It can be a challenging task for interviewers to ask Behavioral questions. At the same time, it can be daunting for the job candidates to handle them. Here we will discuss some behavioral interview questions and answers asked by the interviewers and the ways to tackle them. One of the natural ways to answer behavioral questions is that you use the STAR method. The abbreviation of STAR is Situation, Task, Action, and Result. You can use it to your advantage to answer behavioral questions with the STAR method. These four words can help you ace the interview for your dream jobs. The STAR method gives a pattern to the answers to behavioral job interview questions asked by HR. It explains a particular situation, task, action, and result of the circumstance candidates share with HR. It also describes how you handled challenging work situations in previous organizations.
Other than this, excellent communication skills in a behavioral interview are a must to attain success in the workplace. The interviewers ask a lot of questions to test your communication skills and how you communicate. It always comes in handy for those job interviews when you can show the ability to communicate well. One of the most asked questions by the interviewer is, ”tell me about yourself”. This question is asked to avoid the “yes/no” in the answer(closed-ended). That way, the recruiter gets to know more details about the job seekers. Candidates are in high demand who can communicate accurately both verbally and non-verbally in a workplace. Behavioral interview questions can be immense distress points for the hiring managers and HR. When a candidate lands an interview for a job, the recruiter tries to understand how the candidate can fit into the organization.
In those situations, the hiring managers are looking to hear a detailed story of the job candidate. So, the job seekers and employers seek employees to understand each other and fulfil the given responsibilities well. Therefore, preparing for a behavioral job interview makes it easy to convert a job interview into a job offer. In the process, the common behavioral interview questions are inquiries asked to assess your situation whether you are capable of taking suitable action when a problem arises in a similar work environment. And, sometimes, all you have to do is keep the discussion going.
An explanation of the most common behavioral interview questions and answers are below:
Interview questions on Communication
If you take the time to brush up on your interviewing skills, you need to practice the typical interview questions and answers. Communication skills in a behavioral interview are an essential point for the hiring manager when recruiting. If you are comfortable in the role as an interviewee, you make it easy to showcase your ability with outstanding communication. You may take your practice to the next level by practicing it with a friend or a family member. Practicing in advance puts an interviewee in a strong position and makes him more confident in the live interview. An interviewer will look for some top communication skills like listening, confidence, empathy, clear responses, etc. Few behavioral interview questions and answers are below :
1. Do you get along with other people?
Here you can describe resolving a disagreement with another person.
2. What are the big problems and challenges you had to meet? How did you overcome them?
Remember to answer these behavioral interview questions with the STAR method. Try to create a clear picture of the actual challenges you met earlier in your career. Also, be honest about how you resolved the problem.
3. Define yourself? What ignites your passion in life and your career?
In this behavioral interview question, the interviewer is trying to know you better. You can talk about your strengths which will also relate to the job.
4. Do you prefer to work alone or in a team? Have you ever completed a critical task together within an organization?
Always be honest while answering this behavioural interview question to the hiring manager with a strong reason for your answer. You can say how you adapt to a team or working alone. Remember, there is no right or wrong answer to these common behavioral interview questions.
5. Do you remember the last time your colleague got annoyed with you? What did you do?
Again you can use the STAR method to answer these behavioral interview questions. You can share a moment when you became angry but did not let it reflect in poor light.
Interview questions on the set of values at work or work ethic
6. Can you tell us about a long-term goal you were trying to achieve? How did you manage to remain motivated to attain them?
State your long-term goal to the hiring manager and how it matches with the company goal. Describe the steps you approached if you have achieved them already.
7. Think of a time you noticed a critical problem you knew would involve an extra effort to complete. Why did you do differently? Were you able to focus while trying to achieve it?
Everyone makes mistakes, and you are no different either. While answering this behavioural interview question, you can show the potential employer your openness to learn from your mistake while being honest on it.
8. Tell us an event where you were given primary responsibility which was outside of your official role. Why did you think it was important? What happened?
Here, you get an opportunity to explain your work ethic. You may speak about your time management capabilities. Discuss the challenges and methods you applied to go the extra mile on the job.
9. Describe an event you had to serve on an assignment you were not fond of in particular. How did you manage to stay focused and the final result of the project?
Here you can show the interviewer about your commitment to the job that is of the highest priority. You can even include the steps that you followed in answer to this behavioural interview question. Your answer shows your professionalism.
10. How was your first job? Why did you decide to join?
Here, you may tell them about any job you did in the past. It may include working as a waiter at a local restaurant or working as a business analyst. It does not matter as long as you can explain the reason to join the job.
11. Take us through a period you worked on a project with a restricted timeline. What are the measures you took to finish the project? What were the results, and how did you prioritize things?
Answer this behavioural interview question with an explanation of the process you had to go through to meet the deadline. Let HR know about the prioritization plan you approached.
12. Describe an event you managed to work on various assignments and finished them within time.
It is natural for all employees where they had to work on several projects. What matters most is how you handled the projects. It is one of the common behavioral interview questions. The answer depends on the company you are applying for the job. Figure out the qualities the employer is looking for in a candidate. Emphasize the skillset which is most valuable to the company.
13. How do you address obstructions while working on a tight schedule for yourself plus your organization?
To answer this behavioural interview question, you can share your time management skills and the steps you follow to minimize interruptions at work.
14. Give us an example where you depended on someone else to complete a project? How did you efficiently finish it as you had to hold on for the person to achieve it?
Select a project you requested for help and at the same time keep the productivity level high for both of you and the person you received aid. It also shows your ability to ask for help whenever required.
15. Tell us if you have ever got free time while finished with your work at hand. If so, what did you do in those times, and how did you spend it?
It is a behavioural interview question to describe your situation where you utilize the extra time you left with even after finishing your regular work. You may apply the unique way to answer behavioral questions with the STAR method.
16. Take us through an event where you took a risk in your job role. What are the actions you took to overcome the obstacle? Were you able to finish it?
It is one of the common behavioral interview questions asked by the hiring manager. You can answer this question by sharing the calculated risk you have taken while working on a given project. You can include how you acted positively in that situation.
17. Would you inform us of a period where you had to shift your path on an ongoing project when you apprehended that you were doing it wrong?
Tell the interviewer that you changed your path midway through the project for good and the steps you took to rectify the errors. One of the many behavioral interview questions are asked to check your ability to adapt. HR wants to know about the steps you took in the middle of the project where you already gave much effort.
18. Give us an example of a bad decision. What did you learn from the mistakes, and how were you able to apply them in forthcoming works?
Give the employer an example of the decision and be honest. You can relate to the actual decision while showcasing the steps you took to fix that situation.
19. When did you enjoy short-term gain over a long-term goal while not being able to judge the right thing to do? What was the outcome of that decision, and what were your lessons?
Always structure your answer according to the company requirements and remain positive while sharing your answer to this question.
20. How do you perform in the absence of proper supervision? Tell us an event where you attained something meaningful while not taking much help from your supervisor.
You can give an example of a hypothetical story but if you are sharing a real-life story, be sure to use the STAR method. You can give a general overview of the situation and provide information where you remained productive even when there is nobody to supervise
21. Tell us about your important achievements in your professional career.
By asking this behavioural interview question, the recruiter is not trying to hear about your achievement but about your motivation to achieve things. You may choose to share an achievement that you are proud of sharing. You may not brag about the achievement but speak freely about the outcome of the achievement.
22. Tell us when faced with a problem you recognized later on and the steps you exercised to solve it. What made you work on the problem?
Share a story about handling stressful situations where you were able to think quickly and again answer these behavioral questions with the STAR method.
23. Share with us an event where you were unhappy with the result. What was the reason?
You can share your story to the potential employer about how you reacted positively to the disappointment, and you can respond to failure productively.
24. Do you usually be creative to solve a problem while working?
You may not find a standard way to answer this behavioural interview question. Here, the interviewer is trying to understand whether you would be the right fit for their company’s work culture. While answering this question, you should be honest.
25. Tell us about a time where you committed to something and later realized that you could not deliver on your promise. And, how did you feel about the complete tradeoff?
You can inform the hiring manager demonstrating that you are accountable for your errors and learn from them so it does not happen again in the future. Keep your answer around 30-60 seconds, do not prolong it.
26. Think about a time when you tried to form an essential relationship at the worksite. What actions did you incorporate to better the relationship and the hurdles you met?
Share your interpersonal abilities. You can tell that you respect another person’s space and time.
27. Would you tell us an event where you had a strong conflict with your team, but you happened to let it go? Do you believe in making the right decision or maintaining a relationship in your team with another person?
You can demonstrate your ability to cooperate productively to help achieve your organization’s goal. You can take the help of the STAR method and share your history with a colleague when you disagree.
28. How do you respond to disagreement with your manager or with your superior? Have you faced such a situation in your career? If so, how did you handle it?
Your answer can show your ability to follow instructions from your manager. Share an honest example where you had a conflict of opinion and how you were able to resolve it in the end.
29. Think of a time you saw a teammate striving to accomplish something and needed your help.
It can be a tough behavioral interview question. Be very careful while explaining and answer behavioral questions with the STAR method. You can surely tell HR how it reshaped the relationship with the colleague, and it shows your empathy towards another teammate.
30. Tell us about a time where you had to improve your level of productivity and spirit. What are the steps you practiced to ensure this? What are the measures you took to avoid such problems in the future?
Again you can take help to answer these behavioral questions with the STAR method. Describe the issue you faced and try to be specific as much as possible while answering. Make sure you provide the details of the actual result after taking action to improve the productivity level.
The Bottom Line
We discussed the common behavioral interview questions and answers. We also got an understanding that the interviewer may evaluate a candidate’s answer on the requirement of their respective company norms and the organization’s needs. At times few interviewees take advantage of this when asked questions in an interview by deceiving the employer. Hence, it is important to keep the interview fact-based to turn an interview into a great opportunity for both the candidate and the hiring manager. No matter the behavioral interview questions asked, a potential and honest candidate going through the job interview will shine beyond the difficulties.
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