What are Behavioral Interview Questions: Sample Questions and Answers

TL;DR: Behavioral interview questions reveal how candidates handle real-world challenges and collaborate with teams. They focus on past actions to predict future performance. Preparing structured stories tied to job competencies helps candidates stand out. Methods like STAR, CAR and ADD ensure answers are clear and relevant. Practicing delivery and connecting examples to the role demonstrates readiness and professionalism during interviews.

By Brianna Jacobson

Job interviews are a chance for hiring managers to go beyond qualifications to determine a candidate’s fit. On LinkedIn, Finance Recruiter Rae Sanders said, “You have their resume on hand, maybe there are some clarifying questions, but ultimately, you probably know what you need to know about their tangible skill set. Behavioral questions are a logical next step to gain insight into how they'll mesh with the team.” These questions focus on a candidate’s behavior in real-life work scenarios to get an idea of how they will handle themselves in the future.

1. What are Behavioral Interview Questions and Why Do Interviewers Ask Them?

Behavioral interview questions ask the candidate to recall an example of how they handled a specific work situation in the past. In Forbes, Executive Coach Rebecca Zucker said, “A behavioral interview question is designed to elicit specific, convincing evidence of a desired competency, and reduce perceived risk in the recruiter or hiring manager’s mind.”

Recruiters ask behavioral questions to get an idea of what to expect if a candidate were to join the company. In a LinkedIn Learning course, Chief HR Officer Gabriella Parente said, “You can gain so much information about an applicant's past behaviors while thinking about how that might play positively or negatively on your team.”

2. How To Prepare for Behavioral Interview Questions

It’s pretty much guaranteed an interviewer will ask behavioral questions, so prepare answers in advance. Zucker said, “Start your preparation by identifying required competencies for the job. These are often detailed in the job description. Once you’ve identified what you think are the most important competencies, have two to three stories prepared that demonstrate each of these. One story can be used to illustrate several competencies.”

Once these stories are prepared, get comfortable telling them. Practice until they no longer sound rehearsed. Zucker continued, “Do several mock interviews and get real-time feedback from a friend or a coach. Practice out loud in the mirror."

Preparing answers ahead of time allows candidates to be ready and present for whatever questions come their way. On LinkedIn, Software Engineer Shivali Maheshwari said, “After interviewing over 500 candidates, I noticed a clear pattern: The ones who nailed it told clear, powerful and well-structured stories.”

3. How To Answer Behavioral Interview Questions

There are many tried-and-true methods to answer behavioral interview questions. One thing these methods have in common is that they tell a full story of how a candidate navigated a specific situation start to finish. When answering, be sure to connect the dots back to the role that you're interviewing for.

The STAR method

STAR stands for:

• S: The situation
• T: The task that needed to be accomplished
• A: The action taken
• R: The results obtained

The CAR method

CAR stands for:

• Context
• Action
• Result

The ADD method

ADD stands for:

• Answer: A one-sentence statement that answers the question
• Detailed example: A detailed example of how you've previously put that answer into action
• Describe the relevance: An explanation of how that example relates to the question

4. Examples Of Behavioral Interview Questions

In a LinkedIn Learning course, Staffing and Recruiting Trainer Barbara Bruno shared her go-to behavioral interview questions. These are common questions candidates can expect to encounter.

• Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
• Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks.
• Give me an example of a time when something you tried to accomplish failed.
• Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgement and logic to solve a problem.
• Tell me about a time when you had to work under pressure or extreme conditions.
• Tell me about your best/worst team experience and your role in it.
• Give an example of a difficult situation you’ve faced and how you handled it.
• Have you ever had a disagreement with a co-worker or boss? How did you handle it?
• Give two examples of things you’ve done in previous jobs that demonstrates your willingness to work hard.
• Some people consider themselves to be “big picture people” and others are detail-oriented. Which are you? Can you provide an example that illustrates your preference?

Frequently Asked Questions About Behavioral Interview Questions

• What are behavioral interview questions designed to uncover? They aim to reveal how a candidate acted in past work situations, giving employers insight into problem-solving skills, adaptability and team dynamics.
• How should candidates prepare for behavioral questions? Identify key competencies from the job description and create short stories that demonstrate those skills. Practice until your delivery feels natural and confident.
• What is the STAR method for answering interview questions? STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result. It helps candidates structure answers by outlining the context, explaining what was required, detailing steps taken and sharing the outcome.