ANSWERING BEHAVIOURAL
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS EFFECTIVELY
EXAMPLE BEHAVIOURAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
WHAT ARE BEHAVIOURAL Below is a list of commonly asked behavioural interview questions which highlight specific
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS? competencies and behavioural traits in the workplace.
Initiative
Behavioural interview questions discover • Tell me about any ideas or processes that you have implemented in your current job.
how you handled specific situations in • Have you ever suggested a new way to improve your team/project’s performance?
the past and indicate how you may
perform in the future. Problem Solving
• Tell me about a complex problem you have solved. Walk me through the process you took.
Follow the three steps below when • Tell me about a potential problem you have prevented from occurring.
preparing answers to behavioural
Leadership Skills
interview questions:
• How do you go about allocating work for your staff? Can you give me an example?
1. Review the key selection criteria • Tell me about a time when you have provided coaching to one of your staff.
• Tell me about a time when you have had staff members resist your leadership. What did
Take a close look at the skills that are
you do to overcome this?
needed to be successful in the role so
you can tailor your answers accordingly. Decision Making
The selection criteria can be found in • Tell me about a recent decision you have made in your role. Walk me through your
the job description or the job thought processes.
advertisement. • What is the most difficult decision you have made in your current role?
2. Prepare examples Team Skills
• Tell me about a time when you had to work with a team of people you did not know.
Relate your examples to the essential or
• Tell me about a specific situation where you were able to help out a team member
desired skills in the selection criteria. We or colleague.
recommend preparing your answers
using the STAR structure. This structure Project Management
allows you to provide concise, well • Tell me about a project you have managed recently. Walk me through your planning and
structured responses and helps you tracking process.
avoid drifting off-track. • Tell me about a project you managed that didn’t go to plan.
Analysis Skills
SITUATION - what was the context?
• Tell me about a project where you were asked to gather and evaluate complex information.
TASK - what did you need to do?
• Tell me about a time when you were asked to make a recommendation based on
ACTION - what were the steps you took?
statistical information.
RESULT - what happened?
Time Management
3. Practice responding to questions • Tell me about a specific situation when you managed conflicting priorities. What did you do?
The quality of your answer is often • Tell me about a time when the project you were working on seemed in danger of missing
related to the delivery of it. Practice a deadline. What did you do?
giving answers to behavioural questions Building Rapport
to ensure you speak clearly, do not rush • Tell me about a time when you have had to deal with a difficult customer/colleague.
and are as concise as possible. What happened? What was difficult about them?
Quick Learner
• Tell me about a time in your current role when you had to learn new skills quickly.
Negotiation Skills
• Tell me about a difficult negotiation that you had to handle.
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