12 Common Behavioral Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Behavioral questions ask you to describe how you handled real situations, on the theory that past behavior predicts future behavior. The good news is that the list of questions is short and predictable. Prepare a handful of strong stories and you can answer almost all of them.

The STAR framework

Structure every answer as Situation, Task, Action, Result. Spend most of your time on the Action and the Result, and always quantify the outcome when you can. Vague endings are the most common mistake.

The questions to prepare for

• Tell me about a time you faced a difficult challenge at work.
• Describe a conflict with a coworker and how you resolved it.
• Tell me about a time you failed, and what you learned.
• Give an example of when you led a project or a team.
• Describe a time you had to meet a tight deadline.
• Tell me about a time you disagreed with your manager.
• Describe a time you went above and beyond.
• Tell me about a time you had to learn something quickly.
• Give an example of handling difficult feedback.
• Describe a time you improved a process.
• Tell me about a time you juggled competing priorities.
• Describe a decision you made with incomplete information.

How to prepare efficiently

You do not need a unique story for each question. Build five or six flexible stories that each show a different strength, such as leadership, resilience, problem solving, and teamwork. Most questions can be answered by adapting one of them.

Practice the delivery

Knowing your stories is not enough. Say them out loud until each lands in about 90 seconds without notes. A realistic mock interview that asks these exact questions and grades your answers will show you which stories are strong and which trail off.