide meeting of up to 50 people. Now, I had never delivered a presentation to this many people, but luckily, I knew most of them quite well after years of working with them.”
Action: “Working with two other members of my team, I decided to take a more creative approach and create a short video, a skit, to hook the audience. That was the intro, and then we used PowerPoint and hands-on examples to show what to expect from the new project launch. And finally, we dedicated the last five minutes to a Q&A session.”
Results: “It felt longer, but the whole speech took about 15 minutes in total. We got great feedback from the audience, and I was later asked to present at the all-hands meeting the next month. I knew my colleagues well enough and I tried to make the speech as if I were having a one-on-one conversation with a friend - with a few jokes in-between.”
Question #14
Describe a time when you helped a member of your team succeed.
Situation: "When I was working at Company X, I noticed that one of my team members, who was new to the role, was struggling with our project management software, which was crucial for keeping track of our assignments."
Task: "I saw an opportunity to help improve their comfort with the tool and enhance their overall contribution to our projects."
Action: "I offered to spend some time with them after work to go through the features of the software. We set up a few training sessions where I could show them tips and tricks that weren’t covered in the standard onboarding process."
Results: "These sessions helped them become more proficient with the software, which significantly boosted their confidence and performance on the project. They were able to manage their parts of the projects more effectively, and it also helped them integrate better with the rest of the team. It was rewarding to see their growth and how it positively impacted our team’s workflow."
Question #15
Tell me about a time when you had to work with someone completely different from you. How did you adapt to collaborate better?
Situation: “Sure, I always enjoy working with new and different people. Because, usually, they bring something new to the table. At Company X, there was a particularly young developer who was assigned to work with me on a new software development project, and I was to run him through what our typical coding process was like.”
Task: “It was also my job to get to know him and find common ground so that we could effectively work together. The fact that he was younger wasn’t an issue for me, but because he was completely self-taught, he didn’t know a lot about the industry methodologies we used.”
Action: “Teaching him everything from scratch would take too much time. So, instead, I briefly explained the development process—the waterfall model—that we were using for that specific project and taught him how to write tests for our code base. Writing tests is the number one way to learn what code does. After all, that’s how I got started with development.”
Results: “I also sat down and helped him go through the material at times, but in the end, he surprised me by how much of a fast learner he was. He just needed a bit of encouragement and guidance. Through this approach, he learned our whole routine in less than a week, while most of our new hires needed at least up to two weeks. In return, I learned a lot about multitasking and time management from him. The whole thing was a win-win situation, and it was all smooth sailing the next time we worked together, which was quite often.”
Question #16
Have you ever had an interpersonal conflict at work? If so, how did you handle it?
Situation: "At Company X, I once found myself in a disagreement with a coworker over the allocation of resources for a critical project. Both of us felt strongly about our proposed strategies, which led to some tension."
Task: "I knew it was important to resolve this conflict quickly to maintain team harmony and keep the project on track."
Action: "I suggested that we both present our strategies in a meeting with our project manager to get a third opinion. Before the meeting, I prepared a clear comparison of the potential benefits and drawbacks of each approach. During the discussion, I made sure to listen carefully to my coworker’s points and express my views respectfully."
Results: "The meeting helped us understand each other's perspectives better, and with our project manager's guidance, we combined the best elements of both strategies. This resolved the tension and we agreed on what we should pour our resources into. It was also a great learning experience for both of us - we really learned how important collaboration and open communication are."
Question #17
What do you do when your team member refuses to or just can’t complete their part of the work? Give me an example.
Situation: “There was one co-worker at Company X who was notorious for being bad at deadlines. But she would always end up delivering exceptional work, just a few hours, or worse - even days late. For some reason, the company was okay with this since her work was just too good. So, this one time, the management put us together to work on a time-sensitive project.”
Task: “Our task was to turn in a sales presentation together and have our manager go over it before sending the client the final version. Because of how important the project was, I didn’t want to risk going over the deadline - as this would also directly impact other people. Either way, for everyone’s sake, I had to somehow get her to hurry up with the project. So, I decided to try and push her a little and see what would happen.”
Action: “I started regularly checking in on her to see where she was with work. I would bring it up at times over lunch, send a quick Slack message, and so on. She wasn’t taking this quite well, but it did get her to work faster and more efficiently.”
Results: “In the end, the constant check-ins and pushing did have a positive effect, even though the co-worker didn’t particularly like me too much once we were finished with the work. We even managed to submit the final version of the presentation two days before the deadline.”
Question #18
Have you ever mentored a coworker or been mentored? Tell me about it.
Situation: "At Company X, shortly after I was promoted to a senior position, I was given the opportunity to mentor a new team member who was just starting their career in our field."
Task: "My goal was to help them integrate into the team and speed up their learning process so they could become effective more quickly."
Action: "I set up weekly meetings to discuss any challenges they were facing and shared resources that I had found valuable when I was new. I also made myself available for quick chats whenever they felt stuck on a particular issue."
Results: "The one-on-one guidance really paid off. Within a few months, they were not only comfortable with their role but also actively contributing ideas in meetings and taking on more responsibilities. It was rewarding to see their growth and know I played a part in their development."
Question #19
In your previous roles, did you have a time when you disagreed with a supervisor’s decision? If so, how did you handle it?
Situation: "In my previous role at Company X, there was a moment when my supervisor decided to implement a new software system across the department. The problem was that I didn’t think it was compatible with our current workflows."
Task: "I felt it was important to address my concerns because the decision could potentially affect our team's efficiency and morale."
Action: "I was respectful and I requested a meeting with my supervisor to discuss the potential impacts of the new software. I prepared a detailed analysis comparing the proposed system with our current one, and I made sure to highlight the challenges and potential disruption it could cause."
Results: "My supervisor appreciated the initiative I took and how thorough my analysis was. After a constructive discussion, we agreed to a trial period for the new software alongside our existing system. This allowed us to objectively assess the pros and cons without fully committing. Eventually, this led to some modifications to the system so it could suit our needs better."
Question #20
Tell me about an experience that helped you feel like part of the team at your previous job.
Situation: "At Company X, when I first joined the marketing department, the team was in the middle of a major campaign launch. Everyone was busy and I felt like I couldn’t really find my place there."
Task:"But I wanted to integrate into the team and really contribute to the campaign."
Action: "So, I volunteered to take on a task everyone was overlooking—managing the outreach for user feedback, which was critical for the campaign's next phase. I coordinated with different team members to gather the necessary information and crafted a strategy to collect feedback."
Results: "This let me work closely with different team members and helped me learn about their strengths and working styles. I feel like my success there allowed me to contribute to the campaign and really solidified my position on the team. It made me feel like a valued member of the group, and the team appreciated my efforts, so it was great."
Question #21
Do you have experience training new hires? Describe a time when you had to teach a coworker to do something.
Situation: "At Company X, soon after I was promoted to a team lead role, I was tasked with training a group of new hires who were just starting out in our department."
Task: "My goal was to make sure these new team members were fully up to speed with our day-to-day operations and understood our department's protocols."
Action: "I organized a series of training sessions covering everything from basic procedures to more complex tasks they would encounter on the job. I also included hands-on training exercises and paired each new hire with a mentor from our team for additional support."
Results: "The training really paid off. Within a few weeks, the new hires were handling their responsibilities smoothly and fitting right into the team. They even started bringing fresh ideas to our projects, which was fantastic to see. It was great to hear them say how prepared they felt, and it definitely showed in their work."
Question #22
Sometimes, clients can be difficult to work with. Can you describe a situation when a client was wrong and you had to correct them?
Situation: “Absolutely. One of our past clients at Agency X came to us because his Facebook advertising strategy wasn’t working. He was driving traffic but wasn’t getting any conversions, so they thought that it was because they weren’t reaching the right audience. We realized, though, that it was actually because their product homepage wasn’t really that convincing. The client, however, was adamant about ‘not fixing what wasn’t broken.’”
Task: “I had to somehow communicate with the client that the service he wanted wasn’t what he needed - there was no way for us to fix his Facebook ads if his homepage wasn’t selling the product.”
Action: “We had to give the client an ultimatum - they either go with our approach or we wouldn’t be able to get the results and hence, work with them.”
Results: “After some back and forth, the client grudgingly agreed to do an A/B test between the existing landing page and one that we’d propose. So, we tested the two landing pages with the same ads he’d been running and ended up getting better results threefold. From then on, the client was a lot more willing to allow us to experiment with whatever we proposed.”
Question #23
Describe a time you dealt with a frustrating customer or stakeholder.
Situation: “Working in customer support, you really get to talk with many different kinds of people. I remember having one angry customer call the help desk once to complain. He kept repeating that the product he bought was faulty and demanded that I resolve the situation then and there.”
Task: “Customers calling for refunds happen all the time, but this one was different since he just kept shouting over the phone the whole time. I had to get him to calm down if I wanted the call to go anywhere.”
Action: “Fortunately, I had experience dealing with loud customers and knew the first thing I had to do was listen to his story. Halfway through telling his story, he calmed down once he realized I was trying to help. He explained that the product was supposed to be a gift, and that’s why he was so frustrated. Then, I offered two solutions: a refund or a replacement for his product with express delivery.”
Results: “The customer opted for the replacement option. I called him back once they received the order just to check in if he was happy with the product. He turned out to be happy both with the product and our service, and he thanked me for the help.”
Question #24
Everyone makes mistakes they regret. Is there a situation where you wish you had handled things with a client differently?
Situation: “This one client we worked with was particularly difficult. They were extremely unpleasant to work with, and they treated our staff pretty badly. The management, however, insisted on sticking with them since they made up a good chunk of our income. At one point, though, the client just barged into our office and started yelling at their account manager for a small mistake on their end.”
Task: “At this point, I realized that working with the client was really affecting our staff negatively, and we’d be losing some good employees if we kept working with them. A few people had already put in their two weeks’ notice, including the account manager, and more would probably follow.”
Action: “So, I set up a meeting with the management team and gave them concrete facts and figures about the client. Sure, they were paying us good money, but they were really hurting workplace morale.”
Results: “Unfortunately, even after hearing me out, the management didn’t want to let go of the client. They decided that, overall, the impact the clients had on the team wasn’t worth losing the profit. Looking back, I wish I had talked to management sooner before the company had gotten used to the income from that client. Needless to say, I didn’t stick around long after that.”
Question #25
Tell me about your first job in the industry. What did you do to learn the ropes?
Situation:“Well, my first job in the field was as a junior DevOps engineer. While I did have extensive knowledge of the field, I didn’t have much experience doing it.”
Task: “This made it very hard for me to get started with the job. While I was working almost all the time, I wasn’t getting too much done.”
Action: “So, what I did was take a lot of my personal time to really work and learn the ins and outs of DevOps. I also made sure to talk to my team and get their input on daily tasks.”
Results: “A few months into the job, I managed to learn the ropes and ended up being a lot more productive.”
Question #26
Have you ever had to put in long hours to finish a task? How did you handle it?
Situation: "At Company X, right before a major product launch, we realized that the software had a critical bug that could potentially delay the release."
Task: "It was crucial to fix the bug quickly to make sure we met our launch deadline. The pressure was on, but I was determined to resolve the issue without compromising the product quality."
Action: "I decided to stay late for several nights in a row. I was working alongside a small, dedicated team. We systematically tested and retested the software to isolate the issue. Throughout, I made sure to keep everyone motivated and focused by organizing brief update meetings and making sure we took short breaks to stay sharp."
Results:"Our hard work paid off. We identified and fixed the bug just in time for the launch. The product was well-received, and the team's effort saved the release, and we really felt like working together under that pressure helped us bond."
Question #27
Can you give me an example of when you had to adapt to a new and sudden change in the workplace? What happened?
Situation: “Sure thing. In my previous position as an account manager at Company X, we had to suddenly change all of our CRM software and move all the data to a new tool. The CRM tool we’d been using till now wasn’t fit for a growing team, and on top of that, they were upping their pricing, so it wasn’t really worthwhile for us.”
Task: “I was put in charge of finding the replacement CRM, as I was the one who knew the previous one inside-out. And this was also an opportunity for me to clean up our outdated info and start fresh. All the while, I still had to handle my daily responsibilities as usual.”
Action: “So, the first thing I did was ask our sales associates and lead generation teams what they thought of the old CRM and if there were any new features they were lacking. After doing a bit of research and asking around, I found the perfect tool that had it all - sales analytics, email integration, and more. And because I typically have no problem with learning new tools, I stayed in one evening, transferred our data to the new tool, and wiped the old account. Finally, I sent a new announcement to the entire team about the new software, along with a video tutorial on how to use it.”
Results: “We completed the transfer with four days to spare, the team was satisfied with the new CRM, and my daily responsibilities as an account manager didn’t suffer.”
Situation: "In my previous job as a project coordinator, there was a time when two major projects with tight deadlines overlapped. It was during a staff shortage, so the workload was significantly higher than usual. I was honestly overwhelmed and it looked as though there was no end in sight. It was a cycle of trying to hire people while juggling all my responsibilities, so I couldn’t find time to do anything."
Task: "I needed to make sure both projects were completed on time without compromising on their quality but I had really limited resources. So, I had to really push to find a solution."
Action: "First, I prioritized my tasks daily. I needed to focus on the most critical aspects of each project. I made sure to communicate openly with my team and supervisor about the challenges, and I sought out their input so I could distribute tasks efficiently and set realistic expectations. I also made sure to take short breaks throughout the day to clear my mind and maintain my focus. At this point, every second had to be productive, so I did my best to stay on track."
Results: "I’d say things worked out. We met the deadlines for both projects. It was really challenging, but I think that without my organizational skills and clear communication with my team and supervisors, we wouldn’t have made it. Immediately after those projects were delivered, I took a week off work to recover. I just needed some downtime to really find that work-life balance again. Once I was back, I teamed up with management, and we started looking for more staff so we could prevent that whole situation from happening again in the future."
Question #29
Give me an example of when you had to suddenly perform under pressure. What happened, and how did you handle it?
Situation: “As a seasonal worker, there have been a lot of times when I had to juggle extra responsibilities. My last position as a line cook at Restaurant X comes to mind. That summer, we were pretty much always full and, sometimes, even understaffed to handle all the customers. To make things worse, we didn’t have the best shift system at the time either. So, if someone were to unexpectedly not show up for their shift, we’d have to put out the fires as they came up.”
Task: “This is exactly what happened when one of our waitresses had to call out due to a personal emergency.”
Action: “So, I stepped up and took her shift as soon as I had clocked out of mine as one of the line cooks. Luckily, I had previous experience working as a waiter.”
Results: “I was tired and a bit uncoordinated at the beginning, but at the end of the day, everything worked out just fine.”
Situation: "At Company X, at one point, we had to switch from an entirely in-office setup to a remote work environment almost overnight."
Task: "The challenge was to adapt quickly to maintain productivity and communication without the face-to-face interaction we were used to."
Action: "So, I set up a dedicated workspace at home to mimic my office environment, which really helped me maintain a routine. I also started using digital tools more effectively, like scheduling regular check-ins with my team through video calls and managing projects through shared online platforms."
Results: "My setup allowed me to stay connected with my team and I was just as productive as I was at the office. I’d say the transition was smooth, and we managed to meet all our project deadlines. I learned a lot about how flexible I can be and just how important clear communication is when you’re working remotely."
Question #31
Have you ever led a project?
Situation: "Yes, I led a project at Company X where we were tasked with launching a new product line that was crucial for entering a new market segment."
Task: "My responsibility was to oversee the project from conception to launch. This included coordinating between different departments, managing the budget, and making sure we met all milestones on time."
Action: "I started by assembling a cross-functional team, making sure we had all the necessary skills covered. We held regular planning meetings and I set up a clear timeline with specific goals for each phase of the project. To keep everything on track, I used project management software to monitor progress and address any issues ASAP."
Results: "The project was a success. We launched the product on schedule and within budget. It was well-received in the market, and it significantly boosted our company's visibility in the new segment. I’d say leading that project taught me a lot about strategic planning and the ins and outs of cross-departmental collaboration."
Question #32
Tell me about a time when you successfully delegated tasks to your team.
Situation: “Well, at my first job as a team leader, I had to really get to know most of my team in order to delegate tasks appropriately.”
Task: “Most team members were new to the company, so I didn’t have much to go with.”
Action: “So, I sat down with each team member individually, really got to know them and their strengths and weaknesses, and distributed tasks based on their personalities.”
Results: “Team members were pretty happy with the tasks they got and started off their relationship with our company on a positive note.”
Situation: "One project I'm particularly proud of was at Company X, where I led the development of a new software tool designed to streamline our inventory management."
Task: "The goal was to reduce the time and effort it required to manage our inventory while also reducing the errors that came with manual entry."
Action: "So, I spearheaded the project. I collaborated closely with the IT and logistics teams to make sure our needs were met accurately. I guided the design, testing, and implementation phases and regularly updated key stakeholders while adapting the project’s scope based on their feedback."
Results: "The new tool significantly improved our efficiency. We cut inventory processing time by 40% and reduced errors by 50%. It was incredibly satisfying to see our work make such a significant impact on our operations. The team's positive reaction to the improvements was also really encouraging, so it’s an experience I’m glad I had."
Question #34
Tell me about a time when you had to perform a task or work on a project you had no previous experience with. How did you approach this situation, and what did you learn?
Situation: “In my previous position at Company X, my manager had to leave unexpectedly for about a month due to a medical condition. Fortunately, she was able to give us a week's notice.”
Task: “Because of that, our director asked me to fill in as the interim manager. I was familiar with the basics of management on a theoretical level, and I had worked with my manager closely before, but I certainly wasn’t trained to be a manager yet. Though I wasn’t going to say no, and I, more or less, felt confident about my ability to take on the new challenge.”
Action: “So, I accepted the position. The first thing I did was gather the team and let them know about the situation. I was very open about my lack of experience and asked them to be open about giving feedback when possible. I also asked a manager for an hour of their time to pick their brain and make sure I’m doing everything right.”
Results: “In the end, we managed to get through the month without any problems and we delivered all the projects on time. When my manager returned, she was very pleased with the work, and I even got compliments from our director. Because of my success with the role, I was even promoted to team manager at the end of that year.”
Question #35
Have you ever wanted to improve the company culture? What did you do to contribute?
Situation:"Well, I don’t have a lot of work experience that’s relevant here, but I do have an example from when I was a student. During my junior year at high school, I noticed that a lot of students felt disconnected from the school as a community, particularly those of us who weren’t involved in sports or any major clubs like theatre."
Task: "So, I wanted to create an opportunity to make everyone feel included. Something that could engage a broad range of people and foster a sense of community for everyone."
Action: "I worked with the student council to organize a 'Culture Week,' where each day was dedicated to celebrating different student backgrounds and interests. We set up workshops, performances, and presentations where students could share about their cultures, hobbies, and unique talents. I also reached out to different groups at our school to encourage them to participate and help them feel like part of the community."
Results:"The event was a big hit and it even became an annual tradition. Students who previously felt left out were now a lot more involved and visibly happier at school. It was really rewarding to see how a couple of new activities can help people connect with each other and find their place among everyone else."
Question #36
Describe a time when you didn’t know how to solve a problem. What did you do to resolve the issue?
Situation: "Hmm, well, for example, back when I worked in customer support, I used to get tasked with solving problems I knew nothing about. One evening, I found myself as the most senior person on shift, despite being relatively new myself. Right then, a customer called with a technical issue that I had never encountered before."
Task: "So, I needed to resolve the customer's issue and make sure they’re satisfied with our support, while at the same time, I had to learn how to fix the problem with no one to help me."
Action: "I was a little tense but kept my composure and assured the customer that I would find a solution and get back to them shortly. So, after hanging up, I did some research. I started by checking our internal knowledge base, then I started searching tech forums for similar issues. It took a bit of time, but I was able to piece together the information I needed to troubleshoot the problem."
Results: "In the end, I called the customer back with a step-by-step solution, which resolved their issue. They were grateful for the help and they were pretty satisfied with how I handled the problem, even though it took longer than it probably should have. I learned how to handle that particular problem like a pro, and I felt a lot more confident at work after that. Now, I feel like I can handle just about any unfamiliar problem that comes my way."
Question #37
Tell me about a time when you solved a problem at your job that wasn’t part of your job description.
Situation: "I was working as a sales associate at a popular clothing store, and one day our point-of-sale system went down. It was a busy Saturday afternoon, and the store was packed with customers."
Task: "Although fixing tech issues wasn’t part of my job description, I knew we needed to get the system back up quickly to avoid losing sales and frustrating customers."
Action: "I remembered a few troubleshooting steps from a previous job where I had seen a similar issue. I decided to try them out. I reset the main router and then restarted the POS system to see if it would clear the error. I also called our tech support line to confirm I was doing everything correctly."
Results: "To everyone’s relief, the system started working again within a few minutes. Customers were able to continue their purchases smoothly, and we avoided a potentially significant interruption on one of our busiest days. So, I managed to help the store that day and I learned how important it is to take initiative, no matter what your role is. I’d say it’s something that’s stuck with me ever since."
Question #38
How would you solve a specific problem in your line of work?
Situation: "In my role as a video game animator at Company X, we encountered a challenge where the animations for a certain character in our newest game weren’t syncing properly with the game physics engine. So, this basically caused the character’s movements to look unnatural and disrupted the gameplay, especially during some critical action sequences."
Task: "My main goal was to make sure that the character animations were both visually appealing and mechanically in sync with the game’s physics. We were aiming for a seamless and immersive gameplay experience, so we couldn’t risk this coming up later."
Action: "First, I collaborated closely with the physics programmers to really understand the ins and outs of the engine. Then, I adjusted the keyframes in the character’s animation to align them better with the physics calculations. It still needed some refining, so I implemented a middleware tool specifically designed for animation blending and real-time adjustments."
Results: "The adjustments worked well. After the gameplay team and I tested the changes, the character's movements became much smoother and more realistic. We eliminated all the previous glitches, and the game was a success after its release.”
Question #39
What have you done to make your work more productive in your previous roles?
Situation: "When I was working as an administrative assistant at a law firm, I noticed that a lot of my time was spent just looking for things. Whether it was a misplaced file on my desk or a lost email in my inbox, it was slowing me down."
Task: "I decided to tackle this problem head-on to make my days more productive and keep everything running smoothly."
Action: "First, I reorganized my desk. I set up a system where the most frequently used items were right at my fingertips. For my digital files, I meticulously organized my bookmarks and online folders, labeling everything clearly and setting up shortcuts for the files I accessed daily."
Results: "These changes really streamlined my workflow. I spent less time digging through drawers or clicking through folders, which gave me more time to focus on the real work. My coworkers and bosses noticed the improvement too, which definitely felt good. It just goes to show that sometimes it's the little things that can make the biggest difference in how productive you are."
Question #40
Tell me about a time you went above and beyond at work.
Situation: "When I was working as a social worker at a community health center, one of the families I was helping was really struggling. They had lost their main source of income and were facing a bunch of issues like not having stable housing and dealing with health problems."
Task: "I knew the usual resources wouldn’t be enough to really help them get back on their feet."
Action: "So, I went beyond what I would usually do. I contacted multiple local charities and community groups to find extra help for them. I managed to secure donations, arrange temporary housing, and fill out a lot of paperwork for more permanent solutions during my own time in the evenings and over the weekends."
Results: "All the extra work paid off. The family got into a stable housing program pretty quickly, received the medical care they needed, and got some financial aid to tide them over. It was a lot of effort, but seeing how much it helped them made it all worth it. It really showed me the impact I can have in this job."
Question #41
Have you ever contributed something in any of your previous roles that made people congratulate you?
Situation: "In my previous role as a sales representative at Company X, we had been trying to land a major client that was known for their extensive market influence. Securing them had been a goal for our team for over a year."
Task: "So, I was determined to win this client. A win like that could boost our company's revenue and enhance our market reputation."
Action: "I took the initiative to thoroughly research the client’s business needs and the challenges they might be facing. Based on this, I tailored our pitch to highlight how our services could uniquely address each. I also coordinated with our product teams to make sure we could confidently deliver on any commitments made in the proposal. After several meetings and discussions, I finally presented our tailored services to their executive board. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a situation as high-stakes as that before or since!"
Results: "Thankfully, the client was impressed with our dedication and the customized approach, and they signed on. This was one of the largest deals our company had ever secured. The success was such a huge morale booster for the team, and I received commendations from our senior management for my involvement. It was incredibly rewarding to see our collective efforts pay off in such a big way."
Question #42
Give me an example of a goal you failed to meet and how you handled the situation.
Situation: "Well, I started university with the intention of becoming an engineer. But, during my second year, I realized that, despite my interest in the subject, the academic environment and the course load just weren't the right fit for me. So I made the decision to drop out."
Task: "I was really disappointed in myself, and I felt like everyone else was disappointed in me, too. So, I moped around for a few days, then my immediate goal shifted to finding a stable job while I figured out my next steps. I needed to support myself financially, but I also wanted to use my time to explore other career options that might align better with my skills and interests."
Action: "I took a part-time job at a local tech store, where I ended up becoming the shift leader within a few months. Meanwhile, I spent a lot of time researching different fields and I eventually stumbled into digital marketing. I was drawn to the creative and analytical aspects of it, so I started learning more through online courses and tutorials."
Results: "Working part-time gave me the flexibility to delve into the field and hone my skills. Over time, I built a portfolio by helping friends and local businesses with their social media marketing. It was a pretty good practical experience, and it helped me land a full-time job in a digital marketing agency. So, although I never got that engineering degree, it turned out not to be a huge setback after all. Now I’m in a field I’m passionate about and where I can put my skills to good use."
Question #43
Tell me about a time when you made a risky decision and it didn’t pay off.
Situation: "At the organization where I volunteered, we planned a big event to open up more discussions about sustainable energy sources and green transitions in an area where most people worked with fossil fuels."
Task: "We wanted to create a space where we could discuss how the area could transition towards green energy and hear what people’s concerns were, but we knew it could be a touchy subject for some of the locals."
Action: "I took a risk and invited a couple of well-known activists to speak at the event. I was hoping they would draw a big crowd and spark meaningful conversations. Even though a few volunteers at the organization were worried it might cause some backlash, I thought it was worth the risk."
Results: "Unfortunately, I was wrong. It turned out to be too much, too soon. Instead of creating a place for dialogue, the high-profile activists brought out protestors, and we saw lower attendance than we expected. The event didn’t have the impact we were aiming for, and that was tough to see. I realized I made a mistake by not listening to the other volunteers. But I definitely learned how important it is to understand the community you’re based in and to do the groundwork before taking risks like that.”
Question #44
Describe a time you realized you were wrong about something. What happened?
Situation: "Oh yeah, absolutely. One time, during my game design internship, I was super excited to put together a complex puzzle for a new mobile game. I thought it would really impress players with its intricacy."
Task: "I wanted this puzzle to be a standout feature in the game. But during our initial playtests, the reaction wasn’t what I expected at all."
Action: "I sat down to watch the playtest sessions and also got some advice from the senior game designers. They helped me see that my puzzle, while cool, was too complex for the quick gameplay style of our game. Realizing this, I went back to the drawing board to simplify things."
Results: "After I toned down the puzzle, we tested it again and the response was way better. Players enjoyed it more because it fit the fast pace of the game without being too much of a challenge. I really saw how crucial it is to align game elements with the game’s overall vibe and what players are looking for."
Question #45
Do you have any work habits you’d like to improve?
Situation: "I’m a content writer, and I have a bit of a habit of pushing my work until the last minute. It's something I've managed to get away with because I always meet my deadlines, but it definitely turns into a crunch."
Task: "I realized this isn’t the best way to work, especially when things get really busy. I knew I needed to start spreading out my workload to avoid the stress of last-minute rushes."
Action: "I decided to use a digital planner to keep track of my tasks. I set daily goals for myself and made sure to start on assignments earlier than before. I also started checking in on my progress more frequently during the week."
Results: "It’s been working out pretty well. I’m less stressed, and I think my writing is better for it because I’m not rushing through it, especially when it’s time for editing. I’m still working on making this a consistent habit, but I can already see the benefits."
FAQs on Behavioral Interview Questions
Are you still wondering something about behavioral interview questions? Check out the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions below.
Key Takeaways
You’ve made it to the end of our article!
By now, we’re confident you’re ready to take on any behavioral interview question like a pro.
Before you go, let’s do a quick recap:
Behavioral interview questions are questions based on how you behave in specific situations.
These questions can come down to how you react to stress, what your skill level is, and how you behave in a professional work setting.
The best way to answer these questions is by using the STAR Method. With this strategy, each answer should be structured by a Situation, Task, Action, and Results.
If you don’t have enough relevant work experience, you can give an example from your time as a student.
Andrei combines academic knowledge with over 10 years of practical experience to help job seekers navigate the challenges of resumes, interviews, and career growth. Through the Novorésumé Career Blog, he offers actionable advice to simplify and ace the job search process.
