45+ Behavioral Interview Questions in 2024 (+ Sample Answers)
45+ Behavioral Interview Questions in 2024 (+ Sample Answers)
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Key Takeaways
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,almostready.
There are still some tricky behavioral interview questions you need to prepare for.
:
And in this guide, we’re going to teach you how!
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 themost common interview questions, they also allow the interviewer to get a much
better understanding of you as a candidate.
Just about anyone can answer a question like, “What are your strengths and
weaknesses?”
“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.
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
1. Sometimes, clients can be difficult to work with. Can you describe a situation when
a client was wrong and you had to correct them?
2. Describe a time you dealt with a frustrating customer or stakeholder.
3. Everyone makes mistakes they regret. Is there a situation where you wish you had
handled things with a client differently?
The easiest way to answer behavioral interview questions is to followthe 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:
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.”
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
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.”
Question #2
Describe a long-term project you managed. How did you make sure everything was
running smoothly?
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,
andJavaScriptfor 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 yoursupervisoror 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.”
Question #6
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.”
Question #7
What would you do if you misunderstood an important task on the job? Give me an
example.
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 ofthe 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
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?
Task:"I knew I needed to clear this up. On one hand, mycareer’s progressiondepended
on it, but I also needed to feel valued and appreciated at work."
Results:“The meeting went really well. My supervisor appreciated the detailed overview
and, afterdiscussing 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
hisbiggest strengthsto 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
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
somecomputer 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."
Question #13
Can you tell me about a time you gave a presentation that was particularly successful?
Why do you think it went well?
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
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 themintegrate
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 andopen communicationare."
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?
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 firstjoined 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."
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."
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?
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
Situation:“Working incustomer 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 themanagement teamand 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 juniorDevOps 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?
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?
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.”
Question #28
Tell me about a time when you feltextremely stressed out by work. What caused it, and
how did you manage it?
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 myorganizational skillsand 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 thatwork-life balanceagain. 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 experienceworking 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.”
Question #30
Have you had to switch between an in-office and aremote or hybrid work environment?
How did you navigate the change?
Situation:"At Company X, at one point, we had to switch from an entirely in-office setup
to a remote work environment almost overnight."
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’reworking remotely."
Question #31
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, atmy first jobas 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.”
Question #33
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."
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?
Task:“Because of that, our director asked me to fill in as the interim manager. I was
familiar with thebasics of managementon 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 mylack of experienceand 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 athigh 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."
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 knowhow 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 asales associateat 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
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."
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?
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."
Question #40
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?
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.
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 intodigital 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 canput my skills to good use."
Question #43
Tell me about a time when you made a risky decision and it didn’t pay off.
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 fewvolunteers at the organizationwere 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?
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
thesenior 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
Situation:"I’m acontent 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 forediting. I’m
still working on making this a consistent habit, but I can already see the benefits."
Are you still wondering something about behavioral interview questions? Check out the
answers to some of the most frequently asked questions below.
:
#1. How can I prepare for behavioral interview
Q—
questions?
Key Takeaways
By now, we’re confident you’re ready to take on any behavioral interview question like a
pro.
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Author
Andrei Kurtuy – Resume, CV and Cover Letter Writing Expert
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