25+ Behavioural Interview Questions & Answers

You have probably played “What if” games in school or college, but have you ever considered how they might help you land a job at the organisation of your dreams? When you attend a job interview, the interviewer will ask behavioural interview questions to gauge your personality and how you would approach the situation. These questions are not technical, they are entirely personal to you, and you can prepare for them in advance. Truth be told, you already know the solutions. Just the right stories need to be found, and they need a little polishing.

This is your go-to resource for answering behaviour-based interview questions, complete with sample responses to these frequently asked questions.

How to Answer Behavioural Interview Questions?

So how exactly do you respond to behavioural questions? It’s actually pretty simple.

• Identify the hard or soft skill or quality the interviewer wishes to learn more about.
• Choose an interesting story.
• Tell your story, focusing on the details that speak to the relevant skills.
• Summarise your response by describing how you usually handle situations similar to the one presented by the interviewer.

Also Read: How to Answer, ‘Why Should We Hire You?’

Top Behavioural Interview Questions and Sample Answers

For the convenience of job applicants, an individual can refer to the following sample questions and answers and ace their interviews.

How do you approach a problem? Tell me about a time when you had to overcome a challenge. 

You could say: “During my internship at the ABC organisation, I was assigned the task of implementing SEO in old blogs to increase traffic, and as a newbie, I was a little nervous. I dove right in to better understand the task and took a basic SEO course. Before putting the course into practice, I talked about it with my Team leader. I have never been one to give up!”

How did you react when you made a mistake recently?

You could say: “I once miscalculated the cost of a specific type of membership at the club where I worked. I went to my boss, who appreciated that I explained my error and that I was honest with him despite the possibility that it might cost me my job. He told me to suggest waiving the filing fee for the new member. Even though I made a mistake, the member joined the club, my manager was understanding, and despite the fact that I felt bad about my error, I did learn to pay close attention to details over time so that I could give accurate information.”

Also Read: How to Answer, ‘How Do You Prioritize Your Work?’

Give me an example of a time you managed numerous responsibilities. How did you handle that?

You could say: “Being a part of an early-stage startup meant I had to wear many different hats, which is almost cliché. I would be interviewing candidates one minute, speaking to potential customers the next, and then having a meeting with the co-founders to discuss the product. It frequently felt like getting whiplash when shifting so quickly. I came to the conclusion that the issue was more with the constant switching than with the actual juggling. To enable me to focus for several hours on repeated tasks, I started chunking my work. one block devoted to hiring. one block set aside for sales. for the product, one block. It became significantly easier to manage once I realised that the key to multitasking was to not multitask.”

Also Read: How to Answer, ‘How Did You Hear About This Position?’

Other Behavioural Interview Questions

There are several categories of behavioural questions for job applicants- Teamwork Questions, Communication Questions, Time Management Questions, and Adaptability Questions. Students and experienced professionals are advised to go through the following questions and be prepared to answer them in the upcoming job interviews. 

Teamwork Questions

You must collaborate with others in almost every job, so be ready to discuss your teamwork experiences. You should have a story that demonstrates your capacity to cooperate with others in trying situations. Consider handling project constraints, resolving team disputes, or inspiring others.

1. Give me an example of a time when you had to collaborate closely with someone whose personality was very different from your own.
2. Give me an example of a time when you had a disagreement with a coworker. How did you handle that?
3. Give an example of a time you had to take the initiative and show leadership.
4. Share a time when you wished you had handled a situation with a colleague differently after making a mistake.
5. Describe a situation where you needed information from someone, but they were not very responsive. What actions did you take? 

Also Read: Handle Tough Interview Questions With Ease

Communication Questions

As a result of how frequently you use your communication abilities, you probably have a wide variety of tales to choose from. Do not forget to discuss your planning or thought process while responding to the following behavioural interview questions.

1. Describe a time when you served as the local subject matter expert. How did you make sure that everybody could understand you?
2. Give me an instance of a time when you had to engage in a challenging conversation with an irritated customer or coworker. How did you handle the situation?
3. Give me an instance of a time when you were successful in convincing someone at work to accept your point of view.
4. Describe a presentation you gave that you think was well received and explain why.
5. Tell me about a time when you had to rely on written communication to get your ideas across.

Also Read: Networking Interview Questions

Time Management Questions

Prepare to discuss a specific instance when you had a few things on your plate, prioritised, scheduled, organised, and finished everything—preferably before the deadline—when the interviewer asks about time management.

1. Give an example of a long-term project you managed to finish. How did you manage to keep things moving?
2. Describe a time when you set a goal for yourself. How did you ensure that you would accomplish your goal?
3. Tell me about a time when a planned event was ruined by an unexpected problem. How did you recover?
4. Tell me about a time when you felt a little overwhelmed by your obligations. What did you do?
5. Describe a time when you handled many tasks at once. What was your approach to that?

Also Read: How to Crack a Personal Interview?

Adaptability Questions

Troubled times are finally useful! Consider a recent work crisis that you successfully navigated. Even if the outcome was less than ideal, look for a lesson or silver lining.

1. Describe a time when your team or company underwent a transition. How did that affect you, and how did you respond?
2. Tell me about a time when you were stressed at work or school. What happened, and how did you deal with it?
3. Tell me about your last job and how you settled in. What did you do to learn the ropes?
4. Tell me about a time when you failed. How did you handle the situation? 
5. Tell me about a time when you had to think quickly on your feet.

Also Read: Best Answers to “What are your Hobbies?”

What is the STAR method used during interviewing?

The STAR method is a well-known interview technique that can assist you in giving complete and convincing answers to behavioural interview questions. It stands for:

• Situation: a situation or test faced
• Task: the task, duty, or responsibility of an individual
• Action: the action one takes to overcome or resolve the issue
• Result: the outcome and results of the action taken

By using the STAR structure, you can frequently demonstrate how you approach issues and use your decision-making abilities to produce beneficial results.

Also Read: How to Ace an Online Interview?

Related Reads:-

Self-Introduction for Students	How to Introduce Yourself on a Company Website?	Self Introduction For A Job Interview
About Yourself Introduction for Interview	Tips for Friendly Self-Introduction	Self Introduction in Hindi

FAQs

Follow Leverage Edu for more interesting blogs and the best tips on interview preparation.