There are five main categories of interview questions: traditional/common questions, situational questions (hypothetical), technical questions (job/role-specific), case-based questions, and scenario-based, behavioural/competency-based questions.
Below are examples of behavioural interview questions, grouped under 16 key employment characteristics. The primary framework for answering these questions is SAR (Situation, Action and Result). We recommend that you think of at least two situations for each question, as recruiters sometimes ask for multiple examples.
Please note that the sample questions below may fall into more than one group.
- Time management
a) Tell us about the busiest time in your life and how you dealt with it.
b) Tell us about a time when you had to meet a very tight deadline and how you handled it.
c) Tell us about a time when you had too many things to do and you had to prioritize your tasks.
d) Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation and you demonstrated your coping skills.
e) Give me an example of a time when you were able to meet the personal and professional (or academic) demands in your life yet still maintained a healthy balance.
f) Our department is fast-paced. What experience do you have with working in a fast-paced environment? Do you anticipate any difficulties?
g) Describe a situation that demonstrates your ability to work under pressure.
h) Tell us about a time when you failed to meet a deadline.
i) Please share an example of how you asserted yourself in a high-pressure situation or an emergency.
j) Your supervisor has given you a rush assignment. The timing conflicts with that of another assignment given to you by your supervisor’s boss. How will you handle these assignments?
- Judgment
a) Tell us about a time when you were asked to execute a project or prepare a report but you were not given enough time or resources.
b) Describe a politically sensitive situation that you were in and how you handled it.
c) Give me an example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
- Risk
a) Tell us about a big professional risk you’ve taken.
b) Describe a significant risk you’ve taken that resulted in failure.
- Leadership
a) Tell me about a time when you demonstrated leadership.
b) Tell me about a time when you really believed in your idea, but your boss didn’t buy it. What did you do?
c) Give me an example of a time you showed initiative and took the lead.
- Project management
a) Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively.
b) Describe a time when you undertook a project that demanded a lot of initiative.
c) What do you do when you’re faced with an obstacle during an important project? Give an example.
d) Recall a time when you were assigned a complex project. What steps did you take to prepare for and execute the project? Were you happy with the outcome? What step would you do differently, if given the chance?
e) Tell me about a time when your project took an unexpected turn and how you handled that situation.
- Change management
a) Tell me about a time when you had to change your approach in the middle of a project or an assignment.
b) Describe two different situations in which you had to adjust quickly to changes over which you had no control. What did the change impact you?
c) Tell us about a change you brought about in your last role.
- Decision-making
a) Describe a time when you were in crisis. What was your role in it, and what did you do?
b) Tell me about a bad decision you made and what you learned from it.
c) Give me an example of a time when you had to make a split-second decision. Were you content or disappointed with the end result? How comfortable are you with making such quick decisions?
d) Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision. How did you overcome this?
e) Tell me about the most challenging problem you have faced in the last year.
f) Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem.
g) Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures.
h) Give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to solve a problem.
i) We can sometimes identify a small problem and fix it before it becomes a major problem. Give an example of a time when you did this.
j) Recall a time from your work experience when your manager or supervisor was unavailable and a problem arose. What was the nature of the problem? How did you handle that situation? How did that make you feel?
k) Give us an example of your ability to make decisions under pressure.
- Persuasion
a) Describe a situation in which you persuaded someone to see things your way.
b) Give me an example of a time when you had to conform to a policy you didn’t agree with.
c) Describe a situation in which you had a positive influence on the actions of others.
- Relationship management
a) Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or co-worker.
b) Tell me about a time when you built rapport with someone quickly under difficult conditions.
c) What, in your opinion, are the key ingredients in guiding and maintaining successful business relationships?
- Working with others/Teamwork
a) Tell me an example of a time when you had a conflict with your group members.
b) Give me an example of a time when you motivated others.
c) Tell me about a time when you successfully worked with a person you didn’t like, or a person who didn’t like you.
d) Tell us about a successful team you were part of. What was the team’s most outstanding characteristic? What did you contribute to the team?
e) Describe a time when you took leadership during a team project.
f) Tell us about a team project you worked on that couldn’t have been successful if attempted by an individual.
g) Have you ever worked on a team or with a boss whom you had difficulty getting along with? Tell me about that situation.
h) Tell us about the most difficult or frustrating individual you’ve ever had to work with, and how you managed to work with that person.
i) Tell me about a time when you worked with a colleague who was not doing his or her share. Who, if anyone, did you talk to about it? What steps, if any, were taken to correct your colleague? What was your role in this?
j) In a supervisory or group leader role, have you ever had to discipline or counsel an employee or a group member? If so, how did you prepare yourself? What steps did you take? How did that make you feel?
k) Some people work best as part of a group; others prefer to work on their own. How would you describe yourself?
l) Describe a situation in which you were required to work with people at various levels within your organization. How did you work effectively with these people?
- Analytical skills
a) Tell me an example of a time when you used your analytical skills to solve a problem.
b) Describe a project or situation that demonstrates your analytical abilities.
c) Tell us about your analytical skills. What steps do you take when analyzing a complex problem?
d) Tell us about a difficult problem that you analyzed. What was your recommendation?
e) Tell us about a situation where your analysis was incorrect. What should you have done differently?
f) Give us two examples of your ability to deal with details accurately.
- Communication skills
a) Tell me about a time when you used your presentation skills to influence someone’s opinion.
b) Describe a situation where you felt you had not communicated well. How did you correct the situation?
c) Describe a time when you had to use your written communication skills to get an important point across.
d) What is the most difficult question you’ve fielded during a public speaking engagement?
e) What is the most challenging presentation you’ve made? How well did you meet the challenge?
f) Tell us about the worst presentation you’ve ever made. What did you learn from that experience?
- Work style/Work ethic
a) Tell me an example of a time when you used creative thinking to add value.
b) Describe a situation in which you exceeded expectations.
c) Describe a time when you set your sights too high (or too low).
d) Describe a situation in which the results weren’t what you had expected.
e) Tell me about your biggest failure.
f) Tell me about your greatest success.
g) Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty to get a job done.
h) Give me an example of a time when something you tried to accomplish ultimately failed.
i) Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and achieved it.
j) Describe two examples of times when you were not very satisfied or pleased with your performance. What did you do about it?
k) Tell us about a time when your work was criticized. What did you do, or how did you handle it?
l) One of the requirements for this job is to be a self-starter. Give us an example of your ability to be a self-starter.
- Resourcefulness
a) Tell me about a time when you had to use your network to solve a problem.
b) Tell me about a situation where you used your outside contacts to advance your career or position.
c) Give two examples of things you’ve done in previous jobs (or at school) that demonstrate your willingness to work hard.
d) Describe a time when you took personal responsibility for a conflict and initiated contact with the individual(s) involved to explain your actions.
- Creativity
a) Describe a situation in your professional and/or academic experience in which you came up with a creative solution to a problem.
- Integrity
a) Tell us the last time you dealt with an ethical question on the job and how you handled the situation.
b) Tell us about a situation that exemplifies your integrity.
c) Tell us about a situation that illustrates how much your co-workers trust you, and an example of how much your supervisor trusts you.
d) Tell us about a time when you had to do something or make a decision in your career that was against your personal moral or ethical standards.
e) Describe a situation where you were honest and your honesty worked against you. What would you do differently?