Behavioral interviews give employers a chance to learn about a potential employee’s perspectives and attitudes. In a behavioral interview, you ask how the candidate to explain how they behaved in a particular situation. The candidate must draw from past experiences to show they have the skills and competencies you need.
Behavioral question examples
Behavioral interview questions prompt candidates to explain past situations – and the roles they played. Here are a few examples?
• Give an example of a time when a co-worker wasn’t pulling their weight on a project
• Tell me about a time when you knew you couldn’t meet a deadline
• Describe a time when you didn’t get along with a co-worker
Best case answers
To answer well, the job candidate will:
• Provide a “headline” summary of the situation
• Add a few details to give you an overview
• Identify the task at hand
• Note key players and their responsibilities
• Explain the actions they took
• Note the outcome or results of the event
You’ll probably want to take notes while the candidate responds. This will help you keep track of answers – during and after the interview.
To test the answers candidates give, follow up with questions. For example:
• What led up to this situation?
• How did you feel?
• What did you say?
• Why did you do/say that?
• What happened next?
• What were the consequences?
Behavior-based interviews give you a glimpse into a job candidate’s attitudes, work styles and personality. They also offer a chance for you to screen soft skills, since the candidate will be doing most of the talking.
Related to behavioral interviews
• Interview pitfalls
• Interviewing potential employees
• Employment assessment tools
