4 Behavioral Interview Questions You Should Be Asking

Earlier today we dove deep into behavioral interview questions. In the post, career expert Leslye Schumacher explained what behavioral interview questions are, why they’re more effective than traditional interview questions, and how behavioral interview questions should be asked and answered within a job interview.

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(If you missed the post, you can read it here »)

Because we want you to ask (and answer) this type of question correctly, we thought it would be a good idea to share more examples of behavioral interview questions in action. With that being said, here are more examples from the expert:

If you’re looking for…

1. Someone who is organized, detail oriented, and prioritizes

Question to Ask: “Describe your system for planning and organizing your work.”

Good answer: “At the end of each day I go through my check list of what I need to accomplish tomorrow and then I enter each task into my calendar, then I….”

Vague answer: “Typically I will return emails, or phone messages, or go through a to-do list in my head.”

2. Someone who can lead and inspire others

Question to Ask: “Do you motivate others? When have you done this?”

Good answer: “My co-worker Debbie was in a slump because she missed goal two months in a row. So, I told her one day that we were going out prospecting for new clients together because I knew she needed to build her confidence back up. So we….and then…”

Vague answer: “I love motivating people. I’m always energetic and pumping people up so that they feel good. People tell me that my enthusiasm is infectious”

3. Someone who is competitive and goal focused

Question to Ask: “Have you found yourself in a situation where you tried really hard but couldn’t achieve a goal you wanted? Why did this happen and what did you do?”

Good answer: “In my last job I set a goal for myself that I would become a manager within one year. To do this I focused on….but I didn’t achieve it..so I…”

Vague answer: “I always achieve my goals” or “Sometimes I fall short but that just makes me more determined to succeed and achieve.”

4. Someone who is effective in persuasion

What to Ask: “When have you changed someone’s mind about what you believed was a great idea but he or she didn’t see it?”

Good answer:  “I came up with a solution for a client of mine who needed help with customer retention. I proposed…. and convinced him by…. and the result was….”

Vague answer:  “I continually have to change my clients’ minds about spending money. I get them to see it my way by showing them why it makes sense.”

What are your favorite behavioral interview questions? Let us know in the comments!

Read Part One: How to Use Behavioral Interview Questions to Identify the Best Candidates »


About the Expert

Leslye Schumacher is a Talent Analyst and Management Consultant with TalentQ Consulting. She works with companies and sales organizations to help them find, hire, coach and retain talented employees. She blogs about these topics at TalentBitsAndBytes, and you can learn more at www.TalentQConsulting.com


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Rachel Dotson is a former digital marketing manager and former blog contributor at ZipRecruiter. She is based in Venice, California.

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