Behavior based - Interview Questions

As companies attempt to make the hiring process less intuitive and more objective, hiring managers are increasingly implementing standardized methods for interviewing candidates. One common technique is called structured behavioral interviewing, which many HR experts believe can help managers more accurately gauge a candidate's potential for success in a job.

What should you expect in a behavioral interview? Well, lots of questions that you may not have anticipated. Here are 25 common behavioral questions (OK, statements) that you should prepare for in advance of your next job interview.

Tell me about a time when you . . .

1. Worked effectively under pressure.
2. Handled a difficult situation with a co-worker.
3. Were creative in solving a problem.
4. Missed an obvious solution to a problem.
5. Were unable to complete a project on time.
6. Persuaded team members to do things your way.
7. Wrote a report that was well received.
8. Anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures.
9. Had to make an important decision with limited facts.
10. Were forced to make an unpopular decision.
11. Had to adapt to a difficult situation.
12. Were tolerant of an opinion that was different from yours.
13. Were disappointed in your behavior.
14. Used your political savvy to push a program through that you really believed in.
15. Had to deal with an irate customer.
16. Delegated a project effectively.
17. Surmounted a major obstacle.
18. Set your sights too high (or too low).
19. Prioritized the elements of a complicated project.
20. Got bogged down in details of a project.
21. Lost (or won) an important contract.
22. Made a bad decision.
23. Had to fire a friend.
24. Hired (or fired) the wrong person.
25. Turned down a good job.

Republished courtesy of Right Management.