How to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions (With Examples)

How would you respond if a third-party company asked for intel about your company? This is an example of a behavioral interview question. Behavioral interview questions are a common part of any interview and are asked to assess a candidate’s behavior about a role. Like competency-based questions, behavioral questions can be addressed best with the S.T.A.R. technique. This blog post will examine behavioral interview questions and provide examples to help you make the most out of your interview.

What are behavioral interview questions?

Behavioral or situational interview questions aim to understand how you reacted to a situation or would react to a hypothetical one. But how do behavioral questions differ from competency-based? Behavioral questions aim to go beyond skills, talent, and experience and learn more about your personality.

Behavioral interview question examples

As we have already mentioned, the key to nailing these types of questions is having the S.T.A.R. technique in mind. With this guide, you will be able to use this technique and prepare your answers effectively. Let us see some examples:

1) If you didn’t know what to do for a task, how would you handle it?

As a warm-up, let us see a question that refers to your willingness to seek help. So, you don’t know what to do (Situation), but you have to do it (Task). Your answer should focus on the Action you would take to achieve the desired result.

Example Answer:

“I would ask. There is no shame in not understanding something. I would prefer to ask my manager again and again until I feel confident that I understand the task, rather than spend time in doing what I think — but not sure — is right.”

2) What would you do if you discovered that a colleague was breaking the code of conduct?

This question is about you respecting an organization’s policy. Companies seek people with similar values and mindsets. When it comes to this question, however, the safest answer is to report the action immediately. For this answer, the Situation has already been given; therefore, you have to set the Task, Action, and Result. 

Example Answer:

“I respect the company’s code of conduct, recognize its importance for a healthy workplace, and I would do what is needed to preserve it. Even if I wasn’t sure that this action was breaking the company’s code, I would first ask and then report the action.”

3) A colleague has made a mistake at work that doesn’t break the code of conduct, but as far as you’re aware, only you have spotted it. What do you do?

Now, this is a question that focuses on your response to errors. At this point, you should think about what actions need to be reported and what situations could be managed simply by giving a hand. Again, you have the Situation, and your thought process (Task) and Actions are missing to achieve the desired result.

Example Answer:

“Some of my core values are that nobody is perfect and we are all part of the same team. With these in mind, if I spot a mistake, I will kindly address it to the person who made it, and of course, offer my help. At least, this is how I want others to treat me.”

4) What would you do if you see that you can’t achieve your KPIs?

A win is easy to deal with, but a lost game is not. This question examines your resilience, winning mindset, and willingness to identify solutions and bring results. In either case, the trick here is to think like you are the employer. Structure your answer and ask yourself if you would hire yourself based on that answer.

Example Answer:

“If I saw that I wasn’t able to achieve my KPIs, I would, first of all, try to identify the problem. Then, I would state the case to my manager, along with some proposals. For example, if I felt I lacked knowledge about the subject, I would research and recommend some courses to strengthen my skills. At the same time, I would listen carefully to my manager’s suggestions and seek advice from my colleagues in similar job positions. I won’t stop until the matter is resolved.”

5) Your manager takes a call that you feel is not the right one. What do you do?

Sometimes it is hard to accept that you do not make the final call. Furthermore, the feeling that this is not the right call could be really itchy. So what would you do? Would you let it be or state your concerns? Remember, there is no correct answer, and you should reply with what suits your personality best.

Example Answer:

“First of all, I would try to identify why I feel this way. Is it because my suggestion wasn’t preferred, or because I have the hunch that something is not right? If it is the former, I would try to overcome it and trust in my manager. However, if I had a hunch, I would hunt it to find what was wrong, and then I would address it to my manager. In any case, I want what is best for the team.”

6) What would you do to increase the revenue of our company?

Now that’s a tricky one. This question asks if you have researched the company and how you would add value if hired. This is one of the most important questions in an interview, and you should be ready to answer it. We would be happy to speak with you before your interview to help you find an effective answer to this question. 

Example: “As an expert in SEO optimization, I have spotted some flaws in your website that would achieve a better conversion rate, if changed. Additionally, my 8-year experience as a Marketer has taught me various practices that bring quick changes. I could share with you some specific examples if you’d like.”

Behavioral interview questions are a great way to showcase your personality and impress interviewers. However, we would strongly recommend being yourself and answering honestly. Just like people, companies have different personalities and seek different things in a candidate. It is best to find a workplace where your code of conduct and way of thinking is strongly aligned with the company. And before you go, just a friendly reminder, we are here to help, so feel free to schedule a call with our team of experts.