10 Common Behavioral Interview Questions

10 Common Behavioral einstellungsgesprch Questions10 Common Behavioral Interview QuestionsDuring a job bewerbungsgesprch, it is likely that you will be asked behavioral interview questions. Find out more about this schrift of interview question, review the most common behavioral interview questions employers ask, and get tips on how to prepare and respond smoothly when youre asked to give examples of how you handle workplace situations. Why Are Behavioral Interview Questions Important? Behavioral job interviewtechniques are used by all types of companies. Unliketraditional job interview questionsthat ask you to describe what you did in a role or to share qualifications, these questions seek concrete examples of skills and experiences that relate directly to the position. Questions are generally formatted by presenting a situation, inquiring about what action you have taken to respond to something similar in the past, and what the result welches. The interviewer will ask how you handled a situation, and you will need to respond with an explanation of what you did.The logic is that yur success in the past is a positive indicator of your success in the future. 10 Behavioral Interview Questions and Sample Answers Here are popular behavioral interview questions you may be asked during a job interview. Review the responses and consider how you would answer the questions. As you can see from the sample responses, its importantto be ready with specific examples and anecdotes. While you dont need to memorize answers, have a sense of what experiences you would share and how to describe them to the interviewer. Youll want your examples to be both clear and succinct. 1. Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure. What They Want to Know If youre being considered for a high-stress job, the interviewer will want to know how well you can work under pressure. Give a real example of how youve dealt with pressure when you respond. I had been working on a ke y project that was scheduled for delivery to the client in 60 days. My supervisor came to me and said that we needed to speed it up and be ready in 45 days, while keeping our otzu sich projects on time. I made it into a challenge for my staff, and we effectively added just a few hours to each of our schedules and got the job done in 42 days by sharing the workload. Of course, I had a great group of people to work with, but I think that my effective allocation of tasks was a major component that contributed to the success of the project. ExpandMore AnswersHow do you handle stress? 2. How do you handle a challenge? Give an example. What They Want to Know Regardless of your job, things may go wrong and it wont always be business as usual. With this type of question, the hiring manager wants to know how you will react in a difficult situation. Focus on how you resolved a challenging situation when you respond. One time, my supervisor needed to leave town unexpectedly, and we were in the middle of complicated negotiations with a new sponsor. I was tasked with putting together a PowerPoint presentation just from the notes he had left, and some briefing from his manager. My presentation turned out successfully. We got the sponsorship, and the management team even recommended me for an award. ExpandMore AnswersTell me about how you handled a challenging situation. 3. Have you ever made a mistake? How did you handle it? What They Want to Know Nobody is perfect, and we all make mistakes. The interviewer is more interested in how you handled it when you made an error, rather than in the fact that it happened. I once misquoted the fees for a parteicular type of membership to the club where I worked. I explained my mistake to my supervisor, who appreciated my coming to him, and my honesty. He told me to offer to waive the application fee for the new member. The member joined the club despite my mistake, my supervisor was understanding, and although I felt bad that I had ma de a mistake, I learned to pay close attention to the details so as to be sure to give accurate information in the future. ExpandTips for RespondingHow to answer interview questions about mistakes. 4. Give an example of how you set goals. What They Want to Know With this question, the interviewer wants to know how well you plan and set goals for what you want to accomplish. The easiest way to respond is to share examples of successful goal setting. Within a few weeks of beginning my first job as a sales associate in a department store, I knew that I wanted to be in the fashion industry. I decided that I would work my way up to department manager, and at that point I would have enough money saved to be able to attend design school full-time. I did just that, and I even landed my first job through an internship I completed the summer before graduation. Expand5. Give an example of a goal you reached and tell me how you achieved it. What They Want to Know The hiring manager is intereste d in learning what you do to achieve your goals, and the steps you take to accomplish them. When I started working for XYZ Company, I wanted to achieve the Employee of the Month title. It was a motivational challenge, and not all the employees took it that seriously, but I really wanted that parking spot, and my picture on the wall. I went out of my way to be helpful to my colleagues, supervisors, and customers - which I would have done anyway. I liked the job and the people I worked with. The third month I was there, I got the honor. It was good to achieve my goal, and I actually ended up moving into a managerial position there pretty quickly, I think because of my positive attitude and perseverance. ExpandMore AnswersInterview questions about achieving your goals. 6. Describe a decision you made that wasnt popular, and explain how you handled implementing it. What They Want to Know Sometimes management has to make difficult decisions, and not all employees are happy when a new pol icy is put in place. If youre interviewing for a decision-making role, the interviewer will want to know your process for implementing change. Once, I inherited a group of employees when their supervisor relocated to another city. They had been allowed to cover each others shifts without management approval. I didnt like the inconsistencies, where certain people were being given more opportunities than others. I introduced a policy where I had my assistant approve all staffing changes, to make sure that everyone who wanted extra hours and was available at certain times could be utilized. ExpandMore AnswersWhat are the most difficult decisions to make? 7. Give an example of how you worked on a team. What They Want to Know Many jobs require working as part of a team. In interviews for those roles, the hiring manager will want to know how well you work with others and cooperate with other team members. During my last semester in college, I worked as part of a research team in the Histo ry department. The hochschulprofessor leading the project was writing a book on the development of language in Europe in the Middle Ages. We were each assigned different sectors to focus on, and I suggested that we meet independently before our weekly meeting with the professor to discuss our progress, and help each other out if we were having any difficulties. The professor really appreciated the way we worked together, and it helped to streamline his research as well. He was ready to start on his final copy months ahead of schedule because of the work we helped him with. ExpandTips for RespondingHow to answer interview questions about teamwork. 8. What do you do if you disagree with someone at work? What They Want to Know With this question, the interviewer is seeking insight into how you handle issues at work. Focus on how youve solved a problem or compromised when there was a workplace disagreement. A few years ago, I had a supervisor who wanted me to find ways to outsource most of the work we were doing in my department. I felt that my department was one where having the staff on premises had a huge impact on our effectiveness and ability to relate to our clients. I presented a strong case to her, and she came up with a compromise plan. ExpandTips for RespondingHow to answer interview questions about problems at work. 9. Share an example of how you were able to motivate employees or co-workers. What They Want to Know Do you have strong motivational skills? What strategies do you use to motivate your team? The hiring manager is looking for a concrete example of your ability to motivate others. I was in a situation once where the management of our department was taken over by employees with experience in a totally different industry, in an effort to maximize profits over service. Many of my co-workers were resistant to the sweeping changes that were being made, but I immediately recognized some of the benefits, and was able to motivate my colleagues to give the new process a chance to succeed. ExpandMore AnswersWhat strategies would you use to motivate your team? 10. Have you handled a difficult situation? How? What They Want to Know Can you handle difficult situations at work or do you not deal with them well? The employer will want to know what you do when theres a problem. When I worked at ABC Global, it came to my attention that one of my employees had become addicted to painkillers prescribed after she had surgery. Her performance was being negatively impacted, and she needed to get some help. I spoke with her privately, and I helped her to arrange a weekend treatment program that was covered by her insurance. Fortunately, she was able to get her life back on track, and she received a promotion about sixmonths later. Expand Possible Follow-Up Questions Have you worked on multiple projects? How did you prioritize?How do you handle meeting tight deadlines?How do you handle it when your schedule is interrupted?What do you do if y ou disagree with a co-worker?Give me an example of when you did or when you didnt listen.What do you do if you disagree with your boss?How do you handle it when theres a conflict among team members?What is your most career important accomplishment? Why? How to Preparefor a Behavioral Interview Learn about the company and the role. The more you know about the job and the company, the easier it will be to respond to interview questions. Take the time to research the company prior to your interview, and review the job posting so youre as familiar as possible with the role. Match your qualifications to the job. To help youprepare for a behavioral interview, review the job requirements, and make a list of thebehavioral skillsthat you have that closely match them. Hereshow to match your qualifications to the job. Make a list of examples. Interviewers develop questions to determine how successful a candidate will be, given the specific tasks of the job. Obviously, you want to present y our experiences as clearly as you can, using real examples, and highlighting situations where you were successful. Learn how to use the STAR interview technique to give well thought out and complete answers. Be ready to share a story. You may be asked variations of the questions listed above, but if you prepare some stories to share with the interviewer youll be able to respond readily respond. How to Make the Best Impression Before you head out to your interview, review these tips and strategies for behavioral interview success.Be sure youve got the appropriate interview attire ready to wear, have questions of your own ready to ask the interviewer, and are prepared to follow up after the interview with a thank-you note.