Behavioral Interviews

Throughout an interview process, you will likely have one or more behavioral interviews with a company of interest. If you are ever unsure of the type of interview you are scheduled for, you can ask your recruiter for clarity in advance. Behavioral Interviews allow recruiters and members of a hiring team to assess how and if your past experiences, behaviors, and skills demonstrate the key characteristics and competencies they have deemed essential for the role for which you are interviewing and/or the company. They also allow the hiring team to delve further into the experiences listed throughout your resume, and in some cases, learn more about you outside of what you have included on that document.

How should you respond to a Behavioral Interview Question?

Respond thoroughly using the STAR response method. If you are unfamiliar with the STAR method, it stands for Situation, Task, Action and Results, and helps you ensure that you are providing the interviewer with all of the relevant information in response to their question.

• • SITUATION: Restate the question to start your response. Explain: the context of the situation, your role, who was involved, etc.

  • TASK: Explain: What you were asked to do, the problem you were trying to solve, the actions that you needed to take to address the situation.

  • ACTION: Ensure this is the majority of your response.  Clearly articulate: The steps you took to complete the task or solve the problem. Explain: points of collaboration, skills or tools used and your overall behaviors and actions.

  • RESULTS: State the outcome of the situation.  You can then further note what lessons you learned, how others reacted, etc.

Examples of Behavioral Interview Questions:

• Tell me about a time when you worked with someone who was difficult. Employers may ask this question to gain an understanding of your ability to work effectively with others. For those hiring for a team, they may want to ensure that you can build professional relationships and overcome any obstacles in the collaborative process.  

• Give me an example of a time that you failed or made a mistake. This question allows employers to see if you are willing to acknowledge mistakes that you have made, but also to see how you recover from them or what you have learned. Your emphasis should be on these learnings instead of dwelling on the mistake itself.

• Tell me about one of the most challenging problems you have had to solve while on a team. Evaluating your teamwork, collaboration and resiliency is essential for those hiring for a team. Your interviewer wants to know that in challenging times, you can effectively communicate and work well with others on your team to find solutions.

• Describe a long-term project you worked on—how did you stay on top of deadlines? An employer may ask you this question to understand your time/project management skills, as well as how you operate under pressure. The employer wants to ensure that you can work efficiently/effectively and be accountable.

To download a PDF of these tips and additional interview preparation guidance, see the Behavioral Interview Guide