30 Behavioral Interview Questions to Ask Candidates (With Answers)

Humans are slightly chaotic creatures. One day, we make it a point to say “Hi” to every co-worker and be the center of the workplace chat. Another, we put on a gloomy face, can’t focus on our tasks, and don’t bother answering an important email. 

Behind that chaos hides a lot of internal and external drivers, from our personality traits to situational context. Behavioral job interview questions help hiring managers better understand each candidate’s thought process and the reasons why they might act a certain way on any given day.

While we don’t think interviews are the most important stage in the hiring workflow (we’re big on skills-based hiring), asking behavioral interview questions is a good way to understand candidates’ strengths, weaknesses, and personality quirks.

TL; DR — Key Takeaways

• Common behavioral interview questions help HR teams develop a better picture of candidates’ on-the-job behaviors. But behavioral interview questions alone won’t provide an accurate assessment of a candidate’s skills and ability to succeed in their role.
• Common behavioral interview questions assess teamwork, adaptability, motivation, self-management, leadership, and general culture fit.
• Since they’re so subjective, hiring managers need to have a clear understanding of what a “good” candidate answer is and why.
• Candidates also benefit from behavioral interview questions. Sample questions are essential for interview prep and also assess how skills and personalities align with a potential employer.
• The STAR method helps candidates present clear, concise, and structured examples of their skills and experiences (it’s also a great tip for candidates practicing answering these types of questions!).
• HR teams can use hiring software and skills-based assessments alongside behavioral interview questions to reduce unconscious bias, improve quality of hire, and ensure a consistent interview process for all candidates.

What are behavioral interview questions?

Behavioral interview questions help a hiring manager or recruiter understand how potential candidates think and act. They provide insight into the candidate’s thinking process, problem-solving abilities, leadership potential, and personality. 

You can easily recognize behavioral interview questions from the way they’re phrased:

• Give me an example of…
• Tell me about a time when…
• Talk about a time when…
• Describe a time when…
• Can you share an example of a situation when…
• What did you do when…

Asking behavioral interview questions also helps determine whether a candidate will be a good fit for the team. After all, people quit “bad companies” all the time. 29% of workers have left a job within the first 90 days, and 38% of talent expect to quit at some point next year.

A behavioral interview helps pre-screen for bad hires — people who may have the right hard skills but miss the mark in terms of soft skills and character attributes.

Situational vs. personality vs. behavioral interview questions

Wait a second, though. The interview toolbox also features situational and personality questions. People often mix these categories up, so it’s worth clarifying how they differ.

Personality questions prompt candidates to reveal more about their temperament and personal attitudes. For example, “Are you more of an introvert or an extravert?” These questions give HR teams a sense of the candidate’s character and interpersonal skills. Meanwhile, they allow applicants to demonstrate how they will fit into a new company culture.

Situational questions focus on specific situations. For example, “Describe how you would deal with a team member who is good at their job but difficult to deal with.” These questions help hiring managers understand how a candidate will handle conflict and adapt to challenging situations on the fly.

For candidates, situational questions showcase qualities that aren’t on your resume. You can demonstrate your ability to shine in a specific situation — not just on paper or in skills test data.

Why ask behavioral questions in an interview?

While you do need to mix up your approach, behavioral interview questions play a special role (and are maybe the most valuable of the three question types). Here’s why.

Behavioral interview questions build a better picture of candidates’ on-the-job behavior. Questions relate personality traits and motivations to the situations when the behavior occurs. The result? A better match-up between what candidates bring to the table and what companies need to succeed.

That’s not all. Behavioral questions help job seekers prepare for interviews and determine whether they are a good fit for the company culture. Applicants should expect questions about how they handled a tight deadline or conflict resolution. Think about how you behaved in those situations, and what it says about you as an employee.

45 great behavioral interview questions

With those benefits in mind, it’s time to explore some sample behavioral interview questions.

Before browsing the list, remember HR teams need a well-rounded impression of each candidate to truly evaluate and compare them. That’s why we recommend asking behavioral job interview questions related to teamwork, adaptability, motivation, self-management, leadership, and general culture fit. 

Applicants should also think about how they might approach each category. Anticipate questions on leadership skills and communication, and relate them to your behavioral traits.

Teamwork questions

1. Give an example of a time when you had to work with someone with a personality that was very different from yours.

What to look for in a great answer: Five generations are present in the workplace — not to mention multiple nationalities and personality types. Candidates must handle interactions with diverse teams. 

When answering behavioral interview questions like these, candidates should display cultural awareness, absence of -isms, and a general openness to different perspectives, management styles, and character traits. 

Sample answer: “I once managed two senior employees who were used to top-bottom, directive leadership. I’m more of a servant leader. I had private talks with both, explaining I wanted them to take more initiative in decision-making, as I respected their judgment and trusted their expertise. They became two autonomous team members who excelled in their work and positively challenged my thinking.” 

2. Have you ever had to motivate team members who weren’t inspired to do their work, and how did you motivate them?

What to look for in a great answer: Honesty and specific examples. A mature team manager can candidly admit problems with employee engagement (globally, only 23% of workers are actively engaged). Moreover, they can name several strategies they’ve tried, plus share the results. 

Sample answer: “Before the annual review, I noticed one of my best sales managers was 40% below her KPIs. I scheduled a Zoom to discuss an upcoming client demo but wanted to learn how she’d been doing. It turned out she was experiencing family issues. I insisted she take more work-from-home days and negotiate a better family insurance plan. Soon, Yuan was back at her peak and secured one of our biggest accounts.”

3. Give me an example of a time you faced a conflict with a coworker. How did you handle that?

What to look for in a great answer: Communication questions like this reveal high emotional intelligence (aka acknowledgment of both personal shortcomings and the actions of others). Almost two-thirds of employees deal with a conflict at work, but far fewer do so successfully. Impressive respondents show they can diffuse a difficult situation with ease.   

Sample answer: “Last year, a new data scientist joined our research team. They are very talented, but made many passive-aggressive remarks about constructive feedback. I was annoyed at first, but realized Jay might be feeling slightly insecure as the youngest hire. In a private chat, I casually talked about how great it is to have them on the team and how valuable their recent analytics have been for an MVP.”

4. Describe the best partner or supervisor you’ve worked with. What was your favorite part of their management style?

What to look for in a great answer: Concrete examples of specific practices and/or personality traits the candidate values in a team member. The ability to describe a preferred management style indicates high self-awareness. These people know how to leverage their strengths and weaknesses to guide, coach, and motivate colleagues in their daily work.

Sample answer: “I prefer companies with flat hierarchies and a democratic leadership style. In my last job, I had an amazing Design Lead who was candid and gave great feedback. Rather than instructing you what to do, Luan challenged you to solve problems while always offering extra resources to help you succeed.”

5. Explain some of your favorite parts of working as a team.

What to look for in a great answer: Some teams are more result-oriented and competitive, while others are more analytical and methodical. When evaluating responses, use specific characteristics the candidate mentions to assess how they manage group dynamics. Candidates should understand the dynamics of the team they are joining and show they have the right approach to succeed.

Sample answer: “I loved being part of the Customer Success team at Acme because I could work without close supervision (aka no micromanagement) and easily get support from my colleagues. For example, when I didn’t know how to calculate progressive customer discounts properly.”

6. Can you describe your process for getting information from unresponsive coworkers?

What to look for in a great answer: Strong communication skills are vital. Many teams are understaffed and overworked. Good employees can follow up with their colleagues tactfully, even if the request is urgent, while also demonstrating creative problem-solving skills. 

Sample answer: “Once, three hiring managers got sick just before a campus recruiting event. I asked our IT service manager to help me gain access to Marta’s email (with her knowledge) to access important event documents. When another interviewer returned from the hospital three days later, we also had a quick call to finalize our marketing materials, which I worked on with the designer. Fortunately, they were well-briefed and knew all the deets.”

7. Have you acted as a mentor for a co-worker? How did you approach the challenge?

What to look for in a great answer: Candidates should mention how they assessed the mentee’s needs before providing guidance. A little enthusiasm about the value of mentoring goes a long way, too!

Sample answer: “I recently mentored a junior teammate struggling with project prioritization. I built trust through one-on-one conversations and guided them with actionable frameworks and regular feedback. Seeing colleagues build confidence and efficiency is always incredibly rewarding.”

8. How do you handle situations where team members aren’t fulfilling their duties?

What to look for in a great answer: Candidates should demonstrate an ability to handle productivity dips with diplomacy and empathy while focusing on team goals. They must also show how to maintain performance levels and find solutions for different team members.

Sample answer: “When team members lag, I act promptly. I use one-on-one meetups to understand obstacles, whether workload, clarity, or motivation. We focus on solutions — reassigning tasks, building knowledge, or setting clearer expectations. I emphasize accountability but support colleagues to feel equipped to meet team goals.”

9. Give an example of how you worked with colleagues to solve a challenging problem.

What to look for in a great answer: Candidates should present a specific workplace problem and describe how they (and their team) overcame it. Good answers also mention teamwork, collaboration, and harnessing diverse skills to achieve better results.

Sample answer: “Recently, I faced a tight product launch deadline. I enabled cross-departmental collaboration by aligning marketing, engineering, and sales teams. Daily standups resolved conflicts quickly, and we focused on critical goals, delivering a seamless launch that exceeded expectations.”

Adaptability questions

10. Describe a situation in which you embraced a new system, process, technology, or idea at work that was way different from your usual way of doing things.

What to look for in a great answer: Enthusiasm for exploring new things and affinity towards self-development. Job descriptions have evolved greatly for many roles, but about 56% of the core skills, such as analytical and creative thinking, remain in universal demand. Shortlist people with strong meta-skills, as they’re indicators of employees with high development potential and openness to new knowledge. 

Sample answer: “Last year, our firm adopted Power BI for financial analytics. Although I’m an avid Excel user and familiar with MATLAB, at first the app felt foreign to me. So, I asked Inès, our business analyst, to show me the ropes, and she helped me figure out how to use all the features.” 

11. Describe a time when you had to think on your feet.

What to look for in a great answer: Strong answers walk through the thought process for solving an urgent problem. They prove the candidate can handle difficult situations when the clock is ticking. Answers showing decisiveness and effectiveness indicate people with high confidence, competence, and leadership potential.   

Sample answer: “In one stressful situation, our team detected a possible data leak from a cloud bucket. It wasn’t 100% confirmed, but our policies require us to notify clients and managers. To avoid crying wolf, I re-checked our log data for evidence of a breach. I found a misconfiguration in the settings, but the data leak wasn’t public. We fixed everything quickly, and I notified the CTO about the incident.” 

12. Describe a time when you were asked to do something you had never done before. How did you react, and what did you learn?

What to look for in a great answer: A STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) answer provides ample details about how the candidate mastered a new task, including concrete steps and takeaways from this new project. A great response will talk about how their actions benefitted the company.

Sample answer: “In my first job, I was asked to use keyword analysis to identify new content clusters. I watched an Ahrefs tutorial on YouTube and read a few guides. Next, I ran the analysis twice, building my initial file and sharing it with my manager. She was pleased but noticed several gaps and overlaps in my research. I refined the list based on the feedback. The result was a 25% increase in organic traffic.”

13. Tell me about a time you failed. How did you deal with the situation?

What to look for in a great answer: The ability to candidly talk about mishaps, mistakes, and derailed projects. Things don’t go as planned all the time. What separates great employees from mediocre ones is the ability to self-reflect on what went wrong, acknowledging personal responsibility and external factors like corporate inertia or limited budgets. 

Sample answer: “We had a long-term project of migrating 20+ sensitive on-premises databases to cloud storage. Everything had to comply with zero-trust architecture principles but we overlooked one compliance requirement and didn’t correctly configure the cloud instance. I admitted this mistake during a meeting, but the situation led to us creating a tech document of all correct configs to ensure standardization and compliance.” 

14. Describe a time when you had to adjust your approach to complete a task successfully.

What to look for in a great answer: Flexibility and creative problem-solving skills. In today’s workplace, no job description is rigid. Behavioral interview questions gauge the worker’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances and think on their feet. 

Sample answer: “Last year, our CFO left on short notice, and everyone on the finance team had to assume some of her duties. I had to prepare and submit a financial disclosure report on our sustainability activities. I researched official reporting standards, checked past reports, and teamed up with another colleague, who assisted the CFO previously. Together, we figured everything out and met the deadline.” 

15. Describe a time when you felt intense pressure to deliver. How did you adapt to stay productive and avoid burnout?

What to look for in a great answer: Resilience is important, but look for more than toughness in candidate responses. Great answers talk about self-care and discussing issues with managers. Candidates show they can meet goals without damaging their mental or physical health.

Sample answer: “During an app roll-out, tight deadlines and shifting priorities created intense pressure. Needing a plan, I triaged tasks daily, delegated effectively, and scheduled short breaks to recharge. Staying focused and rallying the team ensured we met the deadline without sacrificing quality — or sanity.”

16. Have you needed to switch between remote and office-based work? How did you respond?

What to look for in a great answer: Good answers discuss challenges arising from hybrid work and how candidates used problem-solving skills to overcome them. This question also probes the candidate’s ability to collaborate and communicate remotely — a really important modern-day business skill.

Sample answer: “Yes, since the pandemic, I’ve seamlessly navigated between remote and office-based work. Clear communication helps, alongside tools adapted for collaboration and team alignment. For example, transitioning during a global CRM launch, I maintained productivity by prioritizing flexible schedules and hybrid touchpoints.”

17. How do you stay motivated when taking on a new project or task?

What to look for in a great answer: Self-aware people are easier to manage and coach to ensure their high engagement. Great answers consider internal and external motivating factors.

Sample answer: “I’m excited about trying new things as it’s always a great learning opportunity. While the initial learning curve can be steep, I try to keep my eyes on the prize — a good outcome that awaits when I’m finished with the project or task.” 

Motivation and values questions

18. What’s your proudest professional accomplishment, and why?

What to look for in a great answer: Sample answers range from specific business outcomes (e.g., hitting the quarterly goal early) to personal achievements like mastering a new skill, giving a major public presentation, or launching a community initiative. 

Sample answer: “Reducing new customer churn levels by 20% in Q1 2023 by launching a cheaper pricing tier and additional features. It was hard to ‘sell’ the idea of lowering our price to the company executives, but I built a case that retaining users on a cheaper offering vs. losing them to competition is better.”

19. Describe a situation in a previous role you’d had that you wished you’d handled differently.

What to look for in a great answer: This behavioral interview question warrants a sincere retrospective about a past shortcoming (and learnings) from the situation. Great answers admit the mishap and calmly explain how the candidate should have acted instead. 

Sample answer: “I once had a difficult decision of laying off ten people from the team. In hindsight, I should have negotiated more with the upper management about keeping at least half the people on the payroll or pushed their transfer to another department.”  

20. Give an example of a time when you set a goal for yourself (professional or personal) and achieved it.

What to look for in a great answer: Strong answers describe specific goal-setting frameworks and a walkthrough of the candidate’s actions. Good managers don’t set moonshot goals. They go for a to-do list of atomic and achievable objectives, which build towards the ultimate goal. 

Sample answer: “I use SMART goals, like ‘Increase newsletter open rates by at least 20% and CTR by 25% in the next six months for our segmented repeat buyers mailing list.’ To accomplish this, I audited past emails with high open rates and reverse-engineered some of the practices. In six months, the average open rate grew from 20% to 35%, and CTR increased from 10% to 15%.” 

21. Tell me about a skill you recently learned.

What to look for in a great answer: The best answers mention in-demand skills for the role. They provide evidence of the candidate’s interest in their field and general acumen about new industry developments. Both are great qualities of a future-proof workforce. 

Sample answer: “This year, I’ve learned how to automate processes in Power Automate — a low-code platform. Now, instead of manually inputting invoice payment data, I get everything added, validated, and cross-checked with one click of a button. Saves me tons of hours per day!”

22. Have you ever changed your values or beliefs due to workplace experiences?

What to look for in a great answer: Strong candidates are open to growth and diversity. They welcome different perspectives and constantly integrate the insights of others into their worldviews. Too much confidence can be bad if employees close their minds to new approaches.

Sample answer: “I once valued strict hierarchy, feeling co-workers needed clarity. I shifted to prioritizing collaboration after seeing how team input improved project outcomes. Brainstorming sessions showed me innovation thrives when everyone’s voice matters, regardless of rank.”

23. How do you visualize and plan your personal development? Do you have goals in mind?

What to look for in a great answer: The ability to set and achieve goals is critical. Good answers show candidates have a trusted process to develop their skills towards a specific professional goal.

Sample answer: “Simple: planning and dedication. I visualize my development through quarterly goals aligned with company objectives and personal growth areas, tracked in a digital planner. I prioritize skills like team leadership and cross-functional collaboration, with monthly reviews.”

24. How do you expand your horizons and strive to become a more rounded and productive individual?

What to look for in a great answer: This question can trip up candidates. Bad answers waffle and lack detail. Great answers describe concrete strategies to upskill and enrich professional and personal lives.

Sample answer: “I never stand still, expanding my horizons via cross-functional projects, leadership workshops, and reading industry insights. Mentoring junior colleagues sharpens my skills, while volunteering fosters empathy. Both enrich my perspective and productivity.”

25. How do you handle roadblocks or obstacles?

What to look for in a great answer: Problem-oriented behavioral questions help you better evaluate the candidates’ cognitive abilities and analytical skills. Add some bonus points if the answer references the usage of data analytics for more informed decision-making.  

Sample answer: “Generally, I try to dig to the root cause of the blocker. Is it a people problem or a process problem? Do I lack the tech or the skills to overcome it? Once I have the data, I’d usually evaluate if I can resolve, circumnavigate, or ignore this to proceed with my goal.” 

26. Give an example of a time when you received criticism. How did you deal with criticism, and did you change your work as a result?

What to look for in a great answer: This question forces candidates to be honest, so look for frank, straight-down-the-line responses. Great answers demonstrate emotional maturity and the ability to learn. Candidates should welcome criticism if it allows them to grow.

Sample answer: “In a past role, a manager critiqued my handling of a customer complaint. At first, I was surprised, but he was right. I listened actively, apologized, and came back with solutions to improve my communication approach. After that, I provided much clearer explanations, which enhanced customer satisfaction and retention.”

Time management questions

27. How do you prioritize and organize your workload when juggling several projects at the same time?

What to look for in a great answer: Strong self-management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks on a to-do list to meet the deadlines. They can launch into focus mode, using different tools and frameworks to deliver on different expectations. 

Sample answer: “I’m a Gantt chart person and love visual timelines. I break down each project by task or stage, then stack these on my work timeline. I use Toggl Track to track my personal productivity, so I can estimate how much time different stages will take to complete to avoid overlaps.” 

28. Give an example of a time when you delegated an important task successfully.

What to look for in a great answer: A good understanding of when extra help is warranted. Delegation is a key skill for a good manager. A good response shares examples of effective task hand-overs and parallelization, coupled with the ability to oversee and manage others’ work.

Sample answer: “Last quarter, my entire team was overwhelmed when preparing for Black Friday sales. We couldn’t shoot all the planned media content based on the pre-planned schedule. Having realized that, I recruited several influencers (with whom we partnered before) to create brand content for our Instagram and TikTok, while the in-house team focused on site visuals and YouTube videos.”

29. Tell me about a project that you planned. How did you organize and schedule the tasks?

What to look for in a great answer: Answers will differ depending on the role. For example, a senior-level manager may describe specific project management frameworks (e.g., Scrum, Six Sigma, Kanban). In any case, successful candidates must demonstrate their ability to break down bigger projects into steps or stages and then effectively manage the commitments and time.  

Sample answer: “Personally, I like the 1-3-5 rule: I break down the big project I have into one major task for the day (e.g., design a new wireframe), three smaller tasks (e.g., review user research, check past references, and draft several comments), and five ancillary tasks like responding to emails, organizing meeting notes, etc.” 

30. Describe a time when a project went way off the rails. How did you get everything back on track?

What to look for in a great answer: Great candidates show they can handle the unpredictable. Answers demonstrate patience, perseverance, and imaginative problem-solving. People who stay calm and collected in difficult situations will positively add to any company culture. 

Sample answer: “I was in charge of organizing an Annual Gala Dinner. Four weeks before the event, the venue canceled us. My team phoned every contact with no luck, but I found a small private museum in a historical building. They don’t do events, but I persuaded them to accept us by increasing the price. We even saved on entertainment as the guests could browse the museum’s botanical collection.”

31. Tell me about a time when you didn’t meet a deadline and how you presented it to your team and supervisor.

What to look for in a great answer: This behavioral interview question forces candidates out of their comfort zones. However, it gives an interviewer a good idea of whether the person can openly discuss mistakes as learning opportunities. 

Sample answer: “The design team needed data from observational UX studies. However, due to the large number of participants, I was behind in completing the report. Having realized I needed at least two more days, I contacted the Team Lead and asked for a three-day extension.”

32. Give an example of a time when you were given too much work by a manager. How did you respond?

What to look for in a great answer: Great answers explain the importance of prioritizing work and self-managing employee time. Candidates should show they adapted to stressful situations, finding workable strategies without diluting quality.

Sample answer: “Recently, a manager assigned multiple urgent projects with overlapping deadlines. I immediately prioritized tasks, negotiated to delegate non-critical items, and kept open communication, ensuring I met expectations without sacrificing quality or excessive stress.”

33. Have you ever intervened to ask managers to reduce a struggling colleague’s workload?

What to look for in a great answer: This question demands a diplomatic and subtle answer. Good candidates prove they can cooperate with co-workers and managers to find solutions.

Sample answer: “Yes, I noticed my creative lead Liu was overwhelmed with tasks. I approached my departmental manager, suggesting we reassign some projects. We redistributed work, and the colleague’s creative performance and morale improved significantly.”

Leadership questions

34. Give me an example of a time when you successfully persuaded someone to see things your way at work.

What to look for in a great answer: People who can rewire old employee habits and remove process hurdles are rare gems. 73% of hiring managers admit their leaders and managers aren’t equipped to lead change. Great candidates give evidence of effective change management and drive successful transformation.

Sample answer: “My previous company used the waterfall method for project management, but it wasn’t effective. So, I decided to implement Agile project management processes, starting with an internal app development. After that went well, the management team was on board with a full switch, and I hired a great Scrum master to smooth the transition.” 

35. When was the last time you asked for direct feedback from a superior? Why?

What to look for in a great answer: Great leaders proactively seek one-on-one feedback from others. They realize that asking questions doesn’t make them appear less knowledgeable. On the contrary, regular feedback from superiors and peers helps make more informed decisions and ensure alignment with the wider company goals. 

Sample answer: “Recently, a key supplier increased prices, but consistently delayed shipments have affected our manufacturing capacities. I asked the department head for their opinion on the situation, presented the facts and the alternatives. He thanked me for bringing this up because he wasn’t aware of the problem, and we decided to change providers.”

36. What skills do you have that you think make you a great leader, and why?

What to look for in a great answer: Management styles vary. Good responses align with the workplace values and behaviors the company cultivates. To get this right, HR teams should ask the team or other managers about the preferred characteristics of a new hire. 

Sample answer: “In short, I’d say strong active listening skills, an analytical mindset, and strategic long-term thinking. I identify more as a visionary leader who inspires the team to go after moonshot projects, but always grounds my decisions in analytical data.” 

37. What was the hardest decision you have taken as a leader? What did you do to try and make the best decision?

What to look for in a great answer: Leaders face tough decisions daily, from changing the selected strategy to determining the best candidates for promotion. Great leaders know how to effectively execute change management and balance team dynamics to avoid confrontation or unmet expectations and ensure positive outcomes.

Sample answer: “Our blog was generating 50k visitors per month, but only attracted 50 total sign-ups. After consulting the customer success and product teams, I realized our content didn’t target the ideal ICPs. We created brand new keyword clusters, topic pillars, and editorial plans based on that data. Although our monthly traffic dropped 30%, product sign-ups increased by 45%.”

38. Have you ever had to lead a team in a completely new area of work? How did you adapt your leadership style?

What to look for in a great answer: Great answers are positive but honest (it’s not easy to master a new work area, after all.) Look for self-awareness and understanding of how to solve novel problems using previous work experience. Using data to measure progress is also a bonus.

Sample answer: “Yes, in my second major project I led a team through a software implementation with zero prior experience. I focused on clear communication, frequent check-ins, and fostering a collaborative, problem-solving mindset to harness the team’s skills, build confidence, and maintain momentum.”

39. How do you improve the leadership skills of others?

What to look for in a great answer: Look for robust examples of how interviewees have detected potential leaders and built their confidence. This question shows candidates possess empathy and want to improve the collective culture, not just their personal records.

Sample answer: “I upskill team members by taking a proactive approach — mentoring regularly, offering feedback, and using software engineering challenges to develop problem-solving leadership. I encourage autonomy, creating opportunities for them to lead projects, build confidence, and level up their decision-making skills.”

Culture fit questions

40. Describe what gives you energy in the workplace and what drains that energy.

What to look for in a great answer: This question helps companies find people whose expectations match what they have to offer. Great candidate responses align with company practices.

Sample answer: “I feel energized by smart, knowledgeable colleagues and creative challenges. I’m slightly competitive, so I like personal OKRs and team leaderboards. Things that drain me are excessive meetings with 10+ people where you have to listen in when you could be finishing more productive tasks.”

41. What’s the most interesting thing about you that’s not on your resume?

What to look for in a great answer: A good answer will reveal some extra (and unexpected) details about the candidate’s personality, values, morale, or professional aspirations. Humorous answers can be fine, too, as long as they’re appropriate and at least somehow related to the job.

Sample answer: “I could mention me winning the Corporate Karaoke contest last year…but instead, I’d probably add that I’m a leisure videographer and shoot travel content with one of your drone models. So, I’m quite familiar with your products.” 

42. How do you think coworkers perceive you? Is that accurate, and if not, why not?

What to look for in a great answer: A good sense of self-awareness about their personality and their abilities in impression management. As social creatures, we also often practice impression management. This question is a great way to assess how well the employee handles themselves in the work environment.

Sample answer: “I’m an introvert, so people perceive me as shy or distant at first. But once I warm up to you, I’d be really fun and bubbly. After they get to know me, coworkers usually say I’m a good listener, a great supporter, and naturally funny.” 

43. What’s most important to you in a job?

What to look for in a great answer: Different factors drive employee engagement and retention. For some, it’s a transparent career path with regular bonuses. For others — flexible working hours and the ability to make a good impact on society. The values of a good candidate match those of the company they want to work for.

Sample answer: “Three things: A good degree of autonomy and support for the project I lead from the superior, lean, optimized processes, and regular performance reviews. I thrive when I get regular feedback and financial incentives if I go beyond the set KPIs.”

44. Have you ever tried to reshape your company culture?

What to look for in a great answer: Look for instances where candidates took a strategic view of improving their company culture while remaining aligned with business needs. Strong answers show an ability to make their case, build support, and maintain changes over the long term.

Sample answer: “Always. For example, in my last post, I led an initiative to boost collaboration by hosting cross-team brainstorming sessions and leveraging social media for real-time feedback. Engaged stakeholders early, driving transparency and fostering a more agile, inclusive company culture.”

45. How do you detect and handle cultural problems before they damage professional relationships?

What to look for in a great answer: Good answers show a proactive approach to analyzing cultural problems, an appreciation of great communication skills, and the ability to detect subtle evidence of problems early on.

Sample answer: “I spot cultural issues by staying attuned to team dynamics and fostering open dialogue. Past experiences have taught me that miscommunication can snowball, so I address concerns early, clarify expectations, and promote inclusivity.”

How to crush a behavioral interview as a candidate

Behavioral interview questions help candidates explore their past behavior and personal skills or traits. This makes them an ideal foundation for interview prep from both sides of the table.

Even so, there are ways to get more from behavioral questions and set yourself up to succeed. Here are some tips drawn from our interview experiences.

• Connect practice questions with your target role: Build a shortlist of common behavioral interview questions relating to your future role. For instance, focus on communications if you’re applying for a customer-facing role. Read the job description and choose 3-4 core behaviors. Focus on them as you workshop responses.
• Always be specific: Notice many of the sample responses above include examples based on real-life experience. Brainstorm a few past situations relating to your behavior shortlist and be prepared to discuss them. This is where the STAR approach shines (see below for more about how to apply it).
• Research the company culture: One purpose of behavioral questions is to determine cultural fit. Outpace the pack by reading the employee handbook, watching YouTube content, and following potential colleagues on social media. Small details could tell interviewers you are the perfect match.
• Think about your personal narrative: Behavioral interviews are about storytelling—about who you are and what you bring to the workplace. Come armed with a narrative about your past achievements, current skills, and how you see your future.
• Relax and answer the question: Listening and adapting on the fly are critical traits in exceptional employees. Interviewers want answers to specific questions, not memorized responses. Prepare thoroughly, take a deep breath, and be yourself. Your answers will be so much more powerful as a result.

Tips for assessing common behavioral interview questions

Due to their difficulty and subjectivity, some candidates may struggle with answering behavioral interview questions. Don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions until they’re comfortable with their answers.

Though a behavioral interview question cannot accurately predict a candidate’s future performance alone, it will, at least, give the hiring manager an overview of the applicant’s preferred approach to important factors such as communication style, how they might handle a difficult client, etc.

Here are a few tips to help uncover a candidate’s true potential while minimizing unconscious bias.

✅ Use the STAR method when interviewing

The STAR method is an effective interviewing technique that stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Asking candidates to frame their responses using this method allows them to present clear, concise, and structured examples of their skills and experiences.

The STAR method enhances the quality of responses and provides a consistent basis for assessing all candidates, thereby promoting fairness in the interview process.

✅ Beware of canned or hypothetical responses

Canned or hypothetical responses, such as “I always meet deadlines,” can mask a candidate’s true abilities. They lack the depth and specificity that genuine experiences provide.

It’s essential to probe further when you encounter such answers to ensure authenticity. Identifying canned responses involves keen listening and critical questioning. Addressing them effectively might mean asking for more examples or rephrasing the question to elicit more detailed responses.

✅ Assess emotional responses

Emotional responses explore a candidate’s problem-solving skills, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. Questions like “Explain a time when you faced a significant challenge at work” can trigger such responses.

When assessing these, it’s crucial to remain objective and fair. Look for signs of resilience and empathy and how they manage stress or conflict. Remember, the goal isn’t to evoke discomfort but to understand their emotional maturity and capacity to handle work-related situations.

Ask the right questions with Toggl Hire

Behavioral interview questions reveal a candidate’s true abilities. However, it’s important to remember that face-to-face interviews can sometimes be influenced by unconscious biases.

Toggl Hire helps you ask the right questions and ensure a fair hiring process (and great hires!). Our skills tests offer a fair and efficient way to pre-screen candidates with the right questions before they reach the interview stage.

Ready to revolutionize your hiring process? See it in action by checking out our critical thinking skills test, or browse our entire skills test library.