research behavioral interviews

Everything You Need to Know About Answering Behavioral Interview Questions

Interviews can be high stakes. I get that. But bear with me here for a minute when I say this next thing: Some interview questions can actually be fun. And I don’t mean in the zany-but-realistically-kind-of-stressful “ How many golf balls will fit in a bus? ” kind of way. I mean that some interview questions are really just asking for a good story starring you as the main character.

Behavioral interview questions are non-technical, focused on you, and 100% something you can prep for in advance. You actually have the answers already. We just need to find the right stories and polish them up a bit.

Here’s your ultimate go-to guide for answering behavioral interview questions—including common behavioral questions you might hear and example answers.

What are behavioral interview questions?

Behavioral interview questions are questions or statements that ask job candidates to share examples of specific situations they’ve been in. Usually interviewers want to know about an experience where you had to use certain skills— soft skills especially—or had to navigate certain types of scenarios. (Read: It’s the “Tell me about a time when…” genre of questions .) 

Why do interviewers ask behavioral questions?

Interviewers like these questions because it can help them get a more realistic and nuanced sense of how you work. It’s a way for them to see what you’re capable of accomplishing based on your actual past professional performance. Think about it: What would convince you of someone’s ability to work on a team better—them saying they totally love working on a team or them telling a story that shows exactly how they worked on a team of five for several months to implement a website redesign for a major client?

30 common behavioral interview questions

As much as I wish I could tell you exactly which behavioral questions you’ll get, I sadly cannot. But this list will give you an idea of the types of questions you might be asked. As you read through, think of stories you can share in response to each subset of questions—they can often be tweaked on the spot to answer any variation an interviewer might throw at you.

Teamwork questions

Almost any job requires you to work with others, so be prepared to talk about your experiences as part of a team. You’ll want a story that illustrates your ability to work with others under challenging circumstances. Think resolving team conflicts, dealing with project constraints, or motivating others.

• Tell me about a time when you had to work closely with someone whose personality was very different from yours.
• Give me an example of a time you faced a conflict with a coworker. How did you handle that?
• Describe a time when you had to step up and demonstrate leadership skills.
• Tell me about a time you made a mistake and wish you’d handled a situation with a colleague differently.
• Tell me about a time you needed to get information from someone who wasn’t very responsive. What did you do?

Customer service questions

If you’d be working with clients, customers, or other external stakeholders in this role, definitely be ready for one or more of these. Be prepared with at least one story about a time you successfully represented your company or team and delivered exceptional customer service.

• Describe a time when it was especially important to make a good impression on a client. How did you go about doing so?
• Give me an example of a time when you didn’t meet a client’s expectation. What happened, and how did you attempt to rectify the situation?
• Tell me about a time when you made sure a customer was pleased with your service.
• Describe a time when you had to interact with a difficult client or customer. What was the situation, and how did you handle it?
• When you’re working with a large number of customers, it’s tricky to deliver excellent service to them all. How do you go about prioritizing your customers’ needs

Adaptability questions

Times of turmoil are finally good for something! Think of a recent work crisis you successfully navigated. Even if the outcome didn’t ideal, find a lesson or silver lining you took from the situation.

• Tell me about a time you were under a lot of pressure at work or at school. What was going on, and how did you get through it?
• Describe a time when your team or company was undergoing some change. How did that impact you, and how did you adapt?
• Tell me about settling into your last job. What did you do to learn the ropes?
• Give me an example of a time when you had to think on your feet.
• Tell me about a time you failed. How did you deal with the situation?

Time management questions

When an interviewer asks about time management , get ready to talk about a specific instance when you had a few things in the air, prioritized, scheduled, organized, and completed everything—preferably before the deadline.

• Give me an example of a time you managed numerous responsibilities. How did you handle that?
• Describe a long-term project that you kept on track. How did you keep everything moving?
• Tell me about a time your responsibilities got a little overwhelming. What did you do?
• Tell me about a time you set a goal for yourself. How did you go about ensuring that you would meet your objective?
• Tell me about a time an unexpected problem derailed your planning. How did you recover?

Communication questions

You use communication skills so regularly you’ll probably have plenty of stories to choose from. Just remember to talk about your thought process or preparation.

• Tell me about a time when you had to rely on written communication to get your ideas across.
• Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully persuade someone at work to see things your way.
• Describe a time when you were the resident technical expert. What did you do to make sure everyone was able to understand you?
• Give me an example of a time when you had to have a difficult conversation with a frustrated client or colleague. How did you handle the situation?
• Tell me about a successful presentation you gave and why you think it was a hit.

Motivation and values questions

A lot of seemingly random interview questions are actually attempts to learn more about what motivates you. Your response would ideally address values and motivations directly even if the question didn’t explicit ask about them.

• Tell me about your proudest professional accomplishment.
• Describe a time when you saw a problem and took the initiative to correct it.
• Tell me about a time when you worked under either extremely close supervision or extremely loose supervision. How did you handle that?
• Give me an example of a time you were able to be creative with your work. What was exciting or difficult about it?
• Tell me about a time you were dissatisfied in your role. What could have been done to make it better?

How to answer behavioral questions

So how do you go about actually answering behavioral questions? It’s actually pretty simple.

• Quickly identify the hard or soft skill or quality the interviewer is trying to learn more about.
• Choose a relevant story.
• Share your story while emphasizing the details that speak to the relevant skills.
• Sum up your answer with how you generally approach situations like the one the interviewer presented.

Example answers for top behavioral questions

Check out these example questions and answers to see our advice in action and get more specific tips on some of the most common behavioral questions.

1. Give me an example of a time you faced a conflict while working on a team. How did you handle that?

Ah, the conflict question. It’s as common as it is dreaded. Interviewers ask because they want to know how you’ll handle the inevitable: disagreements in the workplace. But you might be nervous because it’s hard to look good in a conflict even when you’re not in the wrong. The key to getting through this one is to focus less on the problem and more on the process of finding the solution.

For example, you might say:

“Funnily enough, last year I was part of a committee that put together a training on conflict intervention in the workplace and the amount of pushback we got for requiring attendance really put our training to the test. There was one senior staff member in particular who seemed adamant. It took some careful listening on my part to understand he felt like it wasn’t the best use of his time given the workload he was juggling. I made sure to acknowledge his concern. And then rather than pointing out that he himself had voted for the entire staff to undergo this training, I focused on his direct objection and explained how the training was meant to improve not just the culture of the company, but also the efficiency at which we operated—and that the goal was for the training to make everyone’s workload feel lighter. He did eventually attend and was there when I talked to the whole staff about identifying the root issue of a conflict and addressing that directly without bringing in other issues, which is how I aim to handle any disagreement in the workplace.”

2. Tell me about a time you needed to get information from someone who wasn’t very responsive. What did you do?

Hiring managers want people who can take initiative and solve problems . Many workplace problems boil down to a communication breakdown, which is what this question is getting at. Try not to get too bogged down in the nitty-gritty details of the story and make sure to finish with a clear lesson learned.

A good answer to this question might be:

“Back when I was just starting out as an assistant to a more senior recruiter, I once needed to book interview rooms for several different candidates with a few sessions each, all on the same day. The online system the company used to schedule conference rooms was straightforward enough, but the problem was that it allowed more senior people to bump me out of my reservations. I had to scramble to get them back. When I didn’t get responses to my emails, I literally ran around the office to find the people who took my rooms and explain why I needed them. It was stressful at the time, but it all worked out in the end. Most were happy to move to a different room or time to make sure the interviews went smoothly. I also met a bunch of people and earned early on that talking to someone in person when possible can often move things along more quickly than an email can.”

3. Describe a time when it was especially important to make a good impression on a client. How did you go about doing so?

A perfect answer to this question has an outstanding outcome and illustrates the process of getting to that result. But even if you only have a decent outcome to point to instead of a stellar one, spelling out the steps you took will get you a strong answer.

For instance:

“One of the most important times to make a good impression on a client is before they’re officially a client. When the sales team pulls me into meetings with potential clients, I know we’re close to sealing the deal and I do my best to help that along. That’s probably why I was chosen to represent the research team when we did a final presentation for what would become our biggest client win of the year. I spoke with everyone on the sales team who had met with them previously to learn as much as possible about what they might care about. The thing I do that sets me apart is that I don’t try to treat all the clients the same. I try to address their specific questions and concerns so that they know I did my homework and that I care enough to not just give the cookie-cutter answers. In this case, having the data pulled and ready for every question they had made all the difference in building their confidence in our company.”

4. Describe a time when your team or company was undergoing some change. How did that impact you, and how did you adapt?

Interviewers want to know how you handle organizational change. Your story doesn’t necessarily need to be about some massive company reorg, it could even be about a new system for sharing files. The key is to make sure you clearly describe the steps you took to adapt and then generalizing your experience.

So you might say:

“This past year my manager left and the company was unable to fill her position for several months. This completely upended the way our team operated since she’d been the one who made sure we were all on the same page. After a couple of weeks of missed deadlines and miscommunications on the team, I sheepishly suggested we do a quick daily check-in. It took no more than 10 minutes a day, but it helped us get back to working efficiently again and really reduced the frustrations that had started brewing. It helped me understand that adapting to change requires understanding the gaps a change creates and thinking creatively about how to fill them.”

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

For broad questions like this, it can be helpful to narrow the scope a bit. For a question about failure , you can do that by defining what it means to fail in your own words before sharing your example.

For example:

“As a team manager, I consider it a failure if I don’t know what’s going on with my staff and their work—basically if a problem catches me by surprise then I’ve failed somewhere along the way. Even if the outcome is ultimately fine, it means I’ve left a team member unsupported at some point. A recent example would be this training we do every year for new project managers. Because it’s an event that my team has run so many times, I didn’t think to check in and had no idea a scheduling conflict was brewing into a full-on turf war with another team. The resolution actually ended up being a quick and easy conversation at the leadership team meeting, but had I just asked about it sooner it would never have been a problem to begin with. I definitely learned my lesson about setting reminders to check in about major projects or events even if they’ve been done dozens of times before.”

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

Multitasking. It’s impossible and yet we’re all expected to do it. Your job is likely going to involve more than one responsibility and the hiring manager is going to want to know how you plan on juggling a number of tasks, projects, or deadlines.

You could say:

“This is almost a cliché, but being part of an early-stage startup meant I wore a lot of different hats. One second I was recruiting, the next I’d be in front of potential clients, and then I’d be meeting with the cofounders about the product. Switching gears so quickly often felt like getting whiplash. I realized that it wasn’t necessarily the juggling that was the problem, it was the constant switching back and forth. I started chunking my work so I could spend several hours focused on similar tasks. One block for recruiting. One block for sales. One block for product. Once I figured out the secret to multitasking was to not multitask, it got a lot more manageable.”

7. Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully persuade someone to see things your way at work.

No matter your role, communication skills are critical and interviewers are going to keep asking related questions until they’re sure yours are up to snuff. When asked about persuasion, emotional intelligence and empathetic listening can be good pieces of your communication skill set to emphasize.

A good answer could sound like:

“I once was tasked with pulling the plug on a project. Of course, this can be incredibly disappointing for those affected. Done poorly it could destroy a team’s morale. I can’t discuss the project too much, but suffice it to say that everyone on it worked really hard and it took some serious convincing for them to agree this was the right choice. Rather than letting the idea take hold that months of their work was being scrapped, I proactively shared with everyone all the ways their work would still be utilized by different parts of the company. It’s not what they had intended, but seeing that their work wasn’t wasted softened the blow and allowed me to share the hard truth that we wouldn’t be able to realize our original goals. Taking the time to consider what negative reaction they might have and making the effort to be empathetic allowed me to directly address their concerns and show them that this was the best way forward.”

8. Tell me about a successful presentation you gave and why you think it was a hit.

You can probably predict whether or not you’ll get this question based on the job description . If the job requires frequent public speaking , be sure you have an example ready to go. For questions like this that have an “and why” part, make sure you give evidence for how you know you did a good job. In this case, an engaged audience is pretty good evidence you gave a strong presentation.

“Presenting is definitely something I’ve gotten better at over time. At my previous lab, I presented pretty often at the weekly research meeting where we all kept each other up-to-date on the progress of our work. When I first started, I would just pick up where I left off last time and spoke like I was talking to a room full of experts—which I was, but they weren’t necessarily experts in my specific project. It’s obvious in hindsight. The nature of research is that it’s inherently novel. I started doing more in my presentations to give context, like a more compact version of a conference presentation. It was more work, but I could tell everyone was engaged based on the questions I got. They were more thoughtful and challenging and actually helped push my work forward. Now, whether I’m presenting formally or informally, I try my best to scaffold my conclusions with relevant context.”

9. Tell me about your proudest professional accomplishment.

This question can sometimes make people freeze up. Proudest? Like literally the thing I am proudest of ever? It’s a lot. A more manageable way to think about it is that it’s essentially a freebie to talk about anything. So you can choose a story that showcases a relevant skill, passion, or experience you haven’t been able to talk about yet or want to emphasize more and set it up as one of your proudest accomplishments! If you’re applying to an entry-level role, feel free to talk about school accomplishments.

“There’s a lot that I’ve done over the last few years at Major Telecom that I’m proud of, but one thing we haven’t had a chance to talk too much about is my work in the parents employee resource group. As the company has become more family friendly, I’ve worked hard to guide the conversation as the co-lead of the parents ERG. This year, I spearheaded an effort to improve our flexible work policy, first writing a letter on behalf of the ERG to the leadership team and then later drafting a proposal which ultimately led to a better work environment and more flexible work for everyone, not just parents.”

10. Tell me about a time when you worked under either extremely close supervision or extremely loose supervision. How did you handle that?

This question is getting at how you like to be managed, but it’s phrased in a way that may tempt you to speak negatively of a previous employer. Stay focused and keep your response neutral to positive.

So you could say:

“As an intern at Online Content Co., I felt like my every move required approval, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I really appreciated it back when I had no idea what I was doing. I actually credit the close supervision I got for helping me pick things up so quickly. After I officially joined the team as a staff writer though, it started to feel a bit restrictive. I thought once I “proved myself” it would get better, but after a few more months with no significant change a mentor helped me see that I wasn’t being proactive about communicating with my manager. Rather than going to my one-on-one meetings with nothing prepared and being peppered with questions, I started arriving with an update of all my ongoing work. All the same information got conveyed, but instead of feeling micromanaged, I felt empowered and it made all the difference in my experience.”

4 tips to prep for—and ace—a behavioral interview

I’m taking my own advice and concluding this article with a few general takeaways. If you remember nothing else, make sure you do the following when you’re getting ready for an interview:

1.  Prepare a few stories based on the job description.  

Maybe you’ll use them, maybe you won’t, but trust me that you’ll feel more prepared and less nervous if you’ve spent some time thinking about this. Scan the job description for anything that seems to be mentioned more than once or is otherwise emphasized—say, “takes initiative,” or, “works independently.” Then come up with some stories about those things! 

2. Brush up on the STAR method.  

Stories can get big and unwieldy, especially when we’re nervous. It’s important to keep your answer concise and relevant to the question. Using the STAR interview method can help you to craft job-landing responses to many interview questions that require a well-structured example story.

3.  Wrap up your answers with a conclusion.

Some stories don’t fit super neatly into the STAR method and that’s fine. In any case, just make sure to wrap up your story with a nice summation so that the interviewer knows what they were supposed to learn from it. In other words, tell your story and then tell them what to think about it. “I did this to solve the problem, so in general, this is the process I use for solving problems.”

4. Practice aloud before your real interview.  

I’ve worked with thousands of job seekers and written hundreds of job search articles, and my advice on interviewing can pretty much be summed up with one word: practice. To be more specific, practice answering possible interview questions out loud. Do not memorize your answers. Just say them a few times. If you want to be fancy, do it in front of a mirror to get a better sense of how you’re presenting yourself.

Brushing up on your interview skills in general will also help you to answer these questions with ease and sail through to the next round. So get those stories ready and—I’m going to say it one more time for good luck—practice!

Regina Borsellino also contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article.

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• Knowledge Base

Methodology

• Structured Interview | Definition, Guide & Examples

Structured Interview | Definition, Guide & Examples

Published on January 27, 2022 by Tegan George and Julia Merkus. Revised on June 22, 2023.

A structured interview is a data collection method that relies on asking questions in a set order to collect data on a topic. It is one of four types of interviews .

In research, structured interviews are often quantitative in nature. They can also be used in qualitative research if the questions are open-ended, but this is less common.

While structured interviews are often associated with job interviews, they are also common in marketing, social science, survey methodology, and other research fields.

• Semi-structured interviews : A few questions are predetermined, whereas the other questions aren’t planned.
• Unstructured interviews : None of the questions are predetermined.
• Focus group interviews : The questions are presented to a group instead of one individual.

Table of contents

What is a structured interview, when to use a structured interview, advantages of structured interviews, disadvantages of structured interviews, structured interview questions, how to conduct a structured interview, how to analyze a structured interview, presenting your results, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about structured interviews.

Structured interviews are the most systematized type of interview. In contrast to semi-structured or unstructured interviews, the interviewer uses predetermined questions in a set order.

Structured interviews are often closed-ended. They can be dichotomous, which means asking participants to answer “yes” or “no” to each question, or multiple-choice. While open-ended structured interviews do exist, they are less common.

Asking set questions in a set order allows you to easily compare responses between participants in a uniform context. This can help you see patterns and highlight areas for further research, and it can be a useful explanatory or exploratory research tool.

Structured interviews are best used when:

• You already have a very clear understanding of your topic, so you possess a baseline for designing strong structured questions.
• You are constrained in terms of time or resources and need to analyze your data efficiently.
• Your research question depends on strong parity between participants, with environmental conditions held constant.

A structured interview is straightforward to conduct and analyze. Asking the same set of questions mitigates potential biases and leads to fewer ambiguities in analysis. It is an undertaking you can likely handle as an individual, provided you remain organized.

Differences between different types of interviews

Make sure to choose the type of interview that suits your research best. This table shows the most important differences between the four types.

Reduced bias

Increased credibility, reliability and validity, simple, cost-effective and efficient, formal in nature, limited flexibility, limited scope.

It can be difficult to write structured interview questions that approximate exactly what you are seeking to measure. Here are a few tips for writing questions that contribute to high internal validity :

• Define exactly what you want to discover prior to drafting your questions. This will help you write questions that really zero in on participant responses.
• Avoid jargon, compound sentences, and complicated constructions.
• Be as clear and concise as possible, so that participants can answer your question immediately.
• Do you think that employers should provide free gym memberships?
• Did any of your previous employers provide free memberships?
• Does your current employer provide a free membership?
• a) 1 time; b) 2 times; c) 3 times; d) 4 or more times
• Do you enjoy going to the gym?

Structured interviews are among the most straightforward research methods to conduct and analyze. Once you’ve determined that they’re the right fit for your research topic , you can proceed with the following steps.

Step 1: Set your goals and objectives

Start with brainstorming some guiding questions to help you conceptualize your research question, such as:

• What are you trying to learn or achieve from a structured interview?
• Why are you choosing a structured interview as opposed to a different type of interview, or another research method?

If you have satisfying reasoning for proceeding with a structured interview, you can move on to designing your questions.

Step 2: Design your questions

Pay special attention to the order and wording of your structured interview questions . Remember that in a structured interview they must remain the same. Stick to closed-ended or very simple open-ended questions.

Step 3: Assemble your participants

Depending on your topic, there are a few sampling methods you can use, such as:

• Voluntary response sampling : For example, posting a flyer on campus and finding participants based on responses
• Convenience sampling of those who are most readily accessible to you, such as fellow students at your university
• Stratified sampling of a particular age, race, ethnicity, gender identity, or other characteristic of interest to you
• Judgment sampling of a specific set of participants that you already know you want to include

Step 4: Decide on your medium

Determine whether you will be conducting your interviews in person or whether your interview will take pen-and-paper format. If conducted live, you need to decide if you prefer to talk with participants in person, over the phone, or via video conferencing.

Step 5: Conduct your interviews

As you conduct your interviews, be very careful that all conditions remain as constant as possible.

• Ask your questions in the same order, and try to moderate your tone of voice and any responses to participants as much as you can.
• Pay special attention to your body language (e.g., nodding, raising eyebrows), as this can bias responses.

After you’re finished conducting your interviews, it’s time to analyze your results.

• Assign each of your participants a number or pseudonym for organizational purposes.
• Transcribe the recordings manually or with the help of transcription software.
• Conduct a content or thematic analysis to look for categories or patterns of responses. In most cases, it’s also possible to conduct a statistical analysis to test your hypotheses .

Transcribing interviews

If you have audio-recorded your interviews, you will likely have to transcribe them prior to conducting your analysis. In some cases, your supervisor might ask you to add the transcriptions in the appendix of your paper.

First, you will have to decide whether to conduct verbatim transcription or intelligent verbatim transcription. Do pauses, laughter, or filler words like “umm” or “like” affect your analysis and research conclusions?

• If so, conduct verbatim transcription and include them.
• If not, conduct intelligent verbatim transcription, which excludes fillers and fixes any grammar issues, and is often easier to analyze.

The transcription process is a great opportunity for you to cleanse your data as well, spotting and resolving any inconsistencies or errors that come up as you listen.

Coding and analyzing structured interviews

After transcribing, it’s time to conduct your thematic or content analysis . This often involves “coding” words, patterns, or themes, separating them into categories for more robust analysis.

Due to the closed-ended nature of many structured interviews, you will most likely be conducting content analysis, rather than thematic analysis.

• You quantify the categories you chose in the coding stage by counting the occurrence of the words, phrases, subjects or concepts you selected.
• After coding, you can organize and summarize the data using descriptive statistics .
• Next, inferential statistics allows you to come to conclusions about your hypotheses and make predictions for future research. 

When conducting content analysis, you can take an inductive or a deductive approach. With an inductive approach, you allow the data to determine your themes. A deductive approach is the opposite, and involves investigating whether your data confirm preconceived themes or ideas.

Content analysis has a systematic procedure that can easily be replicated , yielding high reliability to your results. However, keep in mind that while this approach reduces bias, it doesn’t eliminate it. Be vigilant about remaining objective here, even if your analysis does not confirm your hypotheses .

After your data analysis, the next step is to combine your findings into a research paper .

• Your methodology section describes how you collected the data (in this case, describing your structured interview process) and explains how you justify or conceptualize your analysis.
• Your discussion and results sections usually address each of your coded categories, describing each in turn, as well as how often they occurred.

If you conducted inferential statistics in addition to descriptive statistics, you would generally report the test statistic , p -value , and effect size in your results section. These values explain whether your results justify rejecting your null hypothesis and whether the result is practically significant .

You can then conclude with the main takeaways and avenues for further research.

Example of interview methodology for a research paper

Let’s say you are interested in healthcare on your campus. You attend a large public institution with a lot of international students, and you think there may be a difference in perceptions based on country of origin.

Specifically, you hypothesize that students coming from countries with single-payer or socialized healthcare will find US options less satisfying.

There is a large body of research available on this topic, so you decide to conduct structured interviews of your peers to see if there’s a difference between international students and local students.

You are a member of a large campus club that brings together international students and local students, and you send a message to the club to ask for volunteers.

Here are some questions you could ask:

• Do you find healthcare options on campus to be: excellent; good; fair; average; poor?
• Does your home country have socialized healthcare? Yes/No
• Are you on the campus healthcare plan? Yes/No
• Have you ever worried about your health insurance? Yes/No
• Have you ever had a serious health condition that insurance did not cover? Yes/No
• Have you ever been surprised or shocked by a medical bill? Yes/No

After conducting your interviews and transcribing your data, you can then conduct content analysis, coding responses into different categories. Since you began your research with the theory that international students may find US healthcare lacking, you would use the deductive approach to see if your hypotheses seem to hold true.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Student’s  t -distribution
• Normal distribution
• Null and Alternative Hypotheses
• Chi square tests
• Confidence interval
• Quartiles & Quantiles
• Cluster sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Data cleansing
• Reproducibility vs Replicability
• Peer review
• Prospective cohort study

Research bias

• Implicit bias
• Cognitive bias
• Placebo effect
• Hawthorne effect
• Hindsight bias
• Affect heuristic
• Social desirability bias

A structured interview is a data collection method that relies on asking questions in a set order to collect data on a topic. They are often quantitative in nature. Structured interviews are best used when: 

• You already have a very clear understanding of your topic. Perhaps significant research has already been conducted, or you have done some prior research yourself, but you already possess a baseline for designing strong structured questions.
• You are constrained in terms of time or resources and need to analyze your data quickly and efficiently.

More flexible interview options include semi-structured interviews , unstructured interviews , and focus groups .

The four most common types of interviews are:

• Structured interviews : The questions are predetermined in both topic and order. 
• Semi-structured interviews : A few questions are predetermined, but other questions aren’t planned.

The interviewer effect is a type of bias that emerges when a characteristic of an interviewer (race, age, gender identity, etc.) influences the responses given by the interviewee.

There is a risk of an interviewer effect in all types of interviews , but it can be mitigated by writing really high-quality interview questions.

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Top 50 Behavioral Interview Questions and Answers

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

Most job seekers know that they’ll face off against some behavioral interview questions during their next interview. But knowing which ones you’ll encounter – and how to approach answering them – is the essential part of the equation. That way, you’ll be ready for what the hiring manager is likely to ask, increasing the odds that you’ll impress.

Are you ready to check out the world of behavioral-based interview questions? Here’s what you need to know.

What Are Behavioral Interview Questions?

Before we look at some behavioral interview questions and answers, let’s talk about what these types of questions are and why they come up.

In the simplest sense, a behavioral interview question gauges how you think and act in various situations. Many questions of this kind focus on scenarios, requiring you to outline what you did (or would do) under specific circumstances.

There’s a good reason why hiring managers turn to these questions during an interview. Unlike traditional interview questions – which mainly assess whether you have particular technical capabilities – these give the hiring managers overviews of capabilities that are harder to ask about directly.

Usually, your answer helps the hiring manager assess your mindset and soft skills . Plus, they’ll learn more about the hard skills you use to handle challenges or address problems of a particular nature.

In some cases, hiring managers ask behavioral interview questions because they think past performance is a predictor of future success. However, whether that’s true isn’t actually clear.

One report indicated that prior work experience – essentially, past behavior – didn’t guarantee a solid performance at a new company, even if the new hire had related experience. But a different study showed that behavioral interviewing was 55 percent predictive of future behavior at work, while traditional interviews were a mere 10 percent predictive.

Since 73 percent of hiring professionals use behavioral interviews, it’s best to be ready regardless. That way, you can excel when those questions become part of the equation.

How to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions

When it comes to how to answer behavioral interview questions, you need to present applicable examples. It could be describing a moment from your past or outlining the steps you’d take based on a theoretical scenario.

In either case, you need a strong strategy for creating a meaningful response. What’s the best way to get started? By getting to know the STAR Method.

STAR stands for Situation , Task , Action , Results . Essentially, it’s a framework for your answer. First, you’ll outline a situation that applies to the question. Next, you’ll discuss the task you had to undertake, followed by a description of what you did, including the skills you used along the way. Finally, you’ll dive into the result, summarizing the outcome.

That’s the gist of the STAR Method. Based on what you’ve likely learned about behavioral interview questions, you can like see why people sometimes refer to them as STAR interview questions.

If you want to learn more, you can check out our in-depth article on the STAR Method for a deep dive into how to use it effectively.

After you get comfortable with the STAR Method, it’s time to add the Tailoring Method to the mix. The Tailoring Method is all about relevancy, ensuring your answer directly speaks to the hiring manager’s needs. That way, your response isn’t just compelling; it also positions you as an exceptional match for the precise role the hiring manager is filling.

In fact we we wanted to let you know that we created an amazing free checklist for behavioral questions that covers all the critical info you need when dealing with these tricky types of job interview questions!Click below to get your free PDF now:

CLICK HERE TO GET THE BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW CHECKLIST

How to prepare for behavioral interview questions.

Preparing for behavioral interview questions might seem challenging, but it’s far simpler when you realize that the biggest step is to have a few stories ready. In most cases, you want to begin working out what to share by reviewing the job description.

In the end, developing fantastic answers for STAR method interview questions starts with relevancy. By choosing moments from your career or education that apply to the job and the situations presented in the question, you can start using the STAR and Tailoring Methods to form great answers.

Another important tip is to make sure each of your stories has a formal conclusion. After giving them the results, tell the hiring manager something about what you learned from the experience or how it continues to shape you as a professional. That gives your answer a bit of something extra.

Top 10 Common Behavioral Interview Questions and Answers

1. tell me about a time when you had to juggle multiple priority tasks. how did you decide where to begin.

This question helps the hiring manager assess a few things. Along with your ability to handle stress, it lets them learn more about how you organize your work when you have multiple critical activities on your plate.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“In my last administrative assistant position, I was given two high-priority tasks from two different managers I supported. The deadlines for each were tight, and both projects were vital, so the nature of the duties alone wasn’t enough to establish how I should approach the situation.

“To figure out how to proceed, I took a moment to outline the required steps for both tasks. This allowed me to estimate the time necessary while also ensuring I wouldn’t overlook something critical.

“I then decided to start with the duty that had the lowest amount of time required. My main reason is that one could be completed in hours and the other would take a few days. By choosing the shorter one first, I could fully wrap up that responsibility, eliminating the need to provide updates in the coming days on that assignment, giving me more time to focus on the tasks themselves, and allowing me to complete both by the deadline.”

2. How do you manage stress on the job?

Workplace stress can harm an employee’s performance. As a result, hiring managers want to know what you do to keep yourself calm and level, even when you’re faced with challenges.

“While I’ve found that some stress actually pushes me to be my best, it’s also essential to ensure that my stress levels remain reasonable. One approach I’ve found that works for me is focusing on organization.

“I’m a big fan of breaking large responsibilities down into small tasks, making them feel more manageable and giving me a roadmap to follow. For a recent project in my current job, I divided the work up into ten micro-goals. Then, I blocked out time on my calendar for every activity. Not only does this keep me on target, but it also reduces the odds that I’ll feel overwhelmed.

3. Tell me about a time when you had a conflict with a coworker. How did you navigate the situation?

This is one of the most common behavioral interview questions because hiring managers want to know that you can navigate the typical disagreements that can occur at work. It’s also a way to gauge your interpersonal skills and self-reliance.

“While in my current job, I was part of a project team that was tasked with coming up with a new campaign for a client. A coworker and I didn’t see eye-to-eye on the direction the campaign should take when it came to the tone, leading to some conflict.

“To address the issue, I requested a meeting with my coworker to discuss their perspective. My goal was to understand why they were adamant about that approach, asking clarifying questions and rephrasing what they shared to ensure I saw the complete picture.

“Then, I did the same, sharing my perspective in a calm, professional manner. This led us to a very beneficial discussion, one where we both saw the merits in the other’s strategy. Ultimately, this allowed us to work together to create the best possible campaign, one that boosted the client’s sales by 15 percent.” 

4. Describe a time when you had to adapt quickly to a change in priorities.

Regardless of whether a workplace is fast- or slow-paced, unexpected events can occur. Hiring managers want to know that you can shift gears quickly if the need arises, so they ask questions like this one to assess your agility.

“As a member of my current employer’s IT department, COVID-19 required some quick pivoting. I was part of a team that managed remote work permissions and technologies for the organization. When it became clear that a shelter-in-place order may be on the horizon, we had to reprioritize quickly, ensuring we could get everyone their needed credentials, applications, and devices handled as fast as possible.

“I spoke with my manager about my workload, allowing us to identify tasks that could be set aside temporarily. After that, prioritized the employee list based on their position, ensuring those who needed to stay connected were handled before those where a short delay wouldn’t be as problematic.

“Then, I dedicated as much time and effort to setting up telecommuting solutions as possible. This includes everything from ordering mobile devices and laptops, coordinating the service providers to add relevant user accounts, and creating initial training documents to ensure those who began working remotely had the information they needed to transition as seamlessly as possible. While the situation was challenging, I was able to complete everything tasked to me before a shelter-in-place order was issued in our area, and even had time to assist others, increasing the success of the entire project.”

5. Can you tell me about a time when you failed on the job?

This is probably one of the most uncomfortable interview questions around, as you have to talk about a time when things didn’t go to plan, leading to a poor outcome. However, it’s also an important one for hiring managers to ask.

With this question, hiring managers can see how you handle mistakes and recover from failures. Plus, they can assess your honesty, accountability, and self-awareness.

“In my first job, I had trouble gauging my workload. After getting my first big solo project, I underestimated the time it would take to complete the work and handle my other duties. As a result, I gave the client a deadline that was ultimately unrealistic, and I wasn’t able to deliver in time.

“The client was understandably displeased when I informed them that the project would be late. I made sure to take full responsibility for the issue and worked with them to ensure the project was completed to their satisfaction, albeit behind schedule.

“In the end, they were pleased with the results. However, the moment when I had to inform them that the deadline would be missed stuck with me. It became a powerful lesson for me about time estimates and workload assessments. I used what I learned to improve my approach and, since that project, have finished every project either on time or early.”

6. Tell me about a time when you led a team.

With this question, the hiring manager is trying to learn more about your leadership skills. Additionally, they might be looking for insights about how you oversee the work of others and keep multiple people on target as they work toward a singular goal.

“In my last position, I was tasked with overseeing the transition to a new order management system. This involved coordinating with multiple teams to ensure that the date from the existing solution would transition successfully to the new one. Additionally, I had to communicate with all of the end-users, ensuring they knew about use limitations or downtime in advance.

“I created a project plan for the transition and implementation, and worked closely with each team to ensure the timeline was workable. Along the way, I monitored progress, answered questions, and facilitated conversations to keep everyone on the same page. Additionally, I provided reports to the leadership team, ensuring they were informed.

“Ultimately, the project was a success. All of the transferred data was in place, and we finished on time, ensuring the company could reach full productivity on the desired schedule.”

7. Describe a time when you had to deal with an upset customer. How did you handle it?

Whether you’re looking for a retail job, a sales position, a tech support role, or anything in those veins, there’s a chance you’ll have to deal with an upset customer at some point. Hiring managers ask this question to see how you’ve navigated this type of challenge in the past, allowing them to determine if you have a reasonable strategy.

“At my current job, a customer contacted us saying they were displeased with their most recent order. Along with complaining about the product, they began yelling threats about what they would do if they weren’t issued a refund and given a new item immediately.

“I didn’t take the tone personally, as I was certain it was out of frustration. I pulled up the customer’s file to learn more about the order, as well as review their history with the company. At that time, I discovered that they had been placing regular orders for some time, and this appeared to be the first time they called about an issue.

“I apologized for the inconvenience and began asking clarifying questions to ensure I fully understood the nature of the issue. As I spoke, I focused on keeping my tone calm and professional.

“While company policy didn’t typically allow a replacement and refund, it also gave me some leeway when it came to finding a solution, particularly since they had been a loyal customer for some time. I explained what was usually allowed in these situations but requested a moment to consult with my manager regarding the issue. I was able to secure them a replacement product and a 20 percent discount on a future order. Ultimately, the customer was happy with the outcome, and they remained a customer during the rest of my time there, and possibly beyond.”

8. How do you approach goal-setting?

Most hiring managers know that goal-setting is a powerful tool that can facilitate greater success. As a result, they want to see how candidates view goal-setting, leading them to ask this question.

“I believe goal-setting is essential, as it helps me focus my efforts based on organizational objectives. My preferred approach is to review the company’s priorities and how they relate to my position. Then, I create well-defined, actionable targets using the SMART goals process. That way, I have clear objectives that are measurable and motivating.

“However, I also go the extra mile, breaking down larger goals into micro-goals. That way, I can see every step between myself and the objective, creating a roadmap that guides me toward success.”

9. Tell me about your greatest professional accomplishment.

This behavioral interview question does a few things. First, it lets the hiring manager learn more about your values. Second, it gives them insights into your skills and achievements, both of which can help them determine if you’re the right fit for the job.

“My biggest achievement was revamping the company’s marketing approach, leading to a 34 percent increase in sales within six months. The past campaign wasn’t resonating with younger buyers, causing us to lose market share. I refocused our strategy to make it more social media-focused, creating a comprehensive campaign that worked well on platforms that appealed more to the target audience. Ultimately, this allowed us to reach our target demographic, boosting overall profitability and securing a solid ROI.

10. Tell me about a time you had to make an unpopular decision. 

If you’re applying for a management role, this is one of the most common behavioral questions you’ll encounter. Many members of the leadership team have to make difficult choices, and sometimes, they won’t resonate with team members. The hiring manager wants to know that you can handle those situations, so they ask questions like this one to gauge your capabilities.

“When I was a manager at ABC restaurant, employees were originally able to change shifts with one another without notifying management in advance. While it was convenient for team members, management wasn’t able to effectively predict an employee’s hour, at times leading to unplanned overtime. Additionally, if someone didn’t arrive for a shift, there could be confusion regarding who was actually responsible for the no-show.

“As a result, I had to make the decision to bar shift changes that weren’t presented to management before the scheduled time arrived. While it wasn’t a popular choice, it did streamline timekeeping and scheduling while also ensuring no-shows were properly noted in the correct employee’s files.”

40 More Behavioral Interview Questions

• Describe a time when you had to work with a colleague that had a personality that differed significantly from yours.
• Tell me about a time when you unexpectedly had to step up as a leader.
• Can you tell me about a time when you were asked to step up as a leader but chose to decline?
• Give me an example of a time when you made a mistake at work.
• What do you do when you have more on your to-do list than you can manage?
• Have you ever failed to meet client expectations? What happened?
• Describe a time when your job changed significantly with little notice.
• Have you ever worked with someone who struggled with good communication?
• Tell me about a time when you had to think on your feet.
• How do you keep long-term projects on track?
• Give me an example of a time when you were overwhelmed by your responsibilities.
• When an unexpected problem derailed a project you worked on previously, how did you get back on track?
• Can you tell me about a time when you successfully persuaded a colleague to see a situation from your perspective?
• Describe a project or idea (not necessarily your own) that was implemented primarily because of your efforts.
• When given a lengthy project, what steps do you take to ensure it is completed by the deadline?
• Do you feel you work well under pressure? If so, describe a time when you have done so effectively.
• Give me an example of a time when you motivated others.
• Tell me about a time when you had to delegate tasks during a project.
• How do you remain organized at work?
• Can you tell me about a time when you were given two high-priority tasks and had to decide which to handle first?
• Describe a situation where you disagreed with a supervisor.
• Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem.
• Give me an example of a time you faced an unexpected challenge and had to pivot quickly.
• How were you able to achieve your most recent accomplishment?
• Can you give me an example of when you used your listening skills to solve a problem?
• Tell me about a time when you didn’t listen and had to deal with the consequences of missing something important?
• How do you handle disagreements with a client?
• What do you do when you’re given a task with a tight deadline?
• Give me an example of a time when your manager asked you to take on a task you couldn’t reasonably handle.
• Have you ever misunderstood a critical responsibility at work? What happened?
• Tell me how you would go about describing a highly technical topic to someone without expertise in that arena.
• What do you do when a team member is unable to handle their part of a project?
• Can you describe a time when you had to correct a client because they made an incorrect assumption or had bad information?
• Have you ever wished that you approached a conflict with a colleague differently? What happened, and what would you do instead?
• What was your biggest learning experience from your first job in this field?
• When presented with a new technology in the workplace, how do you adapt?
• Tell me about a time when you struggled to adapt to a change.
• Give me an example of a time you had to handle a task without prior experience.
• Can you describe a time when you were dissatisfied at work? How did you overcome it?
• When you first accepted your last job, what did you do to ensure you got up to speed quickly?

Putting It All Together

Ultimately, the questions above are some of the most common behavioral interview questions around. By preparing for those, your odds of interview success will go up. Use the tips and examples as a guide, ensuring you can create your own great answers before your next meeting with a hiring manager.

To make sure you’re 110% prepared we’ve prepared a cool PDF checklist that you should download …

FREE : Behavioral Interview Questions PDF Checklist

Ok the next thing you should do is download our handy "Behavioral Interview Questions Checklist PDF ".

In it you'll get 25 common behavioral questions along with tips on how to answer them and the traps you need to avoid ....

All in a beautifully designed pdf Jeff spent hours working on. ---- He made me put that in 😉

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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• Interview Questions & Answers

Behavioral Interview: What It Is & How to Prepare (Tips)

Behavioral interviews are interviews that focus on your past experiences and contain questions such as “Tell me about a time when…”

I hated these so much and I never really knew how to answer them without feeling like I was exaggerating or making things up… until I found the perfect technique for preparing for them and a secret tip that helped me delight the last 4 recruiters I spoke to (I will let you in on that secret later).

Now, I think behavioral interviews are the easiest . They are predictable, there’s a template for answering behavioral interview questions, and they’re a unique opportunity for you to be the main character and showcase your best qualities.

It just takes a bit of preparation for you to absolutely crush them, which is what we’ll help you do.

In this article, we will talk about:

• What a behavioral interview is
• What to expect in a behavioral interview
• How to prepare for it
• The secret tip that will help you impress interviewers
• How to use the STAR format to answer behavioral interview questions
• Common mistakes to avoid

Don’t waste days compiling overused interview techniques. Get original answers to every single question you could expect.

What Is a Behavioral Interview?

A behavioral interview is a type of job interview that focuses on your past experiences and how you behaved in different situations.

It’s based on the assumption that your past behavior is a reliable predictor of how you’ll behave in the future — hence the word behavioral .

In that sense, a behavioral interview is slightly different from traditional interviews because it focuses on your specific experience and skills, making it easier for you to display relevant competencies and prove you’re the right fit.

A pretty nice break from vague, hypothetical questions like “What would you do if…” or “Imagine that…”, right?

Why do interviewers use behavioral interviews?

Because behavioral interviews help them create a structured, constructive process with a standardized set of questions and evaluation criteria. This decreases the risk of unconscious bias and promotes equal opportunities for all candidates .

That’s actually beneficial for you, too — you won’t be at a disadvantage, and you’ll get the exact same questions as any other candidate.

How to Prepare for a Behavioral Interview

Research the company.

No matter the type of interview or the questions you get asked, company research lies at the heart of any interview preparation.

Running background checks and having useful information in place will help you figure out if you want to work for that company and formulate proper answers to prove you’re the right candidate for a position.

When researching the company, check out:

• Their website
• Career page
• News about the company
• Company social media
• Glassdoor reviews
• Forums (Reddit, Quora)

Based on the information you gather, you’ll understand the company’s current situation and if you see yourself in their team.

It’ll also be easier to think of engaging, smart questions that will prove you did your homework and you’re genuinely interested in contributing to the success of the company.

Match your experiences with the job description

Remember that secret tip that helped me delight interviewers and make it to the final round of the last 4 interviews I attended?

Drum roll… I matched my answers with the skills in the job description. The truth is, if you go through the job description and extract the key skills needed for the job, then prepare for questions about those skills, you’ll have that interview in the bag.

Here’s how you do it: study the job description carefully .

Search for keywords (words that convey the most important information such as what duties the position entails, what kind of experience the ideal candidate will have, and key skills) to find out exactly what they’re looking for.

Then, think about your own work experience and find parallels between what they’re looking for and what you can offer them.

Doing this will help you figure out exactly what experiences, achievements, and skills to highlight in your answers to prove you’ve got what it takes to be successful in that role.

For example, check out the Customer Success Manager job ad below where we underlined keywords:

If you were applying for this position, you’d want to emphasize:

• Your experience with onboarding clients, expanding accounts, and finding revenue opportunities within the customer base.
• Some of your key achievements regarding expanding revenue, mitigating customer churn, and turning customers into advocates.
• A story where you displayed your customer-centric mindset and built strong relationships.

And if you don’t have the exact experience and skills they need, mention transferable skills that could help you achieve results.

Use the STAR method

You want to use compelling stories as your answers to behavioral interview questions. These stories will best illustrate your skills and accomplishments, and they’ll help you create coherent, structured, relevant responses.

Here’s how to do it and what to focus on:

• Situation = The initial problem or the situation you found yourself in
• Task = The task that was ahead of you in order to solve the problem
• Action = Specific steps you took to address the problem
• Results = Results that followed (quantitative or qualitative)

For more details, check out this video:

To sum up, using the STAR method helps you:

✔️ Prepare compelling stories in advance

✔️ Display your strengths in an engaging way

✔️ Be confident in your delivery

But mentally preparing will not be enough.

In order to get ready, have an informative answer, and deliver it confidently, you’ll need to practice your answers verbally. You can:

• Get creative and practice with a friend
• Practice in front of the mirror
• Record yourself
• Or use the Mock Interview Tool that will give you actionable feedback on how to improve.

You’ll get valuable insights that will make your delivery perfect: feedback on your pace of speech, power words used, ummm-counter, eye contact, and similar.

Hone your communication skills

Interviewers will focus on how well you anchor your answers in specific, real-life situations from your professional past. If you’re able to tell engaging stories that revolve around things that you dealt with or accomplished, you’ll do well in an interview.

But they will also assess the ways you display communication skills in real-time. This includes monitoring how you gather, filter, and convey information, your non-verbal communication, and your body language.

✅ Pro tip: If the interview is in person, practice a firm handshake and eye contact. Smile politely throughout the interview — not too much, but enough to come across as friendly and engaged in a conversation.

Pay attention to your body language, sit straight facing the interviewer, and don’t cross your arms. Don’t give in to nervous habits: no pen clicking, leg shaking, and similar.

For more tips, read about 9 Ways to Sell Yourself in an Interview (+ Examples) .

The Structure of Behavioral Interviews

The process.

The process itself is no different than any other interview. At the beginning of the interview, expect a few general questions about yourself, like:

• Tell me about yourself
• Describe your current responsibilities
• Why do you want to work here?

✅ Pro tip: If you feel like selling yourself, this is your chance to prove how charming you are: strike up a conversation before the real deal starts. You can chit-chat about what you’ve been up to (perhaps you just read a cool industry-related article, or listened to a podcast), or choose another light topic to break the ice and set a nice tone for the rest of the interview.

The central part of the behavioral interview is reserved for behavioral questions which follow a specific pattern and ask you for specific things you dealt with: a time you solved a problem, made a difficult decision, achieved a goal, and similar.

If you’re interviewing for a managerial position, you’ll also get questions about how you organize the work of your team, how you manage conflict within a team, how you track performance, how you keep your team motivated, and similar.

Towards the end of the interview, you’ll want to ask a few smart, relevant questions that will demonstrate that you researched the company and the industry and you have specific ideas about how to contribute. For a detailed guide, head over to the article: 40+ Smart Questions to Ask at the End of Any Job Interview .

Common behavioral questions

Common behavioral questions you might hear in a behavioral interview are:

• Behavioral questions about leadership
• Customer service behavioral interview questions
• Problem-solving behavioral questions
• Behavioral questions about conflict resolution
• Questions about teamwork
• Behavioral interview questions about intercultural fluency
• Tell me about a time you failed
• What are you most proud of?
• Behavioral interview questions about work ethic

As you can see, interviewers will want to test key groups of skills like problem-solving, teamwork, conflict resolution, and work ethic.

Bear in mind, however, that each position is different — therefore, interviewers might phrase these questions in different ways, but the intention behind them will always be the same.

For a comprehensive guide on behavioral questions and how to answer them, visit this article: Behavioral Interview Questions and Sample Answers .

If you want to learn more about how to answer common interview questions, how to sell yourself, and how to negotiate your salary and benefits, sign up for our free course .

Mixed interview

Recruiters will rarely ask only behavioral questions in an interview.

Based on the type of role, your experience, or other factors, they’ll use different questions such as resume questions, self-analysis questions, situational questions (where they describe a situation and you tell them what you would do in it), brain teaser questions, spontaneous questions that will pop up during the conversation, and similar.

For example, you may only get a couple of behavioral questions in your first interview with a recruiter. But in your next interview, they could primarily focus on behavioral and situational questions.

But that’s nothing to worry about. Whenever you hear a question that starts with:

• “Tell me about a time when…”
• “Can you remember a situation when”
• “Have you ever experienced a situation when…”

Recognize that it’s a behavioral question and use the tips and tricks described in this article to answer them (don’t forget to use the STAR framework).

Not  entirely  happy with how many interviews you’re scoring?  Maybe your resume could use some improvements. We’ve created some easy guides with actionable tips for how to make sure your resume is up to par, check these out:

• How to Write a Resume for a Job in 2023
• Resume Format: Which One to Choose
• Resume Summary Examples
• Resume Objective Examples
• Resume Profile: What It Is & How to Write It
• How to Describe Your Work Experience on a Resume
• How to Create an Education Section on a Resume
• The Best Skills to Put on a Resume in 2023
• How to Describe Hobbies and Interests on a Resume

Common Mistakes to Avoid Before and During Behavioral Interviews

Failing to self-reflect.

Not reflecting on your experiences before the interview will make you look unprepared, unengaged, and, honestly, incompetent.

If you’re not sure of your top skills, strengths, and growth opportunities, you surely won’t be able to communicate them to someone else.

This is why you need to do some self-reflection before the interview which will help you think of your strengths and qualities and how to present them.

Think about:

• Some of your proudest achievements
• Your strengths
• Your weaknesses
• Situations where you were proud of yourself
• Lessons learned from each company you worked for
• Areas you’d like to improve in
• Your dreams and goals for the future

You don’t have to bring up your strengths only — revealing less flattering information about yourself, like your weaknesses or areas of improvement, can actually increase your chances of landing an offer , as you’ll demonstrate critical thinking and the desire to develop.

Lack of preparation

We’ve all been there. You have an idea of what you want to talk about in an interview, but you end up blurting out ideas one after another without coherently talking about them and backing them up with evidence.

This is 100% avoidable with practice.

Write down your ideas, create your answers and practice as much as you want, until you’re confident and know exactly what, when, and how you want to convey certain pieces of information.

We’re not saying you should learn your answers by heart and recite them like a robot, but knowing the order of your arguments and having practiced beforehand will make you much more confident and convincing.

Being vague

Not preparing in advance will result in your answers being vague and unconvincing.

If you’re not able to talk about your specific achievements and skills and provide details, you won’t sound credible.

You can prevent the risk of being vague in your answers by:

• Reflecting on your experience and skills
• Preparing answers in advance
• Researching the company
• Studying the job description (this will help you be more specific about what makes you the perfect candidate)

Here’s an example of a detailed answer:

Summary of the Main Points

• Behavioral interviews focus on your past experiences and how you behaved in certain situations.
• Such interviews are based on the assumption that your past behavior is a reliable indicator of how you’ll perform in the future.
• Behavioral interviewing is centered around key skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
• Behavioral interview questions are specific and usually begin with “Tell me about a time when…”
• These questions allow you to get specific and showcase your skills.
• To answer them, use the STAR (Situation-Task-Action-Result) framework.
• Always prepare in advance, practice your answers, and research the company to check if you’re the right fit.

__________________

Need a hand? There’s 3 ways we can help:

• Tired of interviewing and not landing the job? Discover actionable lessons and interview practice here (Rated with 4.9/5 by 1,000,000 users).
• Changing careers? Read about 18 Career Change Interview Questions and Sample Answers
• Read about 20+ Illegal Interview Questions and How to Handle Them

Are behavioral interviews harder than “normal” job interviews?

If you don’t prepare in advance, they will be very hard. But if you take time to prepare, behavioral interviews will actually be easy. You’ll know exactly what to talk about and how to convey why you’re the right person for the job.

What are the advantages of behavioral interviewing?

You know what type of questions to expect, so it’s easier to anticipate and prepare answers. You also have more chances to prove you’re aligned with the job ad and company culture. It’s also a nice way to make the interview more engaging through your answers. On the interviewers’ side, they’ll be able to be more objective, decrease unconscious bias (they ask the same questions to each candidate), and assess if you’re the right fit for the role more precisely.

How to prepare for a behavioral interview if I have little or no experience?

Focus on transferable skills. For example, if you don’t have leadership experience, you can talk about how you took the lead on a tricky project, or how you spearheaded a college project as a student. Additionally, you can draw examples from your personal life where you displayed certain skills that would be relevant to the job (but don’t provide details that are too personal). And, of course, always use the STAR method.

What should I avoid saying in a behavioral interview?

Avoid being too vague or general in your answers. Avoid humble bragging (or pure bragging, really) — instead, talk realistically about your successes and provide evidence for your claims. Don’t exaggerate in your answers and don’t interrupt your interviewer.

How do I know that my behavioral interview went well?

The interviewer will seem engaged and they will ask a lot of follow-up questions — the longer the interview, the better the chances it went well. You might notice an interviewer’s face light up when you bring up a certain skill or accomplishment, or that they nod and take notes. They might have encouraging statements towards the end of the interview, and some will even tell you that you did well and made it to the next round right away.

How are behavioral interviews evaluated?

Many interviewers follow a standardized process where they create a scorecard (a list of key skills, traits, and qualifications needed for a position) for each candidate. Then, all candidates get the same behavioral questions based on the key competences required.

Interviewers note how your examples demonstrate your ability to excel in their role. They score each candidate in each category. This allows them to use real data instead of vague impressions to identify the strongest candidates. If you’re weak in a crucial category (can’t come up with a good teamwork example, for instance), that can knock you out of contention.

Not all interviewers are this organized and structured in their approach. However, even if they don’t use a consistent scorecard, you can bet that they are evaluating your stories based on how well they show what you could do for them.

Maja Stojanovic

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Equity Research Interview Questions and Answers (40 Samples)

40 common equity research interview questions.  Examples include technical, transactional, behavioral, and logical tests with sample answers

Prior to becoming a Founder for Curiocity, Hassan worked for Houlihan Lokey as an Investment Banking Analyst focusing on sellside and buyside  M&A , restructurings, financings and strategic advisory engagements across industry groups.

Hassan holds a  BS  from the University of Pennsylvania in Economics.

Mr. Arora is an experienced private equity investment professional, with experience working across multiple markets. Rohan has a focus in particular on consumer and business services transactions and operational growth. Rohan has also worked at Evercore, where he also spent time in private equity advisory.

Rohan holds a BA (Hons., Scholar) in Economics and Management from Oxford University.

Common First Equity Research Interview Questions

15 common equity research technical questions.

• WSO Bonus Technical Question

8 Fund-Specific Hard Technical Questions

• 5 Most Common Equity Research Behavioral/Fit Questions

5 Firm-Specific Behavioral/Fit Questions

5 logical puzzles - interview brain teasers, full wso hedge fund prep guide & additional resources, list of hedge funds.

Equity Research (ER) attracts seasoned professionals and new hires with a variety of talents and diversified skill sets across the world for a fulfilling career. New hires starting right out of school will start as research associates and move up the chain to becoming research analysts after gaining experience in the industry.

Given the limited number of positions for a tremendous amount of applicants, it is no surprise that the interview process is designed to be incredibly competitive .

Consequently, answering the technical and behavioral questions confidently and consistently is key to converting an interview into an offer . Therefore, the best way to prepare for these interviews is to follow the markers, learn to answer the common questions asked (covered below!), and practice tirelessly.

The following free WSO ER interview guide is a comprehensive tool designed to cover every single aspect of the ER interview process, walking you through step by step from the beginning to the end of the interview. This interview guide will drastically improve your chances of securing an offer with your dream job.

Our guide covers a total of 40 of the most common behavioral, technical, and logical questions, along with proven sample answers , that are asked by hedge funds professionals to candidates during the hiring process.

We strongly believe it’s a great place to start your preparation before investing in our more comprehensive Hedge Fund Interview Course .

This resource features 13 firm-specific questions from leading hedge funds ( Citadel , Bridgewater Associates , etc.) and proven sample answers to them.

Successful professionals within the equity research industry can present themselves as the ideal candidate for the position by highlighting their genuine interest in finance and strong work ethic. A candidate’s presentation of themself occurs at the beginning of the interview, often through these two questions. Regardless of the firm, the position, or the location, we can guarantee that these industry standard questions will be asked.

Anticipating both of these questions before walking into the interview, being well-practiced in crafting a compelling narrative around them, and selling yourself will make you stand out from amongst the pool of potential candidates.

Walk me through your background/resume

We recommend you dial in a cohesive 90-second resume walkthrough that highlights as well as explains all the on the positive and motivating factors behind every transition on your resume (school to job, job to better job, most recent position to grad school).

A good example highlighting this is as follows,

I initially went to school to learn how to design cars, but after my first internship in the field, I realized that I loved interacting with clients directly and decided to pursue full-time roles in B2B sales. In these sales roles, I learned and developed solid selling skills as well as gained direct exposure to A, B, and C. Since I wanted to continue refining that skill set and branch out to focus on X, Y, and Z, I am looking for a new role/promotion which provides that opportunity…

Be deliberate with your delivery. Every decision you made should have a purpose (preferably that you initiated). Don't be negative with your answers. It's important to never say you left because you were bored or "wanted to try something new."

Moving on from there, have a few backup stories prepared. These stories should effectively portray you as a good ER candidate involve highlighting your abilities as a go-getter with a genuine interest in financial markets . Have these stories prepped and use them to answer whatever the interviewer is asking you. Tell these stories with confidence, clarity, and relevance, and you’ll be putting yourself in good territory. Again, it is key to ensure your resume lines up and supports your stories.

WSO has published its very own Equity Research sample resume template and provides guidelines on crafting a successful ER resume. Check it out at WSO’s official Equity Research Resume Guidelines page.

Why equity research?

Given the wide variety of professional backgrounds that candidates come from, WSO has created a dedicated page to answer this question. WSO’s “Why Equity Research?” page covers a variety of sample answers tailored for students and professionals looking to break into equity research.

Free Interview Training

Sign up to our FREE 5-Day Interview Training to kickstart your interview prep.

Technical questions are a cruical component of almost every equity research recruiting process. Therefore, your interviewers will expect accurate and detailed responses to commonly asked technical questions. It's important that and your answers must demonstrate in-depth knowledge and expertise of the topics at hand. The following section features 15 common ER interview questions , and sample answers have been provided for every question.

At the end of these 15 questions, we have also provided you with eight exclusive firm-specific technical questions to jumpstart your mock interview training.

The 15 technical questions covered below are exclusive to the equity research industry. However, equity research interviews often overlap with investment banking and hedge fund interviews as general finance/accounting questions can also be asked. To check out an additional 45 technical questions with sample answers, check out WSO’s free 101 Investment Banking Interview Questions and Answers and Hedge Fund Interview Questions pages.

1. What is EBITDA?

EBITDA stands for Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization . It is a general metric for evaluating a company’s cash profitability. In addition, it is sometimes used as a proxy for free cash flow because it will allow you to gauge how much cash is available from operations to pay financing costs like interest, capital expenditures, etc. This is one of the most important single items someone will look at in evaluating a Company.

EBITDA = Revenues - Expenses (excluding non-cash and non-operational items like interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization)

Sample Answer:

EBITDA is an acronym for Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization. It’s an excellent high-level indicator of a company’s financial performance .

Since it removes the effects of financing and accounting decisions such as interest and depreciation, it is a much better metric than revenue or net profit for comparing different companies. As a result, it serves as a rough estimate of free cash flow and is used in the EV/EBITDA multiple to establish a company’s high-level valuation quickly .

2. What is enterprise value?

Enterprise Value is the value of an entire firm. It accounts for the debt and equity in a business and is calculated using the equation below. This is the price that would be paid for a company in the event of an acquisition, where the acquirer takes on all the debt and equity of the acquiree .

Simplified Enterprise Value Formula :

Enterprise Value = Market Value of Equity + Debt + Preferred Stock + Minority Interest - Cash

Enterprise Value is the value of a firm as a whole from the perspective of its owners, including both debt and equity holders. In its simplest form, you calculate an Enterprise Value by taking the market value of equity (aka the company’s market cap ), adding the debt and the value of the outstanding preferred stock. Then you add the value of any minority interests the company owns and then subtract the cash the company currently holds.

3. What is the difference between enterprise value and equity value?

Equity Value represents residual value for common shareholders after the company satisfies its outstanding obligations (net debt, preferred stock, which is senior to common equity). In contrast, enterprise value represents the value available to both equity and debt holders.

4. How do you value a private company?

• You cannot use a straight market valuation since the company is not publicly traded.
• A DCF can be complicated by the absence of an equity beta, making calculating WACC difficult. In this case, you have to use the equity beta of a close comp in your WACC calculation.
• Financial information for private companies is more difficult to find because they are not required to make public online filings.
• An analyst may apply a discount on a comparable company’s valuation if the comps are publicly held because a public company will demand a 10-15% premium for the liquidity an investor enjoys when investing in a public company.

5. Why might there be multiple valuations of a single company?

Each valuation method will generate a different value because it is based on various assumptions, multiples, or comparable companies and/or transactions.

Typically, the precedent transaction methodology and discounted cash flow method result in a higher valuation than the result of a comparable companies' analysis or market valuation. In addition, the precedent transaction result may be higher because the approach usually includes a “ control premium ” while calculating the company’s market value. This premium exists to entice shareholders to sell and will account for the “synergies” that are expected from the merger .

The DCF approach typically produces higher valuations because analysts’ projections and assumptions are usually somewhat optimistic.

You can value a private company with many of the same techniques one may use for a public company valuation. However, there are a few differences. There will be difficulty in obtaining the right inputs as financial information will likely be harder to find, potentially less complete, and less reliable. Further, you can’t simply use a straight market valuation for a company that isn’t publicly traded. On top of this, a DCF can be problematic because a private company will not have an equity beta to use in the usual WACC calculation. Finally, if you are doing a comps analysis using publicly traded companies, a 10-15% discount may be required in the calculations as a 10-15% premium is typically paid for the public company’s relative liquidity.

6. How do you calculate a firm’s terminal value?

Terminal Value = ( FCF t (1+g)) / (WACC - g)

• To establish a terminal value, you can either use the formula above, which is the perpetual growth methodology, or the multiples method.
• In the multiples method, you assign a valuation multiple (such as EV/EBITDA) to the final year’s projection and use that as the “terminal value” of the firm.
• In either case, you must remember to discount this “cash flow” back to year zero as you have with all other cash flows in the DCF model .

There are two ways to calculate terminal values. The first is the multiples method. In order to use this method, you choose an operation metric (most commonly EBITDA) and apply a comparable company’s multiple to that number from the final year of projections.

The second method is the perpetual growth method, where you select a modest growth rate, typically just a little bit higher than the inflation rate and lower than the GDP growth rate, and assume that the company can grow at this rate infinitely. Then you multiply the FCF from the final year by 1 plus the growth rate and divide that number by the discount rate (WACC) minus the assumed growth rate.

7. What is beta?

• It represents the relative volatility or risk of a given investment with respect to the market.
• Beta is a measure of the volatility of an investment compared with the market as a whole. The market has a beta of 1, while investments that are more volatile than the market have a beta greater than 1, and those that are less volatile have a beta less than 1.
• β < 1 means less volatile than the market (lower risk, lower reward).
• β > 1 means more volatile than the market (higher risk, higher reward).
• A beta of 1.2 means that an investment theoretically will be 20% more volatile than the market. For example, if the market goes up 10%, that investment should increase by 12%.

8. What is the market risk premium?

The market risk premium is the excess return that investors require for choosing to purchase stocks over “risk-free” securities. It is calculated as the average return on the market (usually the S&P 500, typically around 10-12%) minus the risk-free rate (current yield on a 10-year Treasury).

9. When should an investor buy preferred stock?

• Preferred stock could be looked at as a cross between debt and equity. It will generally provide investors with a fixed dividend rate (like a bond), but also allow for some capital appreciation (like a stock). Preferred stock may also have a conversion feature that allows shareholders to convert their preferred stock into common stock .
• It typically does not have voting rights like those of common stock.
• It is senior to common stock within the company’s capital structure .

An investor should buy preferred stock for the upside potential of equity while limiting risk and assuring stability of current income in the form of a dividend. In addition, preferred stock’s dividends are more secure than those from common stock. Owners of preferred stock also enjoy a superior right to the company’s assets, though inferior to those of debt holders, should the company go bankrupt.

10. When should a company buy back stock?

A company should buy back its own stock if it believes the stock is undervalued when it has extra cash. However, if it believes it can make money by investing in its own operations, or if it wants to increase its stock price by increasing its EPS by reducing shares outstanding or sending a positive signal to the market. Also, a stock buyback is the best way to return money to shareholders, as they are tax-efficient when compared to dividends.

11. What might a shareholder analysis tell you about an equity deal?

• For an existing public company, a shareholder analysis compares current institutional investors to ones that the company might target in a new equity offering.
• You could also use this analysis to find institutional investors with similar industry holdings that have not yet invested in your client and target them in the offering.

12. Suppose you hold a put option on Microsoft stock with an exercise price of $60. The expiration date is today, and Microsoft is trading at $50. How much is your put worth, and why?

This put is worth $10. It gives you the option to sell your shares at $60, and you can buy them in the open market at $50. You therefore would buy shares of Microsoft at $50 per share and immediately sell them for $60, making a profit of $10 per share.

13. Where did the S&P 500/Dow Jones Industrial Average/NASDAQ close yesterday?

• This question is used to gauge your general interest in the financial markets . You probably will not be expected to know the number to the penny, but knowing the levels of the three major exchanges/indices, as well as whether they were up or down and why will show your interviewer that you keep track of what is going on in the world of finance.
• You should know how the market moved (up or down) the previous day and why it moved. You can find this information by watching CNBC , reading the WSJ, or just by using Google.
• Yesterday the XXXX closed at XXXX, up/down XXX from the open. I also noticed that it was up XXX from the day before due to …
• It would also be a good demonstration of market interest to know the overall valuation levels of the three major indices. The P/E ratios for the overall Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq are publicly available on major financial news publications.

14. Where do you believe the stock market will be in future, say 3/6/12 months from now?

• This question can show your interest in the markets. There’s no right/wrong answer as everyone has different opinions on where the market is going.
• You need to have an opinion and well-thought-out reasoning for that opinion.
• If you think the market will drop in the next three months, hit bottom, and then begin to bounce back, have a reason to explain why you think it is going to drop, why it is going to bottom out, and why it is going to bottom out will begin to rise.
• It is more important to display logical reasoning than to be correct.
• Do some research before your interview. Read what writers for major newspapers are predicting and saying, and then implement some of their reasons in your own explanation.
• Also, be sure to stick to your reasoning. Your interviewer may challenge your position and question your reasoning. If you have to come up with a solid theory behind your response, be confident in your position and try to explain your rationale. If your logic and thought process makes sense, don’t change your opinion just to agree with your interviewer.

15. Is 15 a high P/E (Price to Earnings) ratio?

This is not just a yes or no question. A firm’s P/E ratio is essential compared to other companies in its industry. P/E can be thought of as how many dollars an investor is willing to pay for one dollar of earnings. 

A high P/E represents high anticipated growth in earnings. In high-growth industries, such as technology, a P/E ratio of 15 may be considered relatively low. This is because the company is expected to grow its earnings at a high rate and therefore deserves a higher valuation relative to its present earnings. 

However, a P/E of 15 may be considered high for a large pharmaceutical company since earnings growth may be expected to be slow but steady in future years.

It depends on the industry. For example, a P/E ratio of 15 in an industry like financial institutions may be considered a bit high, but if the company is a high-growth tech company, 15 may be considered relatively low.

WSO Bonus Technical Question:

"pitch me a stock".

The stock pitch is arguably the most crucial and most common question you will be asked during the interview process. Ideally, you want to have 2-4 stocks in mind that you can pitch , i.e. large-cap, small-cap, stock to short. We advise spending 30 minutes to a couple of hours finding a stock you like and listing out the reasons why. Even if your interviewer doesn't ask you, it's always better to be prepared for these interviews. Here's a good explanation of how to answer this question.

They are trying to figure out whether you understand the underlying concept of what drives a business. Some questions to help figure this out are:

• What are the key drivers of the company (both revenue and cost)? 
• Why is it a good investment? 
• What are the potential opportunities available? 
• What' s their competitive advantage ? 
• What are the primary risks?

Here's a sample stock pitch, courtesy of [esbanker] , a private equity associate. The post has been edited and formatted.

Well, I've recently been following Copa Airlines, a Panamanian airline company, currently trading at $xx per share. Recently, the airline industry has been underperforming the markets for several reasons: compressed margins from the volatility in oil this year increased competition from low-cost carriers, and over-leverage by most airlines (think American or Air Canada).   While many airline companies are in desperate need of restructuring, Copa airlines have seen their revenues - now at $1.4 billion - growing at a robust 10% compounded over the last 5 years. Copa boasts an EBITDA of approx. $350 MM, Net Income of around $240MM, which translates to roughly 18%. Margins have remained stable over the last few years and are significantly greater than other airlines. After running a basic DCF (5-year projections), Copa has an implied price per share of $xxx. In terms of comps, Copa is trading at an EV/ EBITDAR of 7 .7x, which is slightly less than the industry median of 10.3 x, and a PE ratio of 12.9 x relative to an industry median of 14.1 x. Given Copa's strategic positioning in Latin America, its strong operating and financial performance of late, and its relatively low share price, I would strongly recommend buying Copa Airlines.

Some of the numbers are out of date - this is from an early 2011 model.

Walking into the interview with an in-depth understanding of the above-covered 15 technical questions will undoubtedly make you stand out in the applicant pool. However, to achieve complete technical mastery, you must expect technical questions that are specific to different hedge funds.

The following section features eight exclusive interview questions that actual interviewers asked potential candidates at some of the world’s largest hedge funds during equity research interviews.

The following questions are from WSO’s company database , which is sourced from the detailed personal experiences of more than 30,000 people with hedge funds interviews. The Hedge Fund Interview Course includes access to over 800 questions across 165 hedge funds (no other resource comes close).

Point72 Technical Questions

• In order to value a company with no revenue, such as a start-up, you must project the company’s cash flows for future years and then construct a discounted cash flow model of those cash flows using an appropriate discount rate .
• Alternatively, you could also use other operating metrics to value the company. If you took a start-up website with 50,000 subscribers, but no revenue, you could look at a similar website’s value per subscriber and apply that multiple to the website you are valuing.
• Valuing a company with no revenue comes down to determining the market opportunity for a company and assigning a value per user, customer, or subscriber, and then discounting that back at an appropriate rate that accounts for the inherent execution and market risk .  

A sample general approach to modeling and research could involve the following 6-step process:

• Formation of assumption/hypothesis
• Collection of relevant data
• Analysis of markets
• Creation of forecast
• Simulation/test-run
• Release and monitoring of model  
• The profits generated on the Income Statement after any payment of dividends are added to shareholder ’s equity on the Balance Sheet under retained earnings .
• Debt on the Balance Sheet is used to calculate interest expense on the Income Statement .
• Property, plant, and equipment, on the Balance Sheet , are used to calculate depreciation expenses on the Income Statement.

There are many other links, but the above are some of the primary connections frequently analyzed as part of accompanying schedules in financial modeling .

There are many links between the Balance Sheet and the Income Statement. The central link is that any net income from the Income Statement, after the payment of any dividends, is added to retained earnings. In addition, debt on the Balance Sheet is used to calculate the interest expense on the Income Statement, and property, plant, and equipment (PP&E) are used to calculate any depreciation expense .  

Citadel Investment Group Technical Questions

The exchange ratio is the relative number of new shares given to existing shareholders of a company that has been acquired or merged with another. It is used by companies looking to offer a full or part equity offer for an acquisition transaction.

It is best to go prepared with one long idea and one short idea. Being able to demonstrate that you understand the many nuances of shorting is a fantastic way to differentiate yourself from other possible candidates. 

If you are interviewing for a specific sector/industry, then select a business from that industry to pitch . While your interviewer will likely know more about the industry and/or company, but as long as you stick to stating this, you should be in the clear.

Using a pitch structure such as the one below gives the best results:

• Industry : Why is the industry attractive? [Use a quantitative metric to show you did your homework here, such as, "ABC Industry has the ability to grow xyz% in the next 3-5 years. This is also a good place to highlight changing competitive dynamics, etc.]
• Company : Why is the company attractive? ["The business has sales of $30 in a $3,000 industry representing a 3% market share despite being recognized as the product leader and having an exceptional management team" is an example of one of the best way to address this]
• Catalyst : Why is the market wrong and how will the market realize the intrinsic value of the business? [This is the most critical part of the pitch. For example, "ABC is currently valued at 10x [insert multiple] but is being unfairly discounted because of the incompetency of the prior management team. Since the current management team has taken over [insert metric] XYZ has improved. As of right now, the market has not recognized the improvement in XYZ or the overall business, but I expect that [insert catalyst] will demonstrate ABC's true value to the market within [insert time frame]."
• Valuation : What is the intrinsic value of the business? ["If my assumptions [discuss them here] about the effect of [insert catalyst] prove true, then the market will realize ABC's intrinsic value of [insert valuation]." You can then speak about contingency valuations, etc.]

Try to keep your pitches as short as possible and as high-level as possible. This helps to minimize the chances of putting your foot in your mouth and allows the interviewer to ask more in-depth questions where they feel necessary. Of course, you also need to be prepared to answer in-depth questions about anything pertaining to your pitch. This includes topics ranging from the industry, competitors, or the company.

Note: The above extract was taken and paraphrased from WSO User @Simple As…’s post, “ The Asymmetric Risk Profile: Preparing For The Hedge Fund Interview ”

We assume that the entire Net Operating Balance ( NOL ) goes to $0 in an M&A transaction, and therefore we write down the existing Deferred Tax Asset by this NOL write-down.

Bridgewater Associates Technical Question

It could be beneficial to increase the volume of software sold and increase the price of pens, as the incremental cost of each additional software license sold is relatively low, and almost all of the additional revenue would flow directly to margins, not to mention its scalability. Increasing the price of pens has more advantages from a financial standpoint as they have a higher incremental cost (cost of producing a pen scales with quantity sold).

D.E. Shaw Group Technical Question

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Fed lowered interest rates to accommodate the lack of demand due to the uncertainty caused by the pandemic. This led to massive inflation, the effects of which are now being realized. Looking at the treasury curve and comments by Mr. Powell (who mentioned that inflation is not transitionary), it is evident that the rates will increase by mid-2022. This is to ensure that inflation is curbed and the economy moves towards normalization post-Covid.

5 Most Common Equity Research behavioral/Fit Questions

Fit or “behavioral” questions are used to gauge whether or not you have the right work ethic, attitude, personality, and values to fit in with a Hedge Fund’s equity research department. Many Hedge Funds take this process extremely seriously because most firms typically have only a handful of investment professionals who must collaborate on projects over long hours and under tight deadlines. 

For example, Bridgewater Associates is known for its intense corporate culture of radical truth and radical transparency . Therefore, its interviews consist mainly of ethical and moral questions.

The following section walks you through 5 of the most common types of fit questions and suggests approaches for answering them. The proposed strategies and sample answers are meant to be illustrative. Always remember, you need to adapt your responses to be true to yourself and your own words.

1. What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?

• If you want your answer to be related to your education, talk about how you worked on an assigned project that you didn’t understand at first, struggled through understanding it, and eventually received an A for your hard work.
• If you want to relate it to your personal life, talk about something you are proud of in your family life. You can even connect it to athletic success, community service, or recovery from illness.
• You can use this question to reveal the balance in your life. This can be especially useful if your resume is short on classroom excellence. Be sure to explain that you are extremely proud of your less-than-perfect GPA because it allowed you to accomplish other activities at school (as long as you have a solid list of extracurricular activities).
• Whatever approach you choose to answer this question, be sure you spin it to demonstrate how one or more of the qualities valued in finance, such as positive attitude, willingness to learn, drive, and determination lead you to success.

I consider one of my most significant accomplishments to be the work-life balance I have achieved between keeping my grades up while serving as the captain of my hockey team. As a result of this, I gained greater leadership skills as I led our varsity team through the entire season as well as structured our fall and spring workouts. This leadership role required me to polish my time management skills which were invaluable. I also wouldn’t trade the friendships and connections I made during my time on the hockey team I made for anything else in the world.

2. Coming out of this interview, what are three things about you that I should take with me?

Choose three traits you have that demonstrate your natural abilities at equity research and reveal that you are memorable and unique compared to other potential candidates.

The three things that I would like you to take from this interview are,

• To start, I want you to know that I am extremely hard working and will bust my tail every day to ensure that the job gets done
• That I have excellent communication skills and a positive attitude; and
• Your firm is my top choice, and I would be ecstatic to come to work here every day. I’ve already spoken to X, Y, and Z people and I believe that I’ll make a great fit with the other team members.

3. Describe your ideal work environment?

• The most important things about your work environment, especially in finance where people spend many hours together, are the people you work with every day.
• Talk about the fact that you want to be in a work environment with others who are all as driven, dedicated, and hard-working as you are, where everyone can rely on one another to get tasks done efficiently.
• Talk about your ideal environment as one that allows you to excel due to great teamwork and communication, one that allows you to grow intellectually and professionally, where your performance evaluations are directly correlated to your rewards.

In my mind, at least in finance, the most crucial aspect of the working environment is the people you are working with on a daily basis. Suppose you do not enjoy the company of your colleagues or teammates. In that case, the environment will be especially challenging because you’ll often be working countless hours per week, over multiple years, with these same people.

My ideal workplace is one where everyone works hard, communicates well, and trusts each other to get the job done right and on time. As a result, the team is then rewarded and evaluated based on our performance.

4. What would your last boss tell me about you?/Tell a story about a time when your boss praised you for a job you performed exceptionally well.

• highly motivated
• hard-working
• strong analytical and quantitative skills
• a good team player
• Be sure to talk about a quality your boss observed that may not be clearly listed on your resume. For example, your ability to put clients at ease upon meeting them or that you’re a great leader who sees the best in every team member.

My boss from last summer’s internship would say I worked extremely hard with maximum dedication and minimal supervision. On one occasion, he actually tell me to go home when it was getting late and I was still at my desk. He even reminded me it was just a summer internship . 

Since I really strived to get the most out of my time with the internship, I guess I just didn’t want to leave any task unfinished, even if it would have been OK with my boss. At the end of the summer, my boss telling me how dedicated I was to the position was one of the biggest compliments he had to have given me.

5. What makes you think you can put up with the stress, pressure, and long hours of a career in finance?

Talk about a time in your life when you worked long hours and managed many different tasks.

The story can be from work, school, home, or a combination of all of them. For example, maybe during finals week, you had to study for two exams, finalize the school newspaper, write three papers, and still go to soccer practice.

It’s vital to ensure that you explain that while your past experience has not been as intensive as working full time as a finance professional, you are still 100% dedicated to succeeding, you feel as well prepared as anyone, and you’re willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

I am as prepared as anyone else coming out of college to handle the long hours of working in finance. In fact, when you add up all the time I spent doing all my extracurricular activities, my school hours were almost as long as a full-time position. Every day I was up at 7:30 for classes that ran from 8:15 until 1:00. Then, after class, I would grab lunch and then go to soccer practice, which means I didn’t get back until 5:00.

Then I would grab dinner and work in either the library or my room until I was done. This would typically go pretty late at night or into the morning. So while I know it isn’t the same time commitment and stress as working in finance, I feel my experience has left me well prepared for this career.

Knowing the culture of each hedge fund before walking into an interview is one of the secrets to connecting with the interviewer and walking out with an offer.

The following section features 5 exclusive questions that interviewers have asked in the world’s biggest hedge funds (Point72, Bridgewater Associates, Millennium Partners , etc.) during interviews. These should give you a jumpstart to help with your training for the respective hedge funds interviewing you.

• What roles are you applying for right now? What types of firms?
• What do you consider your greatest failure?
• What is your strength?
• What feedback did you receive from your last job/internship?
• What motivates you?

WSO Free Resource:

To view WSO’s sample answers and walkthroughs for the above-mentioned exclusive fund-specific behavioral questions, check out WSO’s free Hedge Fund Interview Questions page.

Logical puzzles, brainteasers , and riddles are typically used in the interview process to gauge the candidate's critical thinking abilities.

In this part of the interview, your interviewers aren’t focused on whether you can answer the riddles correctly or not. Instead, they are really focused on trying to figure out your thought process and how you arrive at your answer when solving the riddles presented before you.

Given this, it is critical to walk your interviewer through your thinking as you progress through the riddle. They may even probe you with questions to assist you or test your logic. By occasionally asking if you’re headed in the right direction and giving them a rundown of your thoughts demonstrates your ability to reflect and approach a problem with composure.

However, it is still beneficial to foresee these brainteasers in order to avoid being put in an awkward position and caught off guard in the interview. The next section has 5 commonly asked logical puzzles that you can practice beforehand to impress your interviewer.

1. How many NYSE-Listed companies have 1 letter ticker symbols?

It could be 26 as that’s how many letters are in the English alphabet, but in this case it is only 24 because I & M are already saved for Microsoft and Intel, in case they change their minds.

2. A stock is trading at 10 and 1/16. There are 1 million shares outstanding. What is the stock’s market cap?

This question is just a test of your mental math abilities. 

• If a fourth is 0.25
• An eighth is 0.125
• A sixteenth is 0.0625

As a result, the stock price is 10.0625 and the Market Cap is 10 .0625 million.

3. What is the probability that the first business day of a month is a Monday?

Each day has a 1 in 7 chance of being the first day of the month. However, if the month starts on a Saturday or a Sunday, the first business day of the month will be a Monday. Therefore, the chances of the first business day being a Monday is 3 in 7 since if the month starts on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, the first business day is a Monday.

4. You have 10 black marbles, 10 white marbles, and 2 buckets. I am going to pick one of the two buckets at random and select one marble from it at random. How would you fill the two buckets with marbles to maximize the odds that I select a white marble?

For this scenario, you want to put one white marble in one bucket and put the other 19 marbles in the other bucket. Due to this setup, the bucket with the lone white marble will be chosen nearly 50% of the time. When the alternative bucket is selected, the odds that a white marble is pulled are still nearly 50%. Setting up the situation this way makes the overall odds of a white marble selection almost 75%.

5. A 10x10 Rubik's Cube is dropped into a bucket of paint. How many of the individual cubes have paint on them?

The trick is to realize that cubes on the edge of any one of the 6 faces have a side on two faces (3 faces for corner cubes). This prevents you from simply calculating the number of cubes on a single face and multiplying by the number of faces. One of the most intuitive ways to solve this problem is to calculate the total number of individual cubes in a 10x10x10 Rubik’s cube. Once you have that you want to subtract the number of all internal cubes with no facings on the outside. There are 10x10x10 total individual cubes on this Rubik's cube. On the inside of a 10x10x10 cube, is an 8x8x8 cube with no outside facings. The 8x8x8 cube contains 512 individual cubes. Therefore, there are 1,000 - 512 = 488 cubes on the outside of the Rubik’s cube with paint on them.

The majority of questions and sample answers covered in this free guide were obtained directly from WSO’s very own Hedge Fund Interview Course , which features:

• 814 questions across 165 hedge funds
• 10+ exclusive case videos with detailed pitches
• Long, short, equity, credit, event-driven, macro+ questions

Think about it - if this page alone can set you miles ahead of the competition, imagine what our complete course can do for you. The WSO Hedge Fund Interview Prep Course will guide you through each step of the interview process and ensure you're in the strongest position to land the job at a hedge fund. Click the button below to check it out!

Everything You Need To Break into Hedge Funds

Sign Up to The Insider's Guide on How to Land the Most Prestigious Buyside Roles on Wall Street.

The following are additional resources as forum posts posted by WSO and WSO’s users alike over the last 15 years and are recommended by WSO for taking a look at.

• Equity Research Resume Guidelines
• Overview Of The Equity Research Industry
• Hedge Fund Careers: Getting A Hedge Fund Job Out Of Undergrad And Beyond
• Anatomy Of The 10-K
• WSO Financial Dictionary

The following are some of the biggest of the 750+ hedge funds firms WSO has data on in its company database :

Bridgewater Associates | Bridgewater Associates Overview | Bridgewater Associates Site The Tudor Group | The Tudor Group Overview | The Tudor Group Site Brandes Investment Partners | Brandes Investment Partners Overview | Brandes Investment Partners Site Renaissance Capital | Renaissance Capital Overview | Renaissance Capital Site Millennium Partners Group | Millennium Partners Overview | Millennium Partners Site Alpine Woods | Alpine Woods Overview | Alpine Woods Site Carlson Capital | Carlson Capital Overview | Carlson Capital Site 360 Global Capital | 360 Global Capital Overview | 360 Global Capital Site GSO Capital Partners | GSO Capital Partners Overview | GSO Capital Partners Site

Additional interview resources

To learn more about interviews and the questions asked, please check out the additional interview resources below:

• Investment Banking Interview Questions and Answers
• Private Equity Interview Questions and Answers
• Hedge Funds Interview Questions and Answers
• Finance Interview Questions and Answers
• Accounting Interview Questions and Answers

Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.

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Home Market Research

Types of Interviews in Research and Methods

There are more types of interviews than most people think. An interview is generally a qualitative research technique that involves asking open-ended questions to converse with respondents and collect elicit data about a subject.

The interviewer, in most cases, is the subject matter expert who intends to understand respondent opinions in a well-planned and executed series of star questions and answers . 

Interviews are similar to focus groups and surveys for garnering information from the target market but are entirely different in their operation – focus groups are restricted to a small group of 6-10 individuals, whereas surveys are quantitative.

Interviews are conducted with a sample from a population, and the key characteristic they exhibit is their conversational tone.

LEARN ABOUT: telephone survey

What is An Interview?

An interview is a way to get information from a person by asking questions and hearing their answers.

An interview is a question-and-answer session where one person asks questions, and the other person answers those questions. It can be a one-on-one, two-way conversation, or there can be more than one interviewer and more than one participant.

The interview is the most important part of the whole selection bias process. It is used to decide if a person should be interviewed further, hired, or taken out of consideration. It is the main way to learn more about applicants and the basis for judging their job-related knowledge, research skills , and abilities.

Fundamental Types of Interviews in Research

A researcher has to conduct interviews with a group of participants at a juncture in the research where information can only be obtained by meeting and personally connecting with a section of their target audience. Interviews offer the researchers a platform to prompt their participants and obtain inputs in the desired detail. There are three fundamental types of interviews in research:

1. Structured Interviews:

Structured interviews are defined as research tools that could be more flexible in their operations are allow more or no scope of prompting the participants to obtain and analyze results. It is thus also known as a standardized interview and is significantly quantitative in its approach. 

Questions in this interview are pre-decided according to the required detail of information. This can be used in a focus group interview and an in-person interview.

These interviews are excessively used in survey research with the intention of maintaining uniformity throughout all the interview sessions.

LEARN ABOUT: Research Process Steps

They can be closed-ended and open-ended – according to the type of target population. Closed-ended questions can be included to understand user preferences from a collection of answer options. In contrast, open-ended ones can be included to gain details about a particular section in the interview.

Example of a structured interview question:

Here’s an example of a structured question for a job interview for a customer service job:

• Can you talk about what it was like to work in customer service?
• How do you deal with an angry or upset customer?
• How do you ensure that the information you give customers is correct?
• Tell us about when you went out of your way to help a customer.
• How do you handle a lot of customers or tasks at once?
• Can you talk about how you’ve used software or tools for customer service?
• How do you set priorities and use your time well while giving good customer service?
• Can you tell us about when you had to get a customer to calm down?
• How do you deal with a customer who wants something that goes against your company’s rules?
• Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a hard customer or coworker.

Advantages of structured interviews:

• It focuses on the accuracy of different responses, due to which extremely organized data can be collected. Different respondents have different types of answers to the same structure of questions – answers obtained can be collectively analyzed.
• They can be used to get in touch with a large sample of the target population.
• The interview procedure is made easy due to the standardization offered by it.
• Replication across multiple samples becomes easy due to the same structure of the interview.
• As the scope of detail is already considered while designing the interview questions, better information can be obtained. The researcher can analyze the research problem comprehensively by asking accurate research questions .
• Since the structure of the interview is fixed, it often generates reliable results and is quick to execute.
• The relationship between the researcher and the respondent is not formal, due to which the researcher can clearly understand the margin of error in case the respondent either degree to be a part of the survey or is just not interested in providing the right information.

Disadvantages of structured interviews:

• The limited scope of assessment of obtained results.
• The accuracy of information overpowers the detail of information.
• Respondents are forced to select from the provided answer options.
• The researcher is expected to always adhere to the list of decided questions, irrespective of how interesting the conversation is turning out to be with the participants.
• A significant amount of time is required for a structured interview. 

Learn more: Market Research

2. Semi-Structured Types of Interviews:

Semi-structured interviews offer a considerable amount of leeway to the researcher to probe the respondents, along with maintaining a basic interview structure. Even if it is a guided conversation between researchers and interviewees – appreciable flexibility is offered to the researchers. A researcher can be assured that multiple interview rounds will not be required in the presence of structure in this type of research interview.

Keeping the structure in mind, the researcher can follow any idea or take creative advantage of the entire interview. Additional respondent probing is always necessary to garner information for a research study. The best application of semi-structured interviews is when the researcher doesn’t have time to conduct research and requires detailed information about the topic.

Example of a semi-structured interview question:

Here’s an example of a semi-structured marketing job interviews question:

• Can you tell us about the marketing work you’ve done?
• What do you think are the most important parts of a marketing campaign that works?
• Tell me about a campaign you worked on that you’re very proud of.
• How do you do research on the market and look at data to help you make marketing decisions?
• Can you tell us about a time when you had to change your marketing plan because of something that didn’t go as planned?
• How do you figure out if a marketing campaign worked?
• Can you talk about how you’ve used social media to market?
• How do you ensure your marketing message gets through to the people you want to hear it?
• Can you tell us about a time when you had to run a marketing campaign on a small budget?
• How do you keep up with changes and trends in marketing?

Advantages of semi-structured interviews:

• Questions from semi-structured interview questions are prepared before the scheduled interview, giving the researcher time to prepare and analyze the questions.
• It is flexible to an extent while maintaining the research guidelines.
• Unlike a structured interview, researchers can express the interview questions in the preferred format.
• Reliable qualitative data can be collected via these interviews.
• The flexible structure of the interview.

Learn more: Quantitative Data

Disadvantages of semi-structured interviews:

• Participants may question the reliability factor of these interviews due to the flexibility offered.
• Comparing two different answers becomes difficult as the guideline for conducting interviews is not entirely followed. No two questions will have the exact same structure, and the result will be an inability to compare are infer results.

3. Unstructured Interviews:

Also called in-depth interviews , unstructured interviews are usually described as conversations held with a purpose in mind – to gather data about the research study. These interviews have the least number of questions as they lean more towards a normal conversation but with an underlying subject.

The main objective of most researchers using unstructured interviews is to build a bond with the respondents, due to which there is a high chance that the respondents will be 100% truthful with their answers. There are no guidelines for the researchers to follow. So they can approach the participants ethically to gain as much information as possible about their research topic.

Since there are no guidelines for these interviews, a researcher is expected to keep their approach in check so that the respondents do not sway away from the main research motive. 

For a researcher to obtain the desired outcome, he/she must keep the following factors in mind:

• The intent of the interview.
• The interview should primarily take into consideration the participant’s interests and skills.
• All the conversations should be conducted within the permissible limits of research, and the researcher should try and stick by these limits.
• The researcher’s skills and knowledge should match the interview’s purpose.
• Researchers should understand the dos and don’ts of it.

Example of an unstructured interview question:

Here’s an example of a question asked in an unstructured interview:

• Can you tell me about when you had to deal with something hard and how you did it?
• What are some of the things you’re most proud of, and what did you learn from them?
• How do you deal with ambiguity or not knowing what to do at work?
• Can you describe how you lead and how you get your team going?
• Tell me about a time when you had to take a chance and how it turned out.
• What do you think are the most important qualities for success in this role?
• How do you deal with setbacks or failures, and what do you learn from them?
• Can you tell me about a time when you had to solve a problem by thinking outside the box?
• What do you think makes you different from the other people who want this job?
• Can you tell me about a time when you had to make a hard choice and how you made that choice?

Advantages of Unstructured Interviews:

• Due to this type of interview’s informal nature, it becomes extremely easy for researchers to try and develop a friendly rapport with the participants. This leads to gaining insights in extreme detail without much conscious effort.
• The participants can clarify all their doubts about the questions, and the researcher can take each opportunity to explain his/her intention for better answers.
• There are no questions that the researcher has to abide by, and this usually increases the flexibility of the entire research process.

Disadvantages of Unstructured Interviews:

• Researchers take time to execute these interviews because there is no structure to the interview process.
• The absence of a standardized set of questions and guidelines indicates that its reliability of it is questionable.
• The ethics involved in these interviews are often considered borderline upsetting.

Learn more: Qualitative Market Research & Qualitative Data Collection

Other Types of Interviews

Besides the 3 basic interview types, we have already mentioned there are more. Here are some other interview types that are commonly used in a job interview:

Behavioral Interview

During this type of interview, candidates are asked to give specific examples of how they have acted in the past. The idea behind this kind of interview is that what someone did in the past can be a sign of how they will act in the future. And by this interview, the company can also understand the interviewee’s behavior through body language.

Panel Interview

During a panel interview, three or more interviewers usually ask questions and evaluate the candidate’s answers as a group. This is a good way to get a full picture of a candidate’s skills and suitability for the job.

Group Types of Interviews

Multiple people are interviewed at the same time in group interviews. This form of interview often focus groups that are utilized on entry-level positions or employment in customer service to examine how well candidates get along with others and function as a team.

Case Interview

During a case interview, candidates are given a business problem or scenario and asked to think about how to solve it. In the consulting and finance fields, this kind of interview is common.

Technical Interview

A candidate’s technical skills and knowledge are tested during a technical interview, usually in fields like engineering or software development. Most of the time, candidates are asked to solve problems or complete technical tasks.

Stress Interview

During a stress interview, candidates are put under pressure or asked difficult or confrontational questions on purpose to see how they react in stressful situations. This kind of interview is used to see how well a candidate can deal with stress and hard situations.

Methods of Research Interviews:

There are four methods to conduct research interviews, each of which is peculiar in its application and can be used according to the research study requirement.

Personal Interviews:

Personal interviews are one of the most used types of interviews, where the questions are asked personally directly to the respondent as a form of an individual interview. One of the many in-person interviews is a lunch interview, which is frequently better suited for casual inquiries and discussions.

For this, a researcher can have a guide to online surveys to take note of the answers. A researcher can design his/her survey in such a way that they take notes of the comments or points of view that stands out from the interviewee. It can be a one-on-one interview as well. 

• Higher response rate.
• When the interviewees and respondents are face-to-face, there is a way to adapt the questions if this is not understood.
• More complete answers can be obtained if there is doubt on both sides or a remarkable piece of information is detected.
• The researcher has an opportunity to detect and analyze the interviewee’s body language at the time of asking the questions and taking notes about it.

Disadvantages:

• They are time-consuming and extremely expensive.
• They can generate distrust on the part of the interviewee since they may be self-conscious and not answer truthfully.
• Contacting the interviewees can be a real headache, either scheduling an appointment in workplaces or going from house to house and not finding anyone.
• Therefore, many interviews are conducted in public places like shopping centers or parks. Even consumer studies take advantage of these sites to conduct interviews or surveys and give incentives, gifts, and coupons. In short, There are great opportunities for online research in shopping centers.
• Among the advantages of conducting such types of interviews is that the respondents will have more fresh information if the interview is conducted in the context and with the appropriate stimuli so that researchers can have data from their experience at the scene of the events immediately and first hand. The interviewer can use an online survey through a mobile device that will undoubtedly facilitate the entire process.

Telephonic Type of Interviews:

Phonic interviews are widely used and easily combined with online surveys to conduct research effectively.

Advantages:

• To find the interviewees, it is enough to have their phone numbers on hand.
• They are usually lower cost.
• The information is collected quickly.
• Having a personal contact can also clarify doubts or give more details of the questions.
• Many times researchers observe that people do not answer phone calls because it is an unknown number for the respondent or simply already changed their place of residence and they cannot locate it, which causes a bias in the interview.
• Researchers also face that they simply do not want to answer and resort to pretexts such as they are busy to answer, they are sick, they do not have the authority to answer the questions asked, they have no interest in answering, or they are afraid of putting their security at risk.
• One of the aspects that should be taken care of in these types of interviews is the kindness with which the interviewers address the respondents in order to get them to cooperate more easily with their answers. Good communication is vital for the generation of better answers.

Learn More: Data Collection Methods: Types & Examples

Email or Web Page Types of Interviews:

Online research is growing more and more because consumers are migrating to a more virtual world, and it is best for each researcher to adapt to this change.

The increase in people with Internet access has made it popular that interviews via email or web page stand out among the types of interviews most used today. For this nothing better than an online survey.

More and more consumers are turning to online shopping, which is why they are a great niche to be able to carry out an interview that will generate information for the correct decision-making.

Advantages of email surveys:

• Speed in obtaining data
• The respondents respond according to their time, when they want, and where they decide.
• Online surveys can be mixed with other research methods or using some of the previous interview models. They are tools that can perfectly complement and pay for the project.
• A researcher can use a variety of questions and logic to create graphs and reports immediately.

Disadvantages of email survey:

• Low response rates
• Limited access to certain populations
• Potential for spam filters
• Lack of personal touch

What to Avoid in Different Types of Interviews

Try not to do any of the following things when you’re in an interview:

• Don’t blame your previous managers, coworkers, or companies. This will make a bad impression on the interviewer and show that you are not accountable.
• Do not go to the interview without knowing anything about the company you are interviewing for. Interviewers will think you don’t care about learning about the company if you don’t know anything.
• Don’t fidget with things because that shows you lack self-confidence and focus.
• Stop checking the time because it shows that you have something more important to do and that you don’t give the interview much importance.

Related Questions of Interviews

After the interview is over, you might also get a chance to ask some questions. You should make the most of this chance to learn useful things from the interviewer. Based on what you’ve learned, you can then decide if the company and the job are a good fit for you. You can ask the interviewer questions about the company or about the job role.

Here are some common but important questions to ask in an interview:

• What do you anticipate from team members in this role?
• What does a typical day look like for an employee in this role?
• What qualities are essential for success in this position?
• How is success measured for this position?
• How does this job profile relate to the organization’s overarching objectives?
• What are your company’s guiding principles?
• Which departments will I work closely with throughout my time in this profile?

Learn more: Quantitative Research

To summarize the discussion, an effective interview will be one that provides researchers with the necessary data to know the object of study and that this information is applicable to the decisions researchers make.

Undoubtedly, the objective of the research will set the pattern of what types of interviews are best for data collection. Based on the research design , a researcher can plan and test the questions, for instance, if the questions are correct and if the survey flows in the best way.

LEARN ABOUT: Best Data Collection Tools

In addition, other types of research can be used under specific circumstances.

For example, there are no connections or adverse situations to carry out surveyors. In these types of occasions, it is necessary to conduct field research, which can not be considered an interview if not rather a completely different methodology.

QuestionPro is a flexible online survey platform that can help researchers do different kinds of interviews, like structured, semi-structured, unstructured, phone interview, group interview, etc. It gives researchers a flexible platform that can be changed to fit their needs and the needs of their research project.

QuestionPro can help researchers get detailed and useful information from participants using features like skip logic, piping, and live chat. Also, the platform is easy to use and get to, making it a useful tool for researchers to use in their work.

LEARN ABOUT: Candidate Experience Survey

Overall, QuestionPro can be helpful for researchers who want to do good interviews and collect good project data.

LEARN MORE         FREE TRIAL

The 3 main types of interviews are 1. Structured interviews 2. Semi-structured interviews 3. Unstructured interviews

There are different ways to conduct an interview, and each one can add depth and substance to the information the interviewer gathers by asking questions. We discuss four interview methods: situational, professional behavior profiling, stress, and behavioral.

Face-to-face means in-person interviews are the most common type of interview. It’s about getting a good sense of the candidate by focusing on them directly. But it also allows the person interviewed to talk freely and ask questions.

Personal interviews, phone interviews, email or web page interviews, and a combination of these methods are the four types of research interviews.

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Do your interviews reveal enough about a job candidate’s future performance? Discover how a structured behavior interview can improve your approach.

The proper interviewing techniques help you assess candidates efficiently, whereas the wrong ones increase the risks of bias and may result in hiring a person unsuitable for the position. Many hiring managers ask hypothetical questions to see how an applicant would handle various situations, whereas behavioral interviewing probes responses to real-life issues based on the candidate’s previous experience.

Behavioral interviewing isn’t a new method, but it’s a good idea to understand the ins and outs of applying the techniques during your interviews. Learn what behavioral interviewing is and why it’s effective, then explore questions and tips for using it.

What is behavioral interviewing?

Behavioral interviewing is a technique used to question job candidates about their past experiences. It’s based on the premise that past performance is an excellent predictor of future behavior. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) suggests using this method to learn about an applicant’s specific skills, abilities, behaviors, and knowledge. The questions elicit verifiable evidence about previous actions in the workplace.

Behavioral interviewing looks at actual experiences, whereas situational interviewing focuses on hypothetical ones. Indeed, the Journal of Business Research found that both “question types are valid predictors of job performance.” However, theoretical questions may not reveal behavior patterns critical to job performance and success because they’re based on imaginary circumstances, not proof.

[ Read more: Avoiding a Hiring Mistake: How to Make Sure Your Next Hire Is Your Best Hire ]

Advantages of using the behavioral interviewing method

Recruiters and hiring managers believe behavioral interviewing techniques are beneficial, with 86% of respondents to a LinkedIn survey rating the method as “somewhat or very effective.” Past behavior questions help leaders assess soft skills , which more than 60% of hiring managers say is challenging. Moreover, structured behavioral interviews make it easier to compare job candidates fairly and legally.

Behavioral interviewing looks at actual experiences, whereas situational interviewing focuses on hypothetical ones.

SHRM points out additional benefits, including:

• Providing applicants with a “realistic perspective of the job.”
• Getting fewer vague answers from candidates.
• Reducing risks of bias from interviewers.
• Increasing the “perception of fairness among job candidates.”

Behavioral interviewing sample questions

Amtec suggested developing a list of behavioral interview and follow-up questions and a set of “expected or desired answers.” Furthermore, the primary interview questions should be “delivered to every job candidate with the same wording, in the same order, and using the same scoring system,” according to SHRM.

Before creating a list of questions, SHRM recommended identifying the “core competencies for your organization” and the preferred behaviors and qualities of job candidates. Doing so helps you narrow your job interview questions to those that align best with your mission and the job role.

LinkedIn’s guide to screening candidates offers examples of behavioral interview questions like:

• “Give an example of when you had to work with someone who was difficult to get along with. How did you handle interactions with that person?”
• “When was the last occasion you asked for direct feedback from a superior? Why?”
• “How do you determine what amount of time is reasonable for a task?”

[ Read more: 8 Personality Tests to Help You Hire the Best Candidate ]

Tips for conducting a behavioral interview

Most small and medium companies continue to use “unstructured interviews rather than structured behavioral ones,” according to research . This could be because of the additional work required before the interview. Obsidian HR said behavioral interviewing “requires more preparation and training for interviewers.” SHRM agreed, noting that the “technique can take a great deal of effort and planning before an interview can ever take place.”

Improve your behavioral interviewing tactics by:

• Use the STAR system: Developed by Development Dimensions International (DDI), STAR is a well-known technique used for behavioral interviewing. It encourages candidates to explain the situation, task, action, and result (STAR).
• Create a scorecard: Reduce interviewer bias and easily compare candidates with a rating system. Hiring managers can score answers on a scale of one to five, with higher results meaning there is strong evidence that your candidate possesses a particular skill.
• Standardize your process: Ensure your interviewing team is on the same page by reviewing your questions and scorecard together. This helps you determine how to approach interviews and interpret answers consistently.

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Best Practices for Reducing Bias in the Interview Process

Ilana bergelson.

Department of Urology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA

Elizabeth Takacs

Purpose of review.

Objective measures of residency applicants do not correlate to success within residency. While industry and business utilize standardized interviews with blinding and structured questions, residency programs have yet to uniformly incorporate these techniques. This review focuses on an in-depth evaluation of these practices and how they impact interview formatting and resident selection.

Recent Findings

Structured interviews use standardized questions that are behaviorally or situationally anchored. This requires careful creation of a scoring rubric and interviewer training, ultimately leading to improved interrater agreements and biases as compared to traditional interviews. Blinded interviews eliminate even further biases, such as halo, horn, and affinity bias. This has also been seen in using multiple interviewers, such as in the multiple mini-interview format, which also contributes to increased diversity in programs. These structured formats can be adopted to the virtual interviews as well.

There is growing literature that using structured interviews reduces bias, increases diversity, and recruits successful residents. Further research to measure the extent of incorporating this method into residency interviews will be needed in the future.

Introduction

Optimizing the criteria to rank residency applicants is a difficult task. The National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) is designed to be applicant-centric, with the overarching goal to provide favorable outcomes to the applicant while providing opportunity for programs to match high-quality candidates. From a program’s perspective, the NRMP is composed of three phases: the screening of applicants, the interview, and the creation of the rank list. While it is easy to compare candidates based on objective measures, these do not always reflect qualities required to be a successful resident or physician. Prior studies have demonstrated that objective measures such as Alpha Omega Alpha status, United States Medical Licensing Exams (USMLE), and class rank do not correlate with residency performance measures [ 1 ]. Due to the variability of these factors to predict success and recognition of the importance of the non-cognitive traits, most programs place increased emphasis on candidate interviews to assess fit [ 2 ].

Unfortunately, the interview process lacks standardization across residency programs. Industry and business have more standardized interviews and utilize best practices that include blinded interviewers, use of structured questions (situational and/or behavioral anchored questions), and skills testing. Due to residency interview heterogeneity, studies evaluating the interview as a predictor of success have failed to reliably predict who will perform well during residency. Additionally, resident success has many components, such that isolating any one factor, such as the interview, may be problematic and argues for a more holistic approach to resident selection [ 3 ]. Nevertheless, there are multiple ways the application review and interview can be standardized to promote transparency and improve resident selection.

Residency programs have begun adopting best practices from business models for interviewing, which include standardized questions, situational and/or behavioral anchored questions, blinded interviewers, and use of the multiple mini-interview (MMI) model. The focus of this review is to take a more in-depth look at practices that have become standard in business and to review the available data on the impact of these practices in resident selection.

Unstructured Versus Structured Interviews

Unstructured interviews are those in which questions are not set in advance and represent a free-flowing discussion that is conversational in nature. The course of an unstructured interview often depends on the candidate’s replies and may offer opportunities to divert away from topics that are important to applicant selection. While unstructured interviews may involve specific questions such as “tell me about a recent book you read” or “tell me about your research,” the questions do not seek to determine specific applicant attributes and may vary significantly between applicants. Due to their free-form nature, unstructured interviews may be prone to biased or illegal questions. Additionally, due to a lack of a specific scoring rubric, unstructured interviews are open to multiple biases in answer interpretation and as such generally show limited validity [ 4 ]. For the applicant, unstructured interviews allow more freedom to choose a response, with some studies reporting higher interviewee satisfaction with these questions [ 5 ].

In contrast to the unstructured interview, structured interviews use standardized questions that are written prior to an interview, are asked of every candidate, and are scored using an established rubric. Standardized questions may be behaviorally or situationally anchored [ 5 ]. Due to their uniformity, standardized interviews have higher interrater reliability and are less prone to biased or illegal questions.

Behavioral questions ask the candidate to discuss a specific response to a prior experience, which can provide insight into how an applicant may behave in the future [ 5 ]. Not only does the candidate’s response reflect a possible prediction of future behavior, it can also demonstrate the knowledge, priorities, and values of the candidate [ 5 ]. Questions are specifically targeted to reflect qualities the program is searching for (Table ​ (Table1) 1 ) [ 5 – 7 ].

Behavioral questions and character traits [ 5 – 7 ]

Situational questions require an applicant to predict how they would act in a hypothetical situation and are intended to reflect a realistic scenario the applicant may encounter during residency; this can provide insight into priorities and values [ 5 ]. For example, asking what an applicant would do when receiving sole credit for something they worked on with a colleague can provide insight into the integrity of a candidate [ 4 ]. These types of questions can be especially helpful for fellowships, as applicants would already have the clinical experience of residency to draw from [ 5 ].

Using standardized questions provides a method to recruit candidates with characteristics that ultimately correlate to resident success and good performance. Indeed, structured interview scores have demonstrated an ability to predict which students perform better with regard to communication skills, patient care, and professionalism in surgical and non-surgical specialties [ 8 •]. In fields such as radiology, non-cognitive abilities that can be evaluated in behavioral questions, such as conscientiousness or confidence, are thought to critically influence success in residency and even influence cognitive performance [ 1 ]. This has also been demonstrated in obstetrics and gynecology, where studies have shown that resident clinical performance after 1 year had a positive correlation with the rank list percentile that was generated using a structured interview process [ 9 ].

Creating Effective Structured Interviews

To be effective, standardized interview questions should be designed in a methodical manner. The first step in standardizing the interview process is determining which core values predict resident success in a particular program. To that end, educational leaders and faculty within the department should come to a consensus on the main qualities they seek in a resident. From there, questions can be formatted to elicit those traits during the interview process. Some programs have used personality assessment inventories to establish these qualities. Examples include openness to experience, humility, conscientiousness, and honesty. Further program-specific additions can be included, such as potential for success in an urban versus rural environment [ 10 ].

Once key attributes have been chosen and questions have been selected, a scoring rubric can be created. The scoring of each question is important as it helps define what makes a high-performing versus low-performing answer. Once a scoring system is determined, interviewers can be trained to review the questions, score applicant responses, and ensure they do not revise the questions during the interview [ 11 ]. Questions and the grading rubric should be further scrutinized through mock interviews with current residents, including discussing responses of the mock interviewee and modifying the questions and rubric prior to formal implementation [ 12 ]. Interviewer training itself is critical, as adequate training leads to improved interrater agreements [ 13 ]. Figure  1 demonstrates the steps to develop a behavioral interview question.

Example of standardized question to evaluate communication with scoring criteria

Rating the responses of the applicants can come with errors that ultimately reduce validity. For example, central tendency error involves interviewers not rating students at the extremes of a scale but rather placing all applicants in the middle; leniency versus severity refers to interviewers who either give all applicants high marks or give everyone low marks; contrast effects involve comparing one applicant to another rather than solely focusing on the rubric for each interviewee. These rating errors reflect the importance of training and providing feedback to interviewers [ 4 ].

Blinded Interviewers

Blinding the interviewers to the application prior to meeting with a candidate is intended to eliminate various biases within the interview process (Table ​ (Table2) 2 ) [ 14 , 15 ]. In addition to grades and test scores, aspects of the application that can either introduce or exacerbate bias include photographs, demographics, letters of recommendation, selection to medical honor societies, and even hobbies. Impressions of candidates can be formed prematurely, with the interview then serving to simply confirm (or contradict) those impressions [ 16 •]. Importantly, application blinding may also decrease implicit bias against applicants who identify as underrepresented in medicine [ 17 ].

Examples of bias [ 14 , 15 ]

Despite the proven success of these various interview tactics, their use in resident selection remains limited, with only 5% of general surgery programs using standardized interview questions and less than 20% using even a limited amount of blinding (e.g., blinding of photograph) [ 2 ]. Some programs have continued to rely on unblinded interviews and prioritize USMLE scores and course grades in ranking [ 18 ]. Due to their potential benefits and ability to standardize the interview process, it is critical that programs become familiar with the various interview practices so that they can select the best applicants while minimizing the significant bias in traditional interview formats.

Multiple Mini-interview (MMI)

The use of multiple interviews by multiple interviewers provides an opportunity to ask the applicant more varied questions and also allows for the averaging out of potential interviewer bias leading to more consistent applicant scoring and ability to predict applicant success [ 7 ]. Training of the interviewers in interviewing techniques, scoring, and avoiding bias is also likely to decrease scoring variability. Similarly, the use of the same group of interviewers for all candidates should be encouraged in order to limit variance in scoring amongst certain faculty [ 19 ].

One interview method that incorporates multiple interviewers and has had growing frequency in medical school interviews as well as residency interviews is the MMI model. This system provides multiple interviews in the form of 6–12 stations, each of which evaluates a non-medical question designed to assess specific non-academic applicant qualities [ 20 ]. While the MMI format can intimidate some candidates, others find that it provides an opportunity to demonstrate traits that would not be observed in an unstructured interview, such as multitasking, efficiency, flexibility, interpersonal skills, and ethical decision-making [ 21 ]. Furthermore, MMI has been shown to have increased reliability as shown in a study of five California medical schools that showed inter-interviewer consistency was higher for MMIs than traditional interviews which were unstructured and had a 1:1 ratio of interviewer to applicant [ 22 ].

The MMI format is also versatile enough to incorporate technical competencies even through a virtual platform. In general surgery interviews, MMI platforms have been designed to test traits such as communication and empathy but also clinical knowledge and surgical aptitude through anatomy questions and surgical skills (knot tying and suturing). Thus, MMIs are not only versatile, but also have an ability to evaluate cognitive traits and practical skills [ 23 ].

MMI also has the potential to reduce resident attrition. For example, in evaluating students applying to midwifery programs in Australia, attrition rates and grades were compared for admitted students using academic rank and MMI scores obtained before and after the incorporation of MMIs into their selection program. The authors found that when using MMIs, enrolled students had not only higher grades but significantly lower attrition rates. MMI was better suited to show applicants’ passion and commitment, which then led to similar mindsets of accepted applicants as well as a support network [ 24 ]. Furthermore, attrition rates have been found to be higher in female residents in general surgery programs [ 25 ]. Perhaps with greater diversity, which is associated with use of standardized interviews, the number of women can increase in surgical specialties and thus reduce attrition rate in this setting as well.

Impact of Interview Best Practices on Bias and Diversity

An imperative of all training programs is to produce a cohort of physicians with broad and diverse experiences representative of the patient populations they treat. To better address diversity within surgical residencies, particularly regarding women and those who are underrepresented in medicine, it is important that interviews be designed to minimize bias against any one portion of the applicant pool. Diverse backgrounds and cultures within a program enhance research, innovation, and collaboration as well as benefit patients [ 26 ]. Patients have shown greater satisfaction and reception when they share ethnicity or background with their provider, and underrepresented minorities in medicine often go on to work in underserved communities [ 27 ].

All interviewers undoubtedly have elements of implicit bias; Table ​ Table2 2 describes the common subtypes of implicit bias [ 14 ]. While it is difficult to eliminate bias in the interview process, unstructured or “traditional” interviews are more likely to risk bias toward candidates than structured interviews. Studies have demonstrated that Hispanic and Black applicants receive scores one quarter of a standard deviation lower than Caucasian applicants [ 28 ]. “Like me” bias is just one example of increased subjectivity with unstructured interviews, where interviewers prefer candidates who may look like, speak like, or share personal experiences with the interviewer [ 29 ].

Furthermore, unstructured interviews provide opportunities to ask inappropriate or illegal questions, including those that center on religion, child planning, and sexual orientation [ 30 ]. Inappropriate questions tend to be disproportionately directed toward certain groups, with women more likely to get questions regarding marital status and to be questioned and interrupted than male counterparts [ 28 , 31 ].

Structured interviews, conversely, have been shown to decrease bias in the application process. Faculty trained in behavior-based interviews for fellowship applications demonstrated that there were reduced racial biases in candidate evaluations due to scoring rubrics [ 12 ]. Furthermore, as structured questions are determined prior to the interview and involve training of interviewers, structured interviews are less prone to illegal and inappropriate questions [ 32 ]. Interviewers can ask additional questions such as “could you be more specific?” with the caveat that probing should be minimized and kept consistent between applications. This way the risk of prompting the applicant toward a response is reduced [ 4 ].

Implementing Interview Types During the Virtual Interview Process

An added complexity to creating standardized interviews is incorporating a virtual platform. Even prior to the move toward virtual interviews instituted during the COVID-19 pandemic, studies on virtual interviews showed that they provided several advantages over in-person interviews, including decreased cost, reduction in time away from commitments for applicants and staff, and ability to interview at more programs. A significant limitation, for applicants and for programs, is the inability to interact informally, which allows applicants to evaluate the environment of the hospital and the surrounding community [ 33 •]. Following their abrupt implementation in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual interviews have remained in place and likely will remain in place in some form into the future due to their significant benefits in reducing applicant cost and improving interview efficiency. Although these types of interviews are in their relative infancy in the resident selection process, studies have found that standardized questions and scoring rubrics that have been used in person can still be applied to a virtual interview setting without degrading interview quality [ 34 ].

The virtual format may also allow for further interview innovation in the form of standardized video interviews. For medical student applicants, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has trialed a standardized video interview (SVI) that includes recording of applicant responses, scoring, and subsequent release to the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) application. Though early data in the pilot was promising, the program was not continued after the 2020 cycle due to lack of interest [ 35 ]. There is limited evidence supporting the utility of this type of interview in residency training, and one study found that these interviews did not add significant benefit as the scores did not associate with other candidate attributes such as professionalism [ 32 ]. Similarly, a separate study found no correlation between standardized video interviews and faculty scores on traits such as communication and professionalism. Granted, there was no standardization in what the faculty asked, and they were not blinded to academic performance of the applicants [ 36 ]. While there was an evaluation of six emergency medicine programs that demonstrated a positive linear correlation between the SVI score and the traditional interview score, it was a very low r coefficient; thus the authors concluded that the SVI was not adequate to replace the interview itself [ 37 ].

Conclusions: Future Steps in Urology and Beyond

The shift to structured interviews in urology has been slow. Within the last decade, studies consistent with other specialties demonstrated that urology program directors prioritized USMLE scores, reference letters, and away rotations at the program director’s institution as the key factors in choosing applicants [ 38 ]. More recently, a survey of urology programs found < 10% blinded the recruitment team at the screening step, with < 20% blinding the recruitment team during the interview itself [ 39 ]. In 2020 our program began using structured interview questions and blinded interviewers to all but the personal statement and letters of recommendation. After querying faculty and interviewees, we have found that most interviewers do not miss the additional information, and applicants feel that they are able to have more eye contact with faculty who are not looking down at the application during the interview. Structured behavioral interview questions have allowed us to focus on the key attributes important to our program. With time we hope to see that inclusion of these metrics helps diversify our resident cohort, improve resident satisfaction with the training program, and produce successful future urologists.

Despite the slow transition in urology and other fields, there is a growing body of literature in support of standardized interviews for evaluating key candidate traits that ultimately lead to resident success and reducing bias while increasing diversity. With time, the hope is that programs will continue incorporating these types of interviews in the resident selection process.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

The authors have no financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

This article is part of Topical Collection on Education

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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45+ Behavioral Interview Questions in 2024 (+ Sample Answers)

You’ve been preparing endlessly for that upcoming job interview.

You’ve even memorized the most common job interview questions and prepared answers. At this point, you’re ready for anything the hiring manager can throw at you!

Well, almost ready.

There are still some tricky behavioral interview questions you need to prepare for.

And in this guide, we’re going to teach you how!

Read on to learn about:

What Are Behavioral Interview Questions?

• 45 Most Common Behavioral Interview Questions

How to Answer Any Behavioral Interview Question

• 45 Sample Answers for Different Professions and Experience Levels

Behavioral interview questions aim to help the interviewer understand how you acted in a specific situation.

They’re meant to gauge how you react to stress, what your skill level is, and how you conduct yourself in a professional environment.

Like the most common interview questions , they also allow the interviewer to get a much better understanding of you as a candidate.

Just about anyone can answer a question like, “ What are your strengths and weaknesses? ”

But not everyone can answer a question like:

“Can you tell me of a time when you went above and beyond the line of duty?”

You might think that answering a behavioral interview question like that requires some serious work experience and the achievements to back it up but don’t worry.

You don’t need to have a ton of experience to answer these questions right – you just need the right approach.

Now that we’ve got the basics covered, let’s look at the most common types of behavioral interview questions.

45 Common Behavioral Interview Questions

There are tons of behavioral interview questions out there. Hiring managers can give you a question that’s super specific to the job or ask something broader that can apply across different industries and roles.

That being said, most behavioral interview questions can be divided into categories. Let’s take a look:

5 Questions About Time Management

How do you accomplish tasks under a tight deadline? Give me an example.

Describe a long-term project you managed. How did you make sure everything was running smoothly?

Sometimes, it’s almost impossible to get everything done on your to-do list. What do you do when your list of responsibilities becomes overwhelming?

• Tell me about a time you set a personal goal for yourself. How did you make sure you would meet your objectives, and what steps did you take? 

Can you describe a time when your supervisor or manager just gave you too much work with too little time? What did you do?

8 Questions About Communication Skills

How do you handle a disagreement with your coworkers? Give me an example of a time when you successfully persuaded someone to see things your way.

What would you do if you misunderstood an important task on the job? Give me an example.

How do you handle criticism from coworkers or supervisors?

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a performance assessment you received. How did you handle it?

Have you ever had to work under someone who wasn’t very good at communicating? What happened?

Tell me about a time when you successfully explained a technical problem to a coworker or a customer who didn’t have a tech background.

What do you think about one-on-one meetings? How often do you think they should happen?

Can you tell me about a time you gave a presentation that was particularly successful? Why do you think it went well?

8 Questions About Teamwork

Describe a time when you helped a member of your team succeed.

Tell me about a time when you had to work with someone completely different from you. How did you adapt to collaborate better?

• Have you ever had an interpersonal conflict at work ? If so, how did you handle it?

What do you do when your team member refuses to or just can’t complete their part of the work? Give me an example.

Have you ever mentored a coworker or been mentored? Tell me about it.

In your previous roles, did you have a time when you disagreed with a supervisor’s decision? If so, how did you handle it?

Tell me about an experience that helped you feel like part of the team at your previous job.

Do you have experience training new hires? Describe a time when you had to teach a coworker to do something.

3 Questions About Working with Clients and Customers

Sometimes, clients can be difficult to work with. Can you describe a situation when a client was wrong and you had to correct them?

Describe a time you dealt with a frustrating customer or stakeholder.

Everyone makes mistakes they regret. Is there a situation where you wish you had handled things with a client differently?

6 Questions About Adaptability

Tell me about your first job in the industry. What did you do to learn the ropes?

Have you ever had to put in long hours to finish a task? How did you handle it?

Can you give me an example of when you had to adapt to a new and sudden change in the workplace? What happened?

• Tell me about a time when you felt extremely stressed out by work. What caused it, and how did you manage it?

Give me an example of when you had to suddenly perform under pressure. What happened, and how did you handle it?

• Have you had to switch between an in-office and remote or hybrid work environment? How did you navigate the change?

5 Questions About Leadership

Have you ever led a project?

Tell me about a time when you successfully delegated tasks to your team.

• What’s one project or achievement you’re very proud of?

Tell me about a time when you had to perform a task or work on a project you had no previous experience with. How did you approach this situation, and what did you learn?

Have you ever wanted to improve the company culture? What did you do to contribute?

4 Questions About Problem-Solving

• Describe a time when you didn’t know how to solve a problem. What did you do to resolve the issue?

Tell me about a time when you solved a problem at your job that wasn’t part of your job description.

How would you solve a specific problem in your line of work?

What have you done to make your work more productive in your previous roles?

6 Questions About Success and Failure

Tell me about a time you went above and beyond at work.

Have you ever contributed something in any of your previous roles that made people congratulate you?

Give me an example of a goal you failed to meet and how you handled the situation.

Tell me about a time when you made a risky decision and it didn’t pay off.

Describe a time you realized you were wrong about something. What happened?

Do you have any work habits you’d like to improve?

The easiest way to answer behavioral interview questions is to follow the STAR method .

According to the STAR method, each interview answer should use the following structure:

• (S)ituation. Set the stage for your example by describing the situation where everything happened.
• (T)ask. Describe the task you had to complete to address the issue at hand.
• (A)ction. Explain what actions you took to complete the aforementioned task.
• (R)esults. Talk about the results of your actions, and try to be as detailed as possible.

Let’s take the STAR method from theory to practice. Here’s what a good answer looks like according to the STAR method:

Q: Give me an example of how you handled a challenge in the workplace.

Situation: “Around the time I started working at Company X, the team I was working with was just finishing up a very important project on a tight deadline. They had to review everything before submitting the work to the client, and my manager didn’t have a lot of time to pay attention to me to make sure I was caught up to speed.”

Task: “Everyone around me was constantly working, and because of the timing, they didn’t seem very approachable. So, to make sure I didn’t get left behind, I had to prove myself and take initiative.”

Action: “My plan was simple. I wanted to talk to my manager and a few of my coworkers whenever they had time, such as over lunch or when we got coffee together. Then, I would try to get to know them in a different environment and also learn more about the company. In the meantime, I would always go over my onboarding material and resources to get better at my job.”

Results: “In the end, I’m glad to say everything worked out and I actually made a few good friends too. By the time my manager came around to review my work and talk about the next steps, I already knew most of it and the company’s main clients in detail. And I also knew my coworkers, who I’d be working with too. If anything, he was a bit surprised, but ultimately, he was happy I didn’t fall behind. This saved him a lot of time, something he was very grateful for.”

Want to see more examples of questions where the STAR method can help? Check out this list of other interview questions !

45 Samples Answers for Different Professions and Levels of Experience

Need more inspiration? No worries!

We’ve curated a detailed list where you can see sample answers for each of the behavioral work questions we listed, and you can compare them for different levels of experience.

Question #1

Situation: “Well, typically, I try to never commit to a deadline I don’t think I can meet. But sometimes unexpected things happen, and you’re forced to think on your feet. For example, at my last job, my coworker had to take some time off work because of an emergency, and his project was left without a manager.”

Task: “My supervisor then instructed me to take over his project and complete what work was left. Suddenly, I had a new project on my hands, and I wasn’t really sure how to handle it, as the deadline was in one week.”

Action: “First, I requested a reduction on my own daily sales goals - which I was granted. This way, I could pay more attention to the project and only dedicate a few hours per day to my original tasks. Once I had a consistent schedule and hours set for each of my tasks, it was mostly easy from there.”

Results: “Thanks to my teammates and my good time management skills , I managed to finish up two days before the deadline. And once my coworker came back to work, I was able to review the whole thing with him before submitting it. For what it’s worth, he was thoroughly impressed. And a few months later, I even got promoted based on my performance.”

Question #2

Situation: “When I was at Company X, I was managing the web development team in charge of setting up a new website for one of our biggest clients at the time. With most projects, we had a process set up and we would get most sites done in up to two months. This project, however, was a bit different, as the website was supposed to be more detailed, with a lot of unique pages. So, we had to be a lot more careful with our time management.”

Task: “We had a strict deadline of 15 weeks, and I had to make sure that we used up our time as efficiently as possible.”

Action: Before getting to actual work, I decided that we should plan everything out by the week. After some research and consulting with our team of developers, we decided to split the workload between different stages. We would devote around one week to the discovery phase, five weeks to design, three weeks to initial development, and the rest to any modifications and updates.

Results: “In the end, we actually finished the website with all the promised functionalities in just under three months. The client was very satisfied with the result and eventually ended up recommending partners to our firm.”

Question #3

Situation: “As a senior at University X, there were times when I just couldn’t physically get everything done on time. For example, towards the end of my final semester, I was the Student Council President and I was also writing my thesis. I had to submit my thesis the next day, and I was also working with my fellow student council members to organize the end-of-the-year ceremony for the university.”

Task: “If I had tried to multitask both, I would just have done a poor job. Now, for me, the University thesis was clearly higher up on my list of priorities. After all, this was what my studies had been building up to for so long. But I couldn’t just abandon my council members either. With 24 hours until my thesis deadline, I had to think fast.”

Action: “I decided that the best approach was to send all of my notes and outlines for the event to the Student Council Vice President, who was also a close friend of mine. Luckily, he understood my situation and took over my event-management responsibilities. Then I had just enough time to edit and finalize my paper.”

Results: “Thanks to the VP, I was able to fix and finalize my thesis. Fortunately, the event went without a hitch too. In the end, I learned a valuable lesson on time management and how important it is to have a team you can rely on.”

Question #4

Tell me about a time you set a personal goal for yourself. How did you make sure you would meet your objectives, and what steps did you take?

Situation: “I think the most recent, and important, personal goal that comes to mind is that I managed to teach myself web development from scratch. You see, I wasn’t very satisfied as a sales rep at Company X. My coworkers were nice, and the pay was decent too, but I just didn’t see myself growing there.”

Task: “So, I decided that I wanted a career change in a field I’ve always been interested in - web development. Now, because I was working full-time, I had to be very efficient with my time management skills.”

Action: “I did some research, and all that was left to do was just follow my routine and stay committed. I set up a personal calendar and made sure to study HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for at least 2 hours every day. I gathered a list of beginner-friendly books to start with, and once I was done with those, I paid for some advanced online courses to improve my React and Vue.js skills. When I felt comfortable, I started working on some personal projects for my portfolio and did some freelance work part-time while I was still working at Company X.”

Results: “In the end, I’m glad I stuck to my plan and continued with my set curriculum. If I hadn’t had my calendar planned out with specific objectives, I definitely would have been overwhelmed. Sure, at times, it felt like I was basically working two jobs and that a lot of the material wasn’t making sense. But I just kept moving forward, and then I got my first real break as a junior web developer at Company Y.”

Question #5

Situation: “I had a pretty rocky start with my manager at Agency X, as we had different expectations for my workload. Normally, I don’t have a problem with a fast-paced working environment, and I tend to thrive when I’m thinking on my feet. But at the agency, I had just finished onboarding, and I was already bombarded with tasks and weekly reports. For the most part, I was managing to get everything done on time, but I realized the quality would suffer if my list of tasks kept getting longer.”

Task: “So, I had to take up my work schedule issue with my manager and let him know about my concern. I decided that being direct and respectful was the best approach, and I booked the meeting.”

Action: “During the meeting, I remained calm and just went straight to the point. I explained how I liked my work, but the heavy workload was really impacting the quality of the work.”

Results: “Luckily, he was understanding. I was the first in-house graphic designer they’d hired, and they weren’t 100% sure what was a lot of work, and what wasn’t. We ended up working together to better define my responsibilities. From then on, I was, for the most part, only getting the workload I could handle without diminishing the quality of my work.”

Question #6

Situation: “When I was working as a recruiter at Company X, I noticed that one of the candidates who had sent in their application was perfect for the role. Though he didn’t have a university degree and his resume wasn’t too polished, reading his cover letter, it was obvious he knew the industry and had delivered clear results.”

Task: “I thought it was worth giving him a shot, but my supervisor didn’t see it that way. She skimmed through the resume and told me not to waste time and just discard the candidate.”

Action: “I was, however, still pretty confident in the candidate, so I talked to the supervisor over lunch. I took a bit of an indirect approach, though. Instead of trying to directly pitch the candidate, I asked her to clarify the job description a bit more. We went a bit in-depth on what, exactly, we were looking for in the candidate, and once we were done discussing it, I told her that we happened to have a candidate who possessed all the relevant experience, but his resume was a bit weak.”

Results: “Convinced, the supervisor decided to give the candidate’s application a more in-depth look and realized that they were, in fact, very qualified. She thanked me for bringing it up and agreed with me that the candidate was worth calling in for an interview.”

Question #7

Situation: “At my previous internship at Company X, I underestimated the amount of time it would take me to finish a presentation for a team meeting. The deadline my boss gave me was around a week, which was completely fair and I didn’t think it would be a problem. However, apparently, we had some miscommunication about what he meant with the deadline. I thought it was the date when we would go through the presentation, edit it together, and submit it like that. Apparently, what he’d meant, though, was to have the presentation 100% ready on that date.”

Task: “So, I had to submit a draft presentation first, edit it based on my manager’s comments, and then present the report, all within two days.”

Action: “I booked a meeting with the manager for the following day and spent four extra hours at the office to make sure that the first draft of the presentation was spotless . We held the meeting the next day and went through the presentation together to make sure it was spotless.”

Results: “The manager loved the work, and it only took us around 30 minutes to finalize the whole thing.”

Question #8

Situation: "Early in my role at Company X, during a quarterly review, my project manager said that some of my project reports weren't as detailed as we needed them to be. This took me by surprise since I had been receiving praise from my immediate team."

Task: "But the timing was crucial. These reports were going to shape our strategy for the next quarter, so I needed to quickly improve. I had to make sure my reports met the higher standards expected by senior management."

Action: "I decided to schedule extra meetings with my project manager to go over the reports in depth. I also sought advice from a couple of coworkers who I knew made detailed reports. Then, I dedicated some time each day to reviewing past reports that were praised, so I could figure out what I was missing and adopt the best practices."

Results: "My efforts paid off - my reports became more thorough, and they were well received. We enhanced the decision-making for our next quarter's strategy and I got to strengthen my relationship with the team. My project manager was especially grateful for how quickly I took his feedback to heart and ended up ultimately contributing to a more streamlined process."

Question #9

Situation: "At my last annual review at Company X, my supervisor marked me as 'meeting expectations' in some areas where I honestly felt I had gone above and beyond. I had even taken on extra projects throughout the year.”

Task: "I knew I needed to clear this up. On one hand, my career’s progression depended on it, but I also needed to feel valued and appreciated at work."

Action: "I requested a follow-up meeting with my supervisor to discuss the assessment in more detail. Before the meeting, I put together a clear summary of my additional projects and the positive feedback I had received from different teams. Then, I shared everything during our meeting to highlight my contributions over the past year.”

Results: “The meeting went really well. My supervisor appreciated the detailed overview and, after discussing my achievements , agreed to adjust my performance rating. My contributions were reflected more accurately, and we also made an agreement to sync up more frequently so we could better align our expectations moving forward.”

Question #10

Situation: “Yes, at my last job as a tech recruiter, the hiring manager I was working directly with was somewhat more difficult to communicate with. He had very strict and precise requirements for the types of candidates he wanted to invite for interviews. He wasn’t open to much communication on the matter or trying new things, even when the company desperately needed new hires. This one time, I got a candidate that was a pretty good fit for the job but was lacking in a few aspects.”

Task: “I wanted to make sure that we got the person in for an interview, but I was 100% sure that my hiring manager would shut me down.”

Action: “So, before running the candidate through him, I called them and collected his biggest strengths to present to the hiring manager.”

Results: “The hiring manager did indeed end up liking the candidate and calling them in for an interview.”

Question #11

Situation: “I’ve worked as a tech support specialist before, so I really excel at this. I’ve had to explain complex concepts to customers on a regular basis, but to give you one single example, I’ve had to explain to customers with next to no understanding of computers how to delete a virus on their computer, which usually requires at least some computer skills .”

Task: “After trying to give basic instructions to the customer, they still didn’t really understand much, so I had to come up with a smarter solution.”

Action: “So what I did was walk them through the entire thing step by step while explaining it simply but in no condescending terms. Instead of making them do most of the work, I walked them through the process of getting me to connect with their computer, and then I explained to them what, exactly, I did.”

Results: “The customer was very happy with my work, and we managed to fix the issue with their computer.”

Question #12

Situation: "I think one-on-one meetings are great. When I was at Company X, at first our team rarely had scheduled one-on-one meetings. That sometimes left us unsure about project details or personal performance feedback."

Task: "I saw the need for more consistent communication to help myself and the whole team stay on track and feel supported."

Action: "So, I suggested to our team leader that we start having one-on-one meetings every other week. I explained how these could help clarify our project roles and give us each a regular opportunity to voice concerns and receive feedback."

Results: "After we started the bi-weekly meetings, I noticed a real change. My projects ran smoother because I had clearer expectations, and it was easier to discuss any issues when they appeared. Plus, it’s helped me build a stronger relationship with my manager, which made work feel more collaborative and the environment more supportive."

Question #13

Situation: “Sure thing. As the business development manager at Firm X, there were quite a few opportunities when I had to speak in front of a crowd. The most recent and successful one was for the new project we were launching. “

Task: “I was called on to speak for a two department-wide meeting of up to 50 people. Now, I had never delivered a presentation to this many people, but luckily, I knew most of them quite well after years of working with them.”

Action: “Working with two other members of my team, I decided to take a more creative approach and create a short video, a skit, to hook the audience. That was the intro, and then we used PowerPoint and hands-on examples to show what to expect from the new project launch. And finally, we dedicated the last five minutes to a Q&A session.”

Results: “It felt longer, but the whole speech took about 15 minutes in total. We got great feedback from the audience, and I was later asked to present at the all-hands meeting the next month. I knew my colleagues well enough and I tried to make the speech as if I were having a one-on-one conversation with a friend - with a few jokes in-between.”

Question #14

Situation: "When I was working at Company X, I noticed that one of my team members, who was new to the role, was struggling with our project management software, which was crucial for keeping track of our assignments."

Task: "I saw an opportunity to help improve their comfort with the tool and enhance their overall contribution to our projects."

Action: "I offered to spend some time with them after work to go through the features of the software. We set up a few training sessions where I could show them tips and tricks that weren’t covered in the standard onboarding process."

Results: "These sessions helped them become more proficient with the software, which significantly boosted their confidence and performance on the project. They were able to manage their parts of the projects more effectively, and it also helped them integrate better with the rest of the team . It was rewarding to see their growth and how it positively impacted our team’s workflow."

Question #15

Situation: “Sure, I always enjoy working with new and different people. Because, usually, they bring something new to the table. At Company X, there was a particularly young developer who was assigned to work with me on a new software development project, and I was to run him through what our typical coding process was like.”

Task: “It was also my job to get to know him and find common ground so that we could effectively work together. The fact that he was younger wasn’t an issue for me, but because he was completely self-taught, he didn’t know a lot about the industry methodologies we used.”

Action: “Teaching him everything from scratch would take too much time. So, instead, I briefly explained the development process—the waterfall model—that we were using for that specific project and taught him how to write tests for our code base. Writing tests is the number one way to learn what code does. After all, that’s how I got started with development.”

Results: “I also sat down and helped him go through the material at times, but in the end, he surprised me by how much of a fast learner he was. He just needed a bit of encouragement and guidance. Through this approach, he learned our whole routine in less than a week, while most of our new hires needed at least up to two weeks. In return, I learned a lot about multitasking and time management from him. The whole thing was a win-win situation, and it was all smooth sailing the next time we worked together, which was quite often.”

Question #16

Have you ever had an interpersonal conflict at work? If so, how did you handle it?

Situation: "At Company X, I once found myself in a disagreement with a coworker over the allocation of resources for a critical project. Both of us felt strongly about our proposed strategies, which led to some tension."

Task: "I knew it was important to resolve this conflict quickly to maintain team harmony and keep the project on track."

Action: "I suggested that we both present our strategies in a meeting with our project manager to get a third opinion. Before the meeting, I prepared a clear comparison of the potential benefits and drawbacks of each approach. During the discussion, I made sure to listen carefully to my coworker’s points and express my views respectfully."

Results: "The meeting helped us understand each other's perspectives better, and with our project manager's guidance, we combined the best elements of both strategies. This resolved the tension and we agreed on what we should pour our resources into. It was also a great learning experience for both of us - we really learned how important collaboration and open communication are."

Question #17

Situation: “There was one co-worker at Company X who was notorious for being bad at deadlines. But she would always end up delivering exceptional work, just a few hours, or worse - even days late. For some reason, the company was okay with this since her work was just too good. So, this one time, the management put us together to work on a time-sensitive project.”

Task: “Our task was to turn in a sales presentation together and have our manager go over it before sending the client the final version. Because of how important the project was, I didn’t want to risk going over the deadline - as this would also directly impact other people. Either way, for everyone’s sake, I had to somehow get her to hurry up with the project. So, I decided to try and push her a little and see what would happen.”

Action: “I started regularly checking in on her to see where she was with work. I would bring it up at times over lunch, send a quick Slack message, and so on. She wasn’t taking this quite well, but it did get her to work faster and more efficiently.”

Results: “In the end, the constant check-ins and pushing did have a positive effect, even though the co-worker didn’t particularly like me too much once we were finished with the work. We even managed to submit the final version of the presentation two days before the deadline.”

Question #18

Situation: "At Company X, shortly after I was promoted to a senior position, I was given the opportunity to mentor a new team member who was just starting their career in our field."

Task: "My goal was to help them integrate into the team and speed up their learning process so they could become effective more quickly."

Action: "I set up weekly meetings to discuss any challenges they were facing and shared resources that I had found valuable when I was new. I also made myself available for quick chats whenever they felt stuck on a particular issue."

Results: "The one-on-one guidance really paid off. Within a few months, they were not only comfortable with their role but also actively contributing ideas in meetings and taking on more responsibilities. It was rewarding to see their growth and know I played a part in their development."

Question #19

Situation: "In my previous role at Company X, there was a moment when my supervisor decided to implement a new software system across the department. The problem was that I didn’t think it was compatible with our current workflows."

Task: "I felt it was important to address my concerns because the decision could potentially affect our team's efficiency and morale."

Action: "I was respectful and I requested a meeting with my supervisor to discuss the potential impacts of the new software. I prepared a detailed analysis comparing the proposed system with our current one, and I made sure to highlight the challenges and potential disruption it could cause."

Results: "My supervisor appreciated the initiative I took and how thorough my analysis was. After a constructive discussion, we agreed to a trial period for the new software alongside our existing system. This allowed us to objectively assess the pros and cons without fully committing. Eventually, this led to some modifications to the system so it could suit our needs better."

Question #20

Situation: "At Company X, when I first joined the marketing department , the team was in the middle of a major campaign launch. Everyone was busy and I felt like I couldn’t really find my place there."

Task: "But I wanted to integrate into the team and really contribute to the campaign."

Action: "So, I volunteered to take on a task everyone was overlooking—managing the outreach for user feedback, which was critical for the campaign's next phase. I coordinated with different team members to gather the necessary information and crafted a strategy to collect feedback."

Results: "This let me work closely with different team members and helped me learn about their strengths and working styles. I feel like my success there allowed me to contribute to the campaign and really solidified my position on the team. It made me feel like a valued member of the group, and the team appreciated my efforts, so it was great."

Question #21

Situation: "At Company X, soon after I was promoted to a team lead role, I was tasked with training a group of new hires who were just starting out in our department."

Task: "My goal was to make sure these new team members were fully up to speed with our day-to-day operations and understood our department's protocols."

Action: "I organized a series of training sessions covering everything from basic procedures to more complex tasks they would encounter on the job. I also included hands-on training exercises and paired each new hire with a mentor from our team for additional support."

Results: "The training really paid off. Within a few weeks, the new hires were handling their responsibilities smoothly and fitting right into the team. They even started bringing fresh ideas to our projects, which was fantastic to see. It was great to hear them say how prepared they felt, and it definitely showed in their work."

Question #22

Situation: “Absolutely. One of our past clients at Agency X came to us because his Facebook advertising strategy wasn’t working. He was driving traffic but wasn’t getting any conversions, so they thought that it was because they weren’t reaching the right audience. We realized, though, that it was actually because their product homepage wasn’t really that convincing. The client, however, was adamant about ‘not fixing what wasn’t broken.’”

Task: “I had to somehow communicate with the client that the service he wanted wasn’t what he needed - there was no way for us to fix his Facebook ads if his homepage wasn’t selling the product.”

Action: “We had to give the client an ultimatum - they either go with our approach or we wouldn’t be able to get the results and hence, work with them.”

Results: “After some back and forth, the client grudgingly agreed to do an A/B test between the existing landing page and one that we’d propose. So, we tested the two landing pages with the same ads he’d been running and ended up getting better results threefold. From then on, the client was a lot more willing to allow us to experiment with whatever we proposed.”

Question #23

Situation: “Working in customer support , you really get to talk with many different kinds of people. I remember having one angry customer call the help desk once to complain. He kept repeating that the product he bought was faulty and demanded that I resolve the situation then and there.”

Task: “Customers calling for refunds happen all the time, but this one was different since he just kept shouting over the phone the whole time. I had to get him to calm down if I wanted the call to go anywhere.”

Action: “Fortunately, I had experience dealing with loud customers and knew the first thing I had to do was listen to his story. Halfway through telling his story, he calmed down once he realized I was trying to help. He explained that the product was supposed to be a gift, and that’s why he was so frustrated. Then, I offered two solutions: a refund or a replacement for his product with express delivery.”

Results: “The customer opted for the replacement option. I called him back once they received the order just to check in if he was happy with the product. He turned out to be happy both with the product and our service, and he thanked me for the help.”

Question #24

Situation: “This one client we worked with was particularly difficult. They were extremely unpleasant to work with, and they treated our staff pretty badly. The management, however, insisted on sticking with them since they made up a good chunk of our income. At one point, though, the client just barged into our office and started yelling at their account manager for a small mistake on their end.”

Task: “At this point, I realized that working with the client was really affecting our staff negatively, and we’d be losing some good employees if we kept working with them. A few people had already put in their two weeks’ notice, including the account manager, and more would probably follow.”

Action: “So, I set up a meeting with the management team and gave them concrete facts and figures about the client. Sure, they were paying us good money, but they were really hurting workplace morale.”

Results: “Unfortunately, even after hearing me out, the management didn’t want to let go of the client. They decided that, overall, the impact the clients had on the team wasn’t worth losing the profit. Looking back, I wish I had talked to management sooner before the company had gotten used to the income from that client. Needless to say, I didn’t stick around long after that.”

Question #25

Situation: “Well, my first job in the field was as a junior DevOps engineer . While I did have extensive knowledge of the field, I didn’t have much experience doing it.”

Task: “This made it very hard for me to get started with the job. While I was working almost all the time, I wasn’t getting too much done.”

Action: “So, what I did was take a lot of my personal time to really work and learn the ins and outs of DevOps. I also made sure to talk to my team and get their input on daily tasks.”

Results: “A few months into the job, I managed to learn the ropes and ended up being a lot more productive.”

Question #26

Situation: "At Company X, right before a major product launch, we realized that the software had a critical bug that could potentially delay the release."

Task: "It was crucial to fix the bug quickly to make sure we met our launch deadline. The pressure was on, but I was determined to resolve the issue without compromising the product quality."

Action: "I decided to stay late for several nights in a row. I was working alongside a small, dedicated team. We systematically tested and retested the software to isolate the issue. Throughout, I made sure to keep everyone motivated and focused by organizing brief update meetings and making sure we took short breaks to stay sharp."

Results: "Our hard work paid off. We identified and fixed the bug just in time for the launch. The product was well-received, and the team's effort saved the release, and we really felt like working together under that pressure helped us bond."

Question #27

Situation: “Sure thing. In my previous position as an account manager at Company X, we had to suddenly change all of our CRM software and move all the data to a new tool. The CRM tool we’d been using till now wasn’t fit for a growing team, and on top of that, they were upping their pricing, so it wasn’t really worthwhile for us.”

Task: “I was put in charge of finding the replacement CRM, as I was the one who knew the previous one inside-out. And this was also an opportunity for me to clean up our outdated info and start fresh. All the while, I still had to handle my daily responsibilities as usual.”

Action: “So, the first thing I did was ask our sales associates and lead generation teams what they thought of the old CRM and if there were any new features they were lacking. After doing a bit of research and asking around, I found the perfect tool that had it all - sales analytics, email integration, and more. And because I typically have no problem with learning new tools, I stayed in one evening, transferred our data to the new tool, and wiped the old account. Finally, I sent a new announcement to the entire team about the new software, along with a video tutorial on how to use it.”

Results: “We completed the transfer with four days to spare, the team was satisfied with the new CRM, and my daily responsibilities as an account manager didn’t suffer.”

Question #28

Tell me about a time when you felt extremely stressed out by work . What caused it, and how did you manage it?

Situation: "In my previous job as a project coordinator, there was a time when two major projects with tight deadlines overlapped. It was during a staff shortage, so the workload was significantly higher than usual. I was honestly overwhelmed and it looked as though there was no end in sight. It was a cycle of trying to hire people while juggling all my responsibilities, so I couldn’t find time to do anything."

Task: "I needed to make sure both projects were completed on time without compromising on their quality but I had really limited resources. So, I had to really push to find a solution."

Action: "First, I prioritized my tasks daily. I needed to focus on the most critical aspects of each project. I made sure to communicate openly with my team and supervisor about the challenges, and I sought out their input so I could distribute tasks efficiently and set realistic expectations. I also made sure to take short breaks throughout the day to clear my mind and maintain my focus. At this point, every second had to be productive, so I did my best to stay on track."

Results: "I’d say things worked out. We met the deadlines for both projects. It was really challenging, but I think that without my organizational skills and clear communication with my team and supervisors, we wouldn’t have made it. Immediately after those projects were delivered, I took a week off work to recover. I just needed some downtime to really find that work-life balance again. Once I was back, I teamed up with management, and we started looking for more staff so we could prevent that whole situation from happening again in the future."

Question #29

Situation: “As a seasonal worker, there have been a lot of times when I had to juggle extra responsibilities. My last position as a line cook at Restaurant X comes to mind. That summer, we were pretty much always full and, sometimes, even understaffed to handle all the customers. To make things worse, we didn’t have the best shift system at the time either. So, if someone were to unexpectedly not show up for their shift, we’d have to put out the fires as they came up.”

Task: “This is exactly what happened when one of our waitresses had to call out due to a personal emergency.”

Action: “So, I stepped up and took her shift as soon as I had clocked out of mine as one of the line cooks. Luckily, I had previous experience working as a waiter .”

Results: “I was tired and a bit uncoordinated at the beginning, but at the end of the day, everything worked out just fine.”

Question #30

Have you had to switch between an in-office and a remote or hybrid work environment ? How did you navigate the change?

Situation: "At Company X, at one point, we had to switch from an entirely in-office setup to a remote work environment almost overnight."

Task: "The challenge was to adapt quickly to maintain productivity and communication without the face-to-face interaction we were used to."

Action: "So, I set up a dedicated workspace at home to mimic my office environment, which really helped me maintain a routine. I also started using digital tools more effectively, like scheduling regular check-ins with my team through video calls and managing projects through shared online platforms."

Results: "My setup allowed me to stay connected with my team and I was just as productive as I was at the office. I’d say the transition was smooth, and we managed to meet all our project deadlines. I learned a lot about how flexible I can be and just how important clear communication is when you’re working remotely ."

Question #31

Situation: "Yes, I led a project at Company X where we were tasked with launching a new product line that was crucial for entering a new market segment."

Task: "My responsibility was to oversee the project from conception to launch. This included coordinating between different departments, managing the budget, and making sure we met all milestones on time."

Action: "I started by assembling a cross-functional team, making sure we had all the necessary skills covered. We held regular planning meetings and I set up a clear timeline with specific goals for each phase of the project. To keep everything on track, I used project management software to monitor progress and address any issues ASAP."

Results: "The project was a success. We launched the product on schedule and within budget. It was well-received in the market, and it significantly boosted our company's visibility in the new segment. I’d say leading that project taught me a lot about strategic planning and the ins and outs of cross-departmental collaboration."

Question #32

Situation: “Well, at my first job as a team leader, I had to really get to know most of my team in order to delegate tasks appropriately.”

Task: “Most team members were new to the company, so I didn’t have much to go with.”

Action: “So, I sat down with each team member individually, really got to know them and their strengths and weaknesses, and distributed tasks based on their personalities.”

Results: “Team members were pretty happy with the tasks they got and started off their relationship with our company on a positive note.”

Question #33

What’s one project or achievement you’re very proud of ?

Situation: "One project I'm particularly proud of was at Company X, where I led the development of a new software tool designed to streamline our inventory management."

Task: "The goal was to reduce the time and effort it required to manage our inventory while also reducing the errors that came with manual entry."

Action: "So, I spearheaded the project. I collaborated closely with the IT and logistics teams to make sure our needs were met accurately. I guided the design, testing, and implementation phases and regularly updated key stakeholders while adapting the project’s scope based on their feedback."

Results: "The new tool significantly improved our efficiency. We cut inventory processing time by 40% and reduced errors by 50%. It was incredibly satisfying to see our work make such a significant impact on our operations. The team's positive reaction to the improvements was also really encouraging, so it’s an experience I’m glad I had."

Question #34

Situation: “In my previous position at Company X, my manager had to leave unexpectedly for about a month due to a medical condition. Fortunately, she was able to give us a week's notice.”

Task: “Because of that, our director asked me to fill in as the interim manager. I was familiar with the basics of management on a theoretical level, and I had worked with my manager closely before, but I certainly wasn’t trained to be a manager yet. Though I wasn’t going to say no, and I, more or less, felt confident about my ability to take on the new challenge.”

Action: “So, I accepted the position. The first thing I did was gather the team and let them know about the situation. I was very open about my lack of experience and asked them to be open about giving feedback when possible. I also asked a manager for an hour of their time to pick their brain and make sure I’m doing everything right.”

Results: “In the end, we managed to get through the month without any problems and we delivered all the projects on time. When my manager returned, she was very pleased with the work, and I even got compliments from our director. Because of my success with the role, I was even promoted to team manager at the end of that year.”

Question #35

Situation: "Well, I don’t have a lot of work experience that’s relevant here, but I do have an example from when I was a student. During my junior year at high school , I noticed that a lot of students felt disconnected from the school as a community, particularly those of us who weren’t involved in sports or any major clubs like theatre."

Task: "So, I wanted to create an opportunity to make everyone feel included. Something that could engage a broad range of people and foster a sense of community for everyone."

Action: "I worked with the student council to organize a 'Culture Week,' where each day was dedicated to celebrating different student backgrounds and interests. We set up workshops, performances, and presentations where students could share about their cultures, hobbies, and unique talents . I also reached out to different groups at our school to encourage them to participate and help them feel like part of the community."

Results: "The event was a big hit and it even became an annual tradition. Students who previously felt left out were now a lot more involved and visibly happier at school. It was really rewarding to see how a couple of new activities can help people connect with each other and find their place among everyone else."

Question #36

Describe a time when you didn’t know how to solve a problem . What did you do to resolve the issue?

Situation: "Hmm, well, for example, back when I worked in customer support, I used to get tasked with solving problems I knew nothing about. One evening, I found myself as the most senior person on shift, despite being relatively new myself. Right then, a customer called with a technical issue that I had never encountered before."

Task: "So, I needed to resolve the customer's issue and make sure they’re satisfied with our support, while at the same time, I had to learn how to fix the problem with no one to help me."

Action: "I was a little tense but kept my composure and assured the customer that I would find a solution and get back to them shortly. So, after hanging up, I did some research. I started by checking our internal knowledge base, then I started searching tech forums for similar issues. It took a bit of time, but I was able to piece together the information I needed to troubleshoot the problem."

Results: "In the end, I called the customer back with a step-by-step solution, which resolved their issue. They were grateful for the help and they were pretty satisfied with how I handled the problem, even though it took longer than it probably should have. I learned how to handle that particular problem like a pro, and I felt a lot more confident at work after that. Now, I feel like I can handle just about any unfamiliar problem that comes my way."

Question #37

Situation: "I was working as a sales associate at a popular clothing store, and one day our point-of-sale system went down. It was a busy Saturday afternoon, and the store was packed with customers."

Task: "Although fixing tech issues wasn’t part of my job description, I knew we needed to get the system back up quickly to avoid losing sales and frustrating customers."

Action: "I remembered a few troubleshooting steps from a previous job where I had seen a similar issue. I decided to try them out. I reset the main router and then restarted the POS system to see if it would clear the error. I also called our tech support line to confirm I was doing everything correctly."

Results: "To everyone’s relief, the system started working again within a few minutes. Customers were able to continue their purchases smoothly, and we avoided a potentially significant interruption on one of our busiest days. So, I managed to help the store that day and I learned how important it is to take initiative, no matter what your role is. I’d say it’s something that’s stuck with me ever since."

Question #38 

Situation: "In my role as a video game animator at Company X, we encountered a challenge where the animations for a certain character in our newest game weren’t syncing properly with the game physics engine. So, this basically caused the character’s movements to look unnatural and disrupted the gameplay, especially during some critical action sequences."

Task: "My main goal was to make sure that the character animations were both visually appealing and mechanically in sync with the game’s physics. We were aiming for a seamless and immersive gameplay experience, so we couldn’t risk this coming up later."

Action: "First, I collaborated closely with the physics programmers to really understand the ins and outs of the engine. Then, I adjusted the keyframes in the character’s animation to align them better with the physics calculations. It still needed some refining, so I implemented a middleware tool specifically designed for animation blending and real-time adjustments."

Results: "The adjustments worked well. After the gameplay team and I tested the changes, the character's movements became much smoother and more realistic. We eliminated all the previous glitches, and the game was a success after its release.”

Question #39 

Situation: "When I was working as an administrative assistant at a law firm, I noticed that a lot of my time was spent just looking for things. Whether it was a misplaced file on my desk or a lost email in my inbox, it was slowing me down."

Task: "I decided to tackle this problem head-on to make my days more productive and keep everything running smoothly."

Action: "First, I reorganized my desk. I set up a system where the most frequently used items were right at my fingertips. For my digital files, I meticulously organized my bookmarks and online folders, labeling everything clearly and setting up shortcuts for the files I accessed daily."

Results: "These changes really streamlined my workflow. I spent less time digging through drawers or clicking through folders, which gave me more time to focus on the real work. My coworkers and bosses noticed the improvement too, which definitely felt good. It just goes to show that sometimes it's the little things that can make the biggest difference in how productive you are."

Question #40

Situation: "When I was working as a social worker at a community health center, one of the families I was helping was really struggling. They had lost their main source of income and were facing a bunch of issues like not having stable housing and dealing with health problems."

Task: "I knew the usual resources wouldn’t be enough to really help them get back on their feet."

Action: "So, I went beyond what I would usually do. I contacted multiple local charities and community groups to find extra help for them. I managed to secure donations, arrange temporary housing, and fill out a lot of paperwork for more permanent solutions during my own time in the evenings and over the weekends."

Results: "All the extra work paid off. The family got into a stable housing program pretty quickly, received the medical care they needed, and got some financial aid to tide them over. It was a lot of effort, but seeing how much it helped them made it all worth it. It really showed me the impact I can have in this job."

Question #41

Situation: "In my previous role as a sales representative at Company X, we had been trying to land a major client that was known for their extensive market influence. Securing them had been a goal for our team for over a year."

Task: "So, I was determined to win this client. A win like that could boost our company's revenue and enhance our market reputation."

Action: "I took the initiative to thoroughly research the client’s business needs and the challenges they might be facing. Based on this, I tailored our pitch to highlight how our services could uniquely address each. I also coordinated with our product teams to make sure we could confidently deliver on any commitments made in the proposal. After several meetings and discussions, I finally presented our tailored services to their executive board. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a situation as high-stakes as that before or since!"

Results: "Thankfully, the client was impressed with our dedication and the customized approach, and they signed on. This was one of the largest deals our company had ever secured. The success was such a huge morale booster for the team, and I received commendations from our senior management for my involvement. It was incredibly rewarding to see our collective efforts pay off in such a big way."

Question #42

Situation: "Well, I started university with the intention of becoming an engineer . But, during my second year, I realized that, despite my interest in the subject, the academic environment and the course load just weren't the right fit for me. So I made the decision to drop out."

Task: "I was really disappointed in myself, and I felt like everyone else was disappointed in me, too. So, I moped around for a few days, then my immediate goal shifted to finding a stable job while I figured out my next steps. I needed to support myself financially, but I also wanted to use my time to explore other career options that might align better with my skills and interests."

Action: "I took a part-time job at a local tech store, where I ended up becoming the shift leader within a few months. Meanwhile, I spent a lot of time researching different fields and I eventually stumbled into digital marketing . I was drawn to the creative and analytical aspects of it, so I started learning more through online courses and tutorials."

Results: "Working part-time gave me the flexibility to delve into the field and hone my skills. Over time, I built a portfolio by helping friends and local businesses with their social media marketing. It was a pretty good practical experience, and it helped me land a full-time job in a digital marketing agency. So, although I never got that engineering degree, it turned out not to be a huge setback after all. Now I’m in a field I’m passionate about and where I can put my skills to good use ."

Question #43

Situation: "At the organization where I volunteered, we planned a big event to open up more discussions about sustainable energy sources and green transitions in an area where most people worked with fossil fuels."

Task: "We wanted to create a space where we could discuss how the area could transition towards green energy and hear what people’s concerns were, but we knew it could be a touchy subject for some of the locals."

Action: "I took a risk and invited a couple of well-known activists to speak at the event. I was hoping they would draw a big crowd and spark meaningful conversations. Even though a few volunteers at the organization were worried it might cause some backlash, I thought it was worth the risk."

Results: "Unfortunately, I was wrong. It turned out to be too much, too soon. Instead of creating a place for dialogue, the high-profile activists brought out protestors, and we saw lower attendance than we expected. The event didn’t have the impact we were aiming for, and that was tough to see. I realized I made a mistake by not listening to the other volunteers. But I definitely learned how important it is to understand the community you’re based in and to do the groundwork before taking risks like that.”

Question #44

Situation: "Oh yeah, absolutely. One time, during my game design internship , I was super excited to put together a complex puzzle for a new mobile game. I thought it would really impress players with its intricacy."

Task: "I wanted this puzzle to be a standout feature in the game. But during our initial playtests, the reaction wasn’t what I expected at all."

Action: "I sat down to watch the playtest sessions and also got some advice from the senior game designers . They helped me see that my puzzle, while cool, was too complex for the quick gameplay style of our game. Realizing this, I went back to the drawing board to simplify things."

Results: "After I toned down the puzzle, we tested it again and the response was way better. Players enjoyed it more because it fit the fast pace of the game without being too much of a challenge. I really saw how crucial it is to align game elements with the game’s overall vibe and what players are looking for."

Question #45

Situation: "I’m a content writer , and I have a bit of a habit of pushing my work until the last minute. It's something I've managed to get away with because I always meet my deadlines, but it definitely turns into a crunch."

Task: "I realized this isn’t the best way to work, especially when things get really busy. I knew I needed to start spreading out my workload to avoid the stress of last-minute rushes."

Action: "I decided to use a digital planner to keep track of my tasks. I set daily goals for myself and made sure to start on assignments earlier than before. I also started checking in on my progress more frequently during the week."

Results: "It’s been working out pretty well. I’m less stressed, and I think my writing is better for it because I’m not rushing through it, especially when it’s time for editing . I’m still working on making this a consistent habit, but I can already see the benefits."

FAQs on Behavioral Interview Questions

Are you still wondering something about behavioral interview questions? Check out the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions below.

#1. How can I prepare for behavioral interview questions?

The best way to prepare for behavioral interview questions is to think about the experience you have so far and any achievements or unique situations that stand out to you.

Behavioral interview questions tend to look at challenges you’ve faced and experiences you’ve found difficult, whether throughout your career or education. So, think about experiences that show off your most impressive skills or problem-solving abilities.

Reference the job description to see what skills are most relevant for the role, and focus on specific examples that can show the hiring manager how you match what they’re looking for.

#2. How can I say ‘I don’t know’ during an interview?

If you’re asked a question you just can't answer, it's best to be honest. The interviewer will be able to tell if you’re bluffing, so be upfront and show your willingness to learn.

For example, you could say, "I don’t think I’ve been in a situation like that before, but here’s how I would approach it." Alternatively, if you don’t have any work experience , you could relate the question to a similar experience you've had in your academic or personal life.

The interviewer will appreciate your honesty and they’ll still get what they need from your answer.

#3. How can I ace my interview?

The key to any successful interview is preparation. Always start by researching the company and the specific role you’re applying for.

Then, start practicing how to answer common interview questions. Make sure your answers are brief, to the point, and reflect what the company is looking for in an employee.

Take the time to prepare a few more detailed stories about your experiences using the STAR method so you can answer any behavioral interview questions, too.

Beyond that, dress appropriately according to the company culture , and arrive early. Make sure you maintain good eye contact, listen actively, speak confidently about your skills, and show enthusiasm for the role and the company.

Finally, follow up after your interview with a thank-you email that reiterates your interest.

Key Takeaways

You’ve made it to the end of our article!

By now, we’re confident you’re ready to take on any behavioral interview question like a pro.

Before you go, let’s do a quick recap:

• Behavioral interview questions are questions based on how you behave in specific situations.
• These questions can come down to how you react to stress, what your skill level is, and how you behave in a professional work setting.
• The best way to answer these questions is by using the STAR Method. With this strategy, each answer should be structured by a Situation, Task, Action, and Results.
• If you don’t have enough relevant work experience, you can give an example from your time as a student.

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The Interview Method In Psychology

Saul McLeod, PhD

Editor-in-Chief for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester

Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Learn about our Editorial Process

Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

Associate Editor for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education

Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.

On This Page:

Interviews involve a conversation with a purpose, but have some distinct features compared to ordinary conversation, such as being scheduled in advance, having an asymmetry in outcome goals between interviewer and interviewee, and often following a question-answer format.

Interviews are different from questionnaires as they involve social interaction. Unlike questionnaire methods, researchers need training in interviewing (which costs money).

How Do Interviews Work?

Researchers can ask different types of questions, generating different types of data . For example, closed questions provide people with a fixed set of responses, whereas open questions allow people to express what they think in their own words.

The researcher will often record interviews, and the data will be written up as a transcript (a written account of interview questions and answers) which can be analyzed later.

It should be noted that interviews may not be the best method for researching sensitive topics (e.g., truancy in schools, discrimination, etc.) as people may feel more comfortable completing a questionnaire in private.

There are different types of interviews, with a key distinction being the extent of structure. Semi-structured is most common in psychology research. Unstructured interviews have a free-flowing style, while structured interviews involve preset questions asked in a particular order.

Structured Interview

A structured interview is a quantitative research method where the interviewer a set of prepared closed-ended questions in the form of an interview schedule, which he/she reads out exactly as worded.

Interviews schedules have a standardized format, meaning the same questions are asked to each interviewee in the same order (see Fig. 1).

   Figure 1. An example of an interview schedule

The interviewer will not deviate from the interview schedule (except to clarify the meaning of the question) or probe beyond the answers received.  Replies are recorded on a questionnaire, and the order and wording of questions, and sometimes the range of alternative answers, is preset by the researcher.

A structured interview is also known as a formal interview (like a job interview).

• Structured interviews are easy to replicate as a fixed set of closed questions are used, which are easy to quantify – this means it is easy to test for reliability .
• Structured interviews are fairly quick to conduct which means that many interviews can take place within a short amount of time. This means a large sample can be obtained, resulting in the findings being representative and having the ability to be generalized to a large population.

Limitations

• Structured interviews are not flexible. This means new questions cannot be asked impromptu (i.e., during the interview), as an interview schedule must be followed.
• The answers from structured interviews lack detail as only closed questions are asked, which generates quantitative data . This means a researcher won’t know why a person behaves a certain way.

Unstructured Interview

Unstructured interviews do not use any set questions, instead, the interviewer asks open-ended questions based on a specific research topic, and will try to let the interview flow like a natural conversation. The interviewer modifies his or her questions to suit the candidate’s specific experiences.

Unstructured interviews are sometimes referred to as ‘discovery interviews’ and are more like a ‘guided conservation’ than a strictly structured interview. They are sometimes called informal interviews.

Unstructured interviews are most useful in qualitative research to analyze attitudes and values. Though they rarely provide a valid basis for generalization, their main advantage is that they enable the researcher to probe social actors’ subjective points of view.

Interviewer Self-Disclosure

Interviewer self-disclosure involves the interviewer revealing personal information or opinions during the research interview. This may increase rapport but risks changing dynamics away from a focus on facilitating the interviewee’s account.

In unstructured interviews, the informal conversational style may deliberately include elements of interviewer self-disclosure, mirroring ordinary conversation dynamics.

Interviewer self-disclosure risks changing the dynamics away from facilitation of interviewee accounts. It should not be ruled out entirely but requires skillful handling informed by reflection.

• An informal interviewing style with some interviewer self-disclosure may increase rapport and participant openness. However, it also increases the chance of the participant converging opinions with the interviewer.
• Complete interviewer neutrality is unlikely. However, excessive informality and self-disclosure risk the interview becoming more of an ordinary conversation and producing consensus accounts.
• Overly personal disclosures could also be seen as irrelevant and intrusive by participants. They may invite increased intimacy on uncomfortable topics.
• The safest approach seems to be to avoid interviewer self-disclosures in most cases. Where an informal style is used, disclosures require careful judgment and substantial interviewing experience.
• If asked for personal opinions during an interview, the interviewer could highlight the defined roles and defer that discussion until after the interview.
• Unstructured interviews are more flexible as questions can be adapted and changed depending on the respondents’ answers. The interview can deviate from the interview schedule.
• Unstructured interviews generate qualitative data through the use of open questions. This allows the respondent to talk in some depth, choosing their own words. This helps the researcher develop a real sense of a person’s understanding of a situation.
• They also have increased validity because it gives the interviewer the opportunity to probe for a deeper understanding, ask for clarification & allow the interviewee to steer the direction of the interview, etc. Interviewers have the chance to clarify any questions of participants during the interview.
• It can be time-consuming to conduct an unstructured interview and analyze the qualitative data (using methods such as thematic analysis).
• Employing and training interviewers is expensive and not as cheap as collecting data via questionnaires . For example, certain skills may be needed by the interviewer. These include the ability to establish rapport and knowing when to probe.
• Interviews inevitably co-construct data through researchers’ agenda-setting and question-framing. Techniques like open questions provide only limited remedies.

Focus Group Interview

Focus group interview is a qualitative approach where a group of respondents are interviewed together, used to gain an in‐depth understanding of social issues.

This type of interview is often referred to as a focus group because the job of the interviewer ( or moderator ) is to bring the group to focus on the issue at hand. Initially, the goal was to reach a consensus among the group, but with the development of techniques for analyzing group qualitative data, there is less emphasis on consensus building.

The method aims to obtain data from a purposely selected group of individuals rather than from a statistically representative sample of a broader population.

The role of the interview moderator is to make sure the group interacts with each other and do not drift off-topic. Ideally, the moderator will be similar to the participants in terms of appearance, have adequate knowledge of the topic being discussed, and exercise mild unobtrusive control over dominant talkers and shy participants.

A researcher must be highly skilled to conduct a focus group interview. For example, the moderator may need certain skills, including the ability to establish rapport and know when to probe.

• Group interviews generate qualitative narrative data through the use of open questions. This allows the respondents to talk in some depth, choosing their own words. This helps the researcher develop a real sense of a person’s understanding of a situation. Qualitative data also includes observational data, such as body language and facial expressions.
• Group responses are helpful when you want to elicit perspectives on a collective experience, encourage diversity of thought, reduce researcher bias, and gather a wider range of contextualized views.
• They also have increased validity because some participants may feel more comfortable being with others as they are used to talking in groups in real life (i.e., it’s more natural).
• When participants have common experiences, focus groups allow them to build on each other’s comments to provide richer contextual data representing a wider range of views than individual interviews.
• Focus groups are a type of group interview method used in market research and consumer psychology that are cost – effective for gathering the views of consumers .
• The researcher must ensure that they keep all the interviewees” details confidential and respect their privacy. This is difficult when using a group interview. For example, the researcher cannot guarantee that the other people in the group will keep information private.
• Group interviews are less reliable as they use open questions and may deviate from the interview schedule, making them difficult to repeat.
• It is important to note that there are some potential pitfalls of focus groups, such as conformity, social desirability, and oppositional behavior, that can reduce the usefulness of the data collected.

For example, group interviews may sometimes lack validity as participants may lie to impress the other group members. They may conform to peer pressure and give false answers.

To avoid these pitfalls, the interviewer needs to have a good understanding of how people function in groups as well as how to lead the group in a productive discussion.

Semi-Structured Interview

Semi-structured interviews lie between structured and unstructured interviews. The interviewer prepares a set of same questions to be answered by all interviewees. Additional questions might be asked during the interview to clarify or expand certain issues.

In semi-structured interviews, the interviewer has more freedom to digress and probe beyond the answers. The interview guide contains a list of questions and topics that need to be covered during the conversation, usually in a particular order.

Semi-structured interviews are most useful to address the ‘what’, ‘how’, and ‘why’ research questions. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses can be performed on data collected during semi-structured interviews.

• Semi-structured interviews allow respondents to answer more on their terms in an informal setting yet provide uniform information making them ideal for qualitative analysis.
• The flexible nature of semi-structured interviews allows ideas to be introduced and explored during the interview based on the respondents’ answers.
• Semi-structured interviews can provide reliable and comparable qualitative data. Allows the interviewer to probe answers, where the interviewee is asked to clarify or expand on the answers provided.
• The data generated remain fundamentally shaped by the interview context itself. Analysis rarely acknowledges this endemic co-construction.
• They are more time-consuming (to conduct, transcribe, and analyze) than structured interviews.
• The quality of findings is more dependent on the individual skills of the interviewer than in structured interviews. Skill is required to probe effectively while avoiding biasing responses.

The Interviewer Effect

Face-to-face interviews raise methodological problems. These stem from the fact that interviewers are themselves role players, and their perceived status may influence the replies of the respondents.

Because an interview is a social interaction, the interviewer’s appearance or behavior may influence the respondent’s answers. This is a problem as it can bias the results of the study and make them invalid.

For example, the gender, ethnicity, body language, age, and social status of the interview can all create an interviewer effect. If there is a perceived status disparity between the interviewer and the interviewee, the results of interviews have to be interpreted with care. This is pertinent for sensitive topics such as health.

For example, if a researcher was investigating sexism amongst males, would a female interview be preferable to a male? It is possible that if a female interviewer was used, male participants might lie (i.e., pretend they are not sexist) to impress the interviewer, thus creating an interviewer effect.

Flooding interviews with researcher’s agenda

The interactional nature of interviews means the researcher fundamentally shapes the discourse, rather than just neutrally collecting it. This shapes what is talked about and how participants can respond.

• The interviewer’s assumptions, interests, and categories don’t just shape the specific interview questions asked. They also shape the framing, task instructions, recruitment, and ongoing responses/prompts.
• This flooding of the interview interaction with the researcher’s agenda makes it very difficult to separate out what comes from the participant vs. what is aligned with the interviewer’s concerns.
• So the participant’s talk ends up being fundamentally shaped by the interviewer rather than being a more natural reflection of the participant’s own orientations or practices.
• This effect is hard to avoid because interviews inherently involve the researcher setting an agenda. But it does mean the talk extracted may say more about the interview process than the reality it is supposed to reflect.

Interview Design

First, you must choose whether to use a structured or non-structured interview.

Characteristics of Interviewers

Next, you must consider who will be the interviewer, and this will depend on what type of person is being interviewed. There are several variables to consider:

• Gender and age : This can greatly affect respondents’ answers, particularly on personal issues.
• Personal characteristics : Some people are easier to get on with than others. Also, the interviewer’s accent and appearance (e.g., clothing) can affect the rapport between the interviewer and interviewee.
• Language : The interviewer’s language should be appropriate to the vocabulary of the group of people being studied. For example, the researcher must change the questions’ language to match the respondents’ social background” age / educational level / social class/ethnicity, etc.
• Ethnicity : People may have difficulty interviewing people from different ethnic groups.
• Interviewer expertise should match research sensitivity – inexperienced students should avoid interviewing highly vulnerable groups.

Interview Location

The location of a research interview can influence the way in which the interviewer and interviewee relate and may exaggerate a power dynamic in one direction or another. It is usual to offer interviewees a choice of location as part of facilitating their comfort and encouraging participation.

However, the safety of the interviewer is an overriding consideration and, as mentioned, a minimal requirement should be that a responsible person knows where the interviewer has gone and when they are due back.

Remote Interviews

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated remote interviewing for research continuity. However online interview platforms provide increased flexibility even under normal conditions.

They enable access to participant groups across geographical distances without travel costs or arrangements. Online interviews can be efficiently scheduled to align with researcher and interviewee availability.

There are practical considerations in setting up remote interviews. Interviewees require access to internet and an online platform such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Skype through which to connect.

Certain modifications help build initial rapport in the remote format. Allowing time at the start of the interview for casual conversation while testing audio/video quality helps participants settle in. Minor delays can disrupt turn-taking flow, so alerting participants to speak slightly slower than usual minimizes accidental interruptions.

Keeping remote interviews under an hour avoids fatigue for stare at a screen. Seeking advanced ethical clearance for verbal consent at the interview start saves participant time. Adapting to the remote context shows care for interviewees and aids rich discussion.

However, it remains important to critically reflect on how removing in-person dynamics may shape the co-created data. Perhaps some nuances of trust and disclosure differ over video.

Vulnerable Groups

The interviewer must ensure that they take special care when interviewing vulnerable groups, such as children. For example, children have a limited attention span, so lengthy interviews should be avoided.

Developing an Interview Schedule

An interview schedule is a list of pre-planned, structured questions that have been prepared, to serve as a guide for interviewers, researchers and investigators in collecting information or data about a specific topic or issue.

• List the key themes or topics that must be covered to address your research questions. This will form the basic content.
• Organize the content logically, such as chronologically following the interviewee’s experiences. Place more sensitive topics later in the interview.
• Develop the list of content into actual questions and prompts. Carefully word each question – keep them open-ended, non-leading, and focused on examples.
• Add prompts to remind you to cover areas of interest.
• Pilot test the interview schedule to check it generates useful data and revise as needed.
• Be prepared to refine the schedule throughout data collection as you learn which questions work better.
• Practice skills like asking follow-up questions to get depth and detail. Stay flexible to depart from the schedule when needed.
• Keep questions brief and clear. Avoid multi-part questions that risk confusing interviewees.
• Listen actively during interviews to determine which pre-planned questions can be skipped based on information the participant has already provided.

The key is balancing preparation with the flexibility to adapt questions based on each interview interaction. With practice, you’ll gain skills to conduct productive interviews that obtain rich qualitative data.

The Power of Silence

Strategic use of silence is a key technique to generate interviewee-led data, but it requires judgment about appropriate timing and duration to maintain mutual understanding.

• Unlike ordinary conversation, the interviewer aims to facilitate the interviewee’s contribution without interrupting. This often means resisting the urge to speak at the end of the interviewee’s turn construction units (TCUs).
• Leaving a silence after a TCU encourages the interviewee to provide more material without being led by the interviewer. However, this simple technique requires confidence, as silence can feel socially awkward.
• Allowing longer silences (e.g. 24 seconds) later in interviews can work well, but early on even short silences may disrupt rapport if they cause misalignment between speakers.
• Silence also allows interviewees time to think before answering. Rushing to re-ask or amend questions can limit responses.
• Blunt backchannels like “mm hm” also avoid interrupting flow. Interruptions, especially to finish an interviewee’s turn, are problematic as they make the ownership of perspectives unclear.
• If interviewers incorrectly complete turns, an upside is it can produce extended interviewee narratives correcting the record. However, silence would have been better to let interviewees shape their own accounts.

Interviewing Children

By understanding the unique challenges and employing these solutions, interviewers can create a more child-friendly and effective interview process, promoting accurate and reliable information gathering from young witnesses.

Pitfalls to Avoid

• Speculation and misinterpretation : Children may misinterpret questions due to immature language and memory skills, leading them to speculate or provide inaccurate information . For example, children might not fully grasp the meaning of words like “before” and “after” .
• Limited information : Directive questions often result in brief answers, restricting the child’s opportunity to provide a full and detailed account of the event.
• Children’s desire to cooperate: Children are generally inclined to answer any question posed by an authority figure, even if they don’t understand the question or know the answer. This can result in inaccurate responses or speculation to please the interviewer.
• Language development : Young children may not understand complex vocabulary, grammatical structures, or abstract concepts . For instance, words like “aunt” and “uncle” can be challenging for children because their meaning shifts depending on the speaker.
• Memory capabilities : Children’s memory abilities are still developing, making them more susceptible to memory errors and suggestibility . Questions that repeatedly cue specific details can inadvertently alter their recollections .
• Attention span and fatigue : Children, especially younger ones, have shorter attention spans and tire more easily than adults.  Lengthy interviews or those with excessive questioning can lead to fatigue and reduce the quality of their responses.
• Reluctance to talk: Children may be hesitant to talk due to various reasons, such as fear of getting into trouble, an inhibited temperament, distrust of unfamiliar adults, or feeling overwhelmed. This can make it challenging to obtain information from them.
• Adopt a child-centered approach: Interviewers prioritize creating a supportive and less intimidating environment by using techniques tailored to the child’s developmental level and cultural background. This includes using developmentally appropriate language, building rapport, and employing a patient and non-judgmental demeanor.
• Emphasize open-ended questions: Instead of relying heavily on focused questions, interviewers prioritize open-ended prompts that encourage children to provide detailed narratives in their own words. They use open-ended invitations like “Tell me everything that happened” or “What happened next?” to elicit more comprehensive and accurate responses.
• Use a questioning cycle: Interviewers combine open-ended invitations with focused prompts to gather specific details while maintaining a conversational flow. This involves cycling back to broader, open-ended prompts after asking focused questions to ensure a thorough understanding of the situation.
• Provide ample time to respond: Recognizing that children may need more time to process information, interviewers provide sufficient wait time, allowing children to respond at their own pace. This patience helps to reduce pressure and encourages more thoughtful responses.
• Build rapport: Establishing rapport is crucial for creating a safe and comfortable space for children to share their experiences. Interviewers achieve this by engaging in neutral conversations, showing genuine interest in the child’s life, and using a calm and reassuring tone.
• Deliver clear interview instructions: Interviewers provide clear and concise instructions, explaining the ground rules of the interview, emphasizing honesty, and encouraging the child to ask for clarification if needed.
• Use interview aids cautiously: While tools like drawings or diagrams can be helpful, interviewers use them with caution, ensuring they don’t lead or suggest information to the child. These aids are primarily used to clarify or elaborate on information the child has already provided verbally.
• Be prepared for multiple interviews: It’s often necessary to conduct multiple interviews to allow children time to process information and recall additional details. Subsequent interviews provide an opportunity to clarify information and explore inconsistencies.

Recording & Transcription

Design choices.

Design choices around recording and engaging closely with transcripts influence analytic insights, as well as practical feasibility. Weighing up relevant tradeoffs is key.

• Audio recording is standard, but video better captures contextual details, which is useful for some topics/analysis approaches. Participants may find video invasive for sensitive research.
• Digital formats enable the sharing of anonymized clips. Additional microphones reduce audio issues.
• Doing all transcription is time-consuming. Outsourcing can save researcher effort but needs confidentiality assurances. Always carefully check outsourced transcripts.
• Online platform auto-captioning can facilitate rapid analysis, but accuracy limitations mean full transcripts remain ideal. Software cleans up caption file formatting.
• Verbatim transcripts best capture nuanced meaning, but the level of detail needed depends on the analysis approach. Referring back to recordings is still advisable during analysis.
• Transcripts versus recordings highlight different interaction elements. Transcripts make overt disagreements clearer through the wording itself. Recordings better convey tone affiliativeness.

Transcribing Interviews & Focus Groups

Here are the steps for transcribing interviews:

• Play back audio/video files to develop an overall understanding of the interview
• Format the transcription document:
• Add line numbers
• Separate interviewer questions and interviewee responses
• Use formatting like bold, italics, etc. to highlight key passages
• Provide sentence-level clarity in the interviewee’s responses while preserving their authentic voice and word choices
• Break longer passages into smaller paragraphs to help with coding
• If translating the interview to another language, use qualified translators and back-translate where possible
• Select a notation system to indicate pauses, emphasis, laughter, interruptions, etc., and adapt it as needed for your data
• Insert screenshots, photos, or documents discussed in the interview at the relevant point in the transcript
• Read through multiple times, revising formatting and notations
• Double-check the accuracy of transcription against audio/videos
• De-identify transcript by removing identifying participant details

The goal is to produce a formatted written record of the verbal interview exchange that captures the meaning and highlights important passages ready for the coding process. Careful transcription is the vital first step in analysis.

Coding Transcripts

The goal of transcription and coding is to systematically transform interview responses into a set of codes and themes that capture key concepts, experiences and beliefs expressed by participants. Taking care with transcription and coding procedures enhances the validity of qualitative analysis .

• Read through the transcript multiple times to become immersed in the details
• Identify manifest/obvious codes and latent/underlying meaning codes
• Highlight insightful participant quotes that capture key concepts (in vivo codes)
• Create a codebook to organize and define codes with examples
• Use an iterative cycle of inductive (data-driven) coding and deductive (theory-driven) coding
• Refine codebook with clear definitions and examples as you code more transcripts
• Collaborate with other coders to establish the reliability of codes

Ethical Issues

Informed consent.

The participant information sheet must give potential interviewees a good idea of what is involved if taking part in the research.

This will include the general topics covered in the interview, where the interview might take place, how long it is expected to last, how it will be recorded, the ways in which participants’ anonymity will be managed, and incentives offered.

It might be considered good practice to consider true informed consent in interview research to require two distinguishable stages:

• Consent to undertake and record the interview and
• Consent to use the material in research after the interview has been conducted and the content known, or even after the interviewee has seen a copy of the transcript and has had a chance to remove sections, if desired.

Power and Vulnerability

• Early feminist views that sensitivity could equalize power differences are likely naive. The interviewer and interviewee inhabit different knowledge spheres and social categories, indicating structural disparities.
• Power fluctuates within interviews. Researchers rely on participation, yet interviewees control openness and can undermine data collection. Assumptions should be avoided.
• Interviews on sensitive topics may feel like quasi-counseling. Interviewers must refrain from dual roles, instead supplying support service details to all participants.
• Interviewees recruited for trauma experiences may reveal more than anticipated. While generating analytic insights, this risks leaving them feeling exposed.
• Ultimately, power balances resist reconciliation. But reflexively analyzing operations of power serves to qualify rather than nullify situtated qualitative accounts.

Some groups, like those with mental health issues, extreme views, or criminal backgrounds, risk being discredited – treated skeptically by researchers.

This creates tensions with qualitative approaches, often having an empathetic ethos seeking to center subjective perspectives. Analysis should balance openness to offered accounts with critically examining stakes and motivations behind them.

Potter, J., & Hepburn, A. (2005). Qualitative interviews in psychology: Problems and possibilities.  Qualitative research in Psychology ,  2 (4), 281-307.

Houtkoop-Steenstra, H. (2000). Interaction and the standardized survey interview: The living questionnaire . Cambridge University Press

Madill, A. (2011). Interaction in the semi-structured interview: A comparative analysis of the use of and response to indirect complaints. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 8 (4), 333–353.

Maryudi, A., & Fisher, M. (2020). The power in the interview: A practical guide for identifying the critical role of actor interests in environment research. Forest and Society, 4 (1), 142–150

O’Key, V., Hugh-Jones, S., & Madill, A. (2009). Recruiting and engaging with people in deprived locales: Interviewing families about their eating patterns. Social Psychological Review, 11 (20), 30–35.

Puchta, C., & Potter, J. (2004). Focus group practice . Sage.

Schaeffer, N. C. (1991). Conversation with a purpose— Or conversation? Interaction in the standardized interview. In P. P. Biemer, R. M. Groves, L. E. Lyberg, & N. A. Mathiowetz (Eds.), Measurement errors in surveys (pp. 367–391). Wiley.

Silverman, D. (1973). Interview talk: Bringing off a research instrument. Sociology, 7 (1), 31–48.

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• What Is a Behavioral...

What Is a Behavioral Interview? And How to Prepare for One

11 min read · Updated on April 21, 2021

Not sure how to answer behavior-based interview questions? Here's what you need to know.

Whether you're an active job seeker, or you're considering a career move that will soon place you into the applicant pool, giving some thought to the interview process will put you in a better position to land the job. In today's world, many organizations and hiring managers are turning to behavior-based interviews instead of traditional interviews to help them identify job candidates for long-term success.

Also called competency-based interviews, this format is popular with hiring managers across industries. ZipRecruiter reported that in a January 2015 ExecuSearch Regional Hiring Outlook survey that focused on northeastern United States, 63 percent of respondents replied that they used behavioral questions during interviews.

So, what does a behavioral interview mean for candidates? Should you expect a trap? Will the hiring manager try to throw you off your game? Is the conversation about to get confrontational? Before you get too nervous, we explain everything there is to know about behavioral interviews.

What is a behavioral interview?

A traditional interview involves open-ended questions that allow the job candidate to share information and opinions with the hiring manager. This interview approach often focuses on qualifications, personality, and hypothetical scenarios that leave room for the candidate to fabricate information and tailor responses to what they believe the interviewer wants to hear. 

Behavioral interviews, on the other hand, focus on the candidate's past performance and behavior to predict future performance and behavior in similar scenarios. Per Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., Creative Director and Associate Publisher of Quintessential Careers, traditional interview questions are said to be only 10 percent predictive of future on-the-job behavior, whereas behavioral interview questions are 55 percent predictive of this. Developed by industrial psychologists in the 1970s, behavioral interviews are also referred to as competency-based interviews. 

What behavioral interview questions are like

Hiring managers use behavioral interviews because they want to go beyond the obvious answer. When pressed for details and specifics, candidates can't help but reveal their habits, ways of thinking, and past responses to stressful situations.

Will you get a warning that your interview is going to actually be a behavioral interview? No. But you can be on the lookout for a few question openers that will indicate if you're in a behavioral interview. Here's what they might sound like:

Tell me about a time…

How have you dealt with…

Give me an example of…

Explain a past situation where…

What do those questions have in common? They take you back to a specific situation in the past and ask you to recall your real-life responses, action steps, and results. A behavioral interview can be intimidating, but it's also a fantastic opportunity to showcase your experience, skills, and strengths. You just have to know what to expect — and come prepared.

How can you prepare for behavioral interview questions?

When you give some thought to what common behavioral questions and interactions might take place during your interview, it can relieve your nerves and help you stand out from your competition. To help you prepare for a behavior-based interview, consider the following tips.

1. Know what to expect

Expect challenging questions.

Now, the hiring manager isn't asking hard questions just to make you sweat. However, they don't want to waste precious interview time talking about straightforward scenarios. The hiring team wants to see how you have handled real-life difficulties. They want to know what value you've added and how you've contributed to the solution. Finally, they want to understand what your definition of a “challenge” is. Every candidate has different calibrations for what they consider to be difficult — and matching those calibrations is a big part of ensuring a solid long-term fit.

2. Research and create a list

The best place to start your prep is to determine which skills and qualifications matter most for the position. Go back to the job description and highlight keywords that describe the position requirements. You can also research the company and the types of employees it hires. Examples of some common skills and competencies that organizations want to know include timeliness, attention to detail, problem-solving, focus, ability to collaborate, emphasis on goals, efficiency, effective communication, and leadership.

Once you have a shortlist, think back to specific situations where you have clearly demonstrated those skills, character traits, and attitudes. The best way to capture your responses is by jotting down one or two stories for each point. But, choose your stories carefully — they will provide a window into who you are as a professional and a person. The right story will turn the hiring manager into your champion; the wrong story, meanwhile, can elicit a cringe or an awkward pause.

4. Use the STAR method  

As you develop your examples and scenarios for your behavior-based interview, use the STAR technique to provide specific situations.

• S: situation. Explain the context for your story. Who was involved? How did the situation begin?
• T: task. Describe the problem you were tasked with solving.
• A: action. Outline the steps you took to resolve the issue. What actions did you take?
• R: results. Share the outcome. What was the result of your work? How did the situation resolve?

The more specific you are, the better. Keep in mind that employers might check your responses, so make sure to share accurate information that's verifiable. 

5. Practice your behavior-based interview questions and answers

It's never too early to begin practicing for your job interviews. Have someone work with you to review and answer the questions you've created. The more you practice, the clearer your answers will be when you're sitting across from the interviewer.

Be careful not to completely memorize your responses during your interview prep; the last thing you want during a behavior-based interview is to have your answers sound rehearsed and stale. Instead, try out different ways of telling the same story until it feels natural.

6. Continue adding to your list

If you're currently working at a company, continue to add to your list of potential responses as new experiences and accomplishments arise. Having recent examples will benefit you because it will give an interviewer insight into the skills you are actively exercising.

Types of questions

Depending on the role, an interviewer may focus their behavior-based questions on certain types of skills. Consider these topics, examples, and tips for each:

Leadership and influence

Give me an example of a time when you successfully motivated a co-worker or your team.

Tell me about a time when you had to take on the workload of a co-worker or manager due to their absence.

Describe a time when you managed an underperforming employee. How did you handle the situation? What was the outcome?

Adaptability

Tell me about a time that you felt you failed at a project or goal. How did you handle the situation?

Give me an example of a time when you were moved to a new team. How did you acclimate to the new work environment?

Describe how you came up to speed in your first position. What were some of the challenges you faced? What went well?

Time management

Give me an example of a time when you missed, or almost missed, a deadline. How did you handle the situation? What changes did you make to avoid making the same mistake again?

We often have a lot of items on our to-do lists. Tell me about a time that you felt overwhelmed by all the tasks you were facing. What did you do to handle the list and stress?

Describe a long-term project that you oversaw. What steps did you take to keep things on schedule to meet goals and deadlines?

Problem-solving

Give me an example of a time when you made a mistake. How did you handle and correct it?

Describe your goal-setting process.

Tell me about a time when you had a conflict with your manager or a co-worker. How did you handle the situation?

Listening and communication

Tell me about a time when you were leading a virtual team. How did you communicate with team members and ensure the team remained connected?

Give me an example of a time when your approach to a problem or project was unpopular. How did you communicate with disgruntled co-workers? How did you get them on board?

Describe a time when you were asked to develop written communications and content for a significant leadership presentation.

Client-focused 

Give me an example of a time when you had to provide a customer or client with unfavorable news, or you did not meet their expectations. How did you handle it? What was the result?

Provide some examples of times when you had positive experiences with clients. What do you contribute to your success?

Describe a time when you were working with a challenging customer. How did you handle it?

Questions on handling stress

“How do you handle stress?” is almost always asked in a behavioral interview. This is one answer you don't want to come up with off the top of your head, so do your homework. Come up with real-life examples that highlight your stress-management skills.

When responding, don't blame others for the stress you felt. Instead, highlight how you used your amazing soft skills to overcome the stressful obstacle and ultimately succeed.

Acknowledge that you do experience stress; not doing so will make interviewers think you don't take your job very seriously or that you're lying. If you're blanking on work examples, explain how you personally manage your stress. For example, sharing that you meditate or run to alleviate your stress shows the interviewer that you don't let things bottle up until you burn out.

Questions about conflict

Questions about conflict might make you uncomfortable, but you need a relevant answer about how you handle it at work. The STAR method works particularly well for conflict questions.

Here's an example:

Situation: I was in charge of a major project for the department.

Task: One team member kept missing deadlines and got angry when I confronted her about it. I had to pivot and address the issue with her with a solutions mindset in order to keep the conversation productive.

Action: I calmly explained the reasoning behind the tight deadlines and the importance of meeting our goal on time, and I asked if there was a reason she was struggling to do her part. It turns out she had several other tasks that put her on overload. We spoke to her manager who assigned some of her projects to other people and freed up her time for our team.

Results: After that, she was able to focus more of her time on the project, and we came in ahead of the deadline, which [saved x dollars, brought in x new clients, or any other quantifiable result].

Always be honest and highlight your strong communication skills wherever possible. You can also share a conflict situation where you were wrong and explain how you handled it and what you learned from it. This proves you can accept criticism when necessary and use it for your personal and career growth.

The value of being yourself

As you prepare for a behavior-based interview, keep in mind that an interviewer what's to get an idea of who you are. In a 2019 study by TopInterview and Resume-Library , U.S. employers regarded authenticity as the most attractive quality in a candidate, rating personality as one of the top three things that determine whether they'll present a job offer.

Employers aren't looking for perfection or a robot. They want to see your interest in their position, whether you can handle the responsibilities, and how well they'll enjoy working with you. Use an authentic attitude along with your answers to convey this clearly.

While a behavioral interview can be challenging, it doesn't have to be overwhelming. The more you prepare and practice, the more confident you'll feel when you're in the interviewing room. 

If you are having a tough time choosing and verbalizing your stories, you are not alone; it's difficult to do this without the benefit of feedback. If you don't want to learn a hard lesson in your next behavioral interview, consider hiring an interview coach . Combine strategic prep with real-time feedback from the experts, and you will sail through that behavioral interview and be on your way to reviewing competing offers in no time!

Want to set yourself up for success in a behavioral interview? Work with a professional interview coach today .

This article was updated in April 2021. It contains work written by Natalia Autenrieth and Lisa Tynan .

Recommended Reading

What Is a Stress Interview?

How to Answer Leadership Interview Questions

The Trick to Sounding Authentic in a Job Interview

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30+ Behavioral Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

• Written by Contributing Writer
• Updated on September 16, 2024

Job switches are stressful. Be it the final or the first round of an interview, the stakes are high. High enough to rattle almost anyone. And yet, you can cruise through easily by preparing for it beforehand. Easier said than done, right?

Today, technical interviews have evolved to include not just technical expertise but also communication, interpersonal, and managerial skills. This holds true for all roles, but especially for those where behavioral competencies are critical.

In this article, we’ll explore common behavioral interview questions employers ask, offering tips to elevate your answers and sharing real-life examples. These insights will help ease the stress that usually comes with an interview.

Project managers, team leaders, and those in other managerial roles will also benefit from this project management program . This online program will equip you with the skills needed for success in technical interviews and beyond.

What Are Behavioral Interview Questions?

The COVID pandemic has reshaped the labor market. According to a report by Indeed and Glassdoor , an aging population in countries like the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, and Japan points to an ongoing worker shortage. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that foreign-born people accounted for 18.6 percent of the U.S. civilian labor force, up from 18.1 percent in 2022. The trend is expected to continue as the availability of labor decreases. Consequently, countries are expected to rely heavily on skilled immigrant workers to help meet the demand.

In response to these shifting trends, the hiring process has also evolved. Recruiters and hiring managers now emphasize the interviewee’s soft skills, leading to the increased use of behavioral interview questions during the screening process.

Behavior questions are an interview technique used to understand a prospective candidate’s genuine working aptitude and personality. The interviewer (mainly the hiring manager) asks situational instead of hypothetical questions to the candidate, and then, with the information received, they assess how a candidate has performed and behaved in the past in response to the posed workplace stimuli.

These questions help the interviewer better understand who you are and how you work. Since these questions require you to share your real-life experiences, you already have all the answers you need.

Also Read: Top Project Manager Interview Questions and Answers for 2025

Importance of Behavioral Interview Questions

The US Chamber of Commerce points out that past behavior questions help leaders assess soft skills, which more than 60 percent of hiring managers say would otherwise be challenging. Moreover, structured behavioral interviews make comparing candidates for a job easier and fairer.

SHRM has also pointed out that behavioral interview questions provide applicants with a realistic job perspective, reduce the risk of interviewer bias, and increase the perception of fairness among job candidates.

Common Behavioral-based Interview Questions and Answers

Let’s look at the common examples of behavioral interview questions usually asked during a job interview.

1. Describe how you handled a challenge in the workplace.

This is a classic behavioral question that hiring companies almost always ask. Regardless of the job function or industry, you will likely encounter this question in your interviews. The main focus for the interviewer is to find out how well you can perform under pressure.

Sample Response

At my last job, an important project was scheduled to be delivered in 60 days. My supervisor had asked me to speed up and finish the project in 45 days while ensuring our other deadlines were unharmed. I took it up as a challenge for my team and me. We pitched in with a few extra hours to our daily work schedules, which helped us deliver the project within 42 days. While my team’s excellent support was crucial, my effective task allocation significantly affected our success.

2. Have you ever made an error? How did you handle it?

Humans are prone to making mistakes—that’s the hard truth. What’s important is how you take ownership of your mistakes. Do you view errors as a part of your journey?

It’s not a question that aims to highlight and show potential employers how prone or immune you are to making mistakes. It’s about tackling, learning from, and overcoming them.

Once, I mistakenly quoted the wrong membership fees at the club where I worked. But instead of panicking. I was honest and quick to report my mistake to my supervisor, who appreciated my ownership and timeliness. As a result, he asked me to offer an application fee waiver to that particular client. Luckily, the member agreed to join our club despite my mistake. This was a key lesson for me. This instance taught me the importance of ensuring accurate information and delivery whenever representing my work.

3. Explain how you set goals.

Companies treat goal-oriented people as prized assets. However, only some people are aware of how effective goal-setting works. This question allows interviewers to understand your goal-creation process and your effectiveness at achieving it.

I aspired to join the fashion industry from the get-go. My first role was as a sales associate in a department store. I decided to work up to the department manager position within one year, saving enough to afford a full-time stint at a design school. Though working as a department manager wasn’t my end goal, I strived hard toward it because I knew that would eventually help me achieve my main goal.

Also Read: Exploring Top AI Project Management Tools

4. Describe any goal you reached and how you achieved it.

At first glance, this might seem similar to the last question. However, this question dives deeper into your steps to accomplish your goals.

Sample Response:

Right after joining Company X, my eyes were set on the ‘Employee of the Month’ title. Since it was a challenging task, most of my colleagues didn’t take it seriously. But I had envisioned my picture on the wall. I worked harder and went out of my way to help my colleagues, supervisors, and clients alike. I earned the honor in my third month. Seeing my journey, grit and determination, I was moved into a managerial position shortly after.

5. Have you ever made a decision that wasn’t popular?

This question is often asked of people interviewing for managerial or leadership positions. It intends to determine how they handle unpleasant situations.

Sample Response: I was asked to manage a team of employees while their supervisor was transferred to another city. Their supervisor allowed the team to cover each other’s shifts without consent from management. The fact that some people were, as a result, given more opportunities than others led to inconsistencies, which I didn’t appreciate much. As a result, I introduced a new policy whereby all staffing changes had to be approved by my assistant first. This ensured the optimal utilization of time.

Frequently Asked Problem-Solving Behavioral Interview Questions

6. give us an example of when you used logic to solve a problem..

Tip: Answer this question by recollecting a situation in which you had to take action logically. We suggest you list your problem, approach and, finally, the result.

7. Tell us about a time when you took on the initiative on a project.

Tip: This question will test your energy levels. Aim to show enthusiasm. It will also present you with an excellent opportunity to hint at your passions since most people only take up initiatives in projects that they are passionate about.

8. Describe how your problem-solving skills benefitted your team or company.

Hint: This question checks your performance as a colleague and is the perfect opportunity to show that you think about others while taking care of situations.

9. Tell us about a situation where you used creativity to solve a dilemma.

Tip: Focus on talking about a surprising or unusual solution you brought to the table. Try incorporating details about your process while answering these questions: Do you follow a structure to reach a solution? Or are you spontaneous?

10. What’s your best idea for a team-based project?

Tip: Try to bring up two scenarios: one in which you received the most praise and the other in which you worked behind the scenes to enable your team’s success.

Also Read: Top Project Portfolio Management Tools for 2024 and How to Choose the Right One

Behavioral Interview Questions Based On Your Teamwork

11. what do you like more, working in a team setup or contributing individually.

Tip: You have to be vocal and honest about your working style. Explain why you are better suited to work alone or with a team. You can further solidify your point by adding examples and results that show your strength.

12. When working within a team, what role do you assume?

Tip: The answer to this question is based on the role/position you have applied for. You may have donned several hats in your career; talk about the one that highlights the specific skillset required for the role you are applying for.

13. Describe a time when you had a disagreement with a team member. Tell us how you resolved the issue.

Tip: Start by talking about the situation. Next, it’s on you to mention the reason for said disagreement. You can add to it by addressing your approach to resolution with the achieved result.

14. Tell us about a time when you failed a team project. How did you overcome it?

Tip: Explain the project and the requirements. Address your shortcomings that led to failure. It’s imperative for you also to discuss the steps you took post-failure.

15. Give us an example of when you worked well with your team.

Tip: Use this question to give a detailed explanation of the problem. You are also expected to mention why you were able to work well, whereas we suggest you tell the interviewers what your key takeaways from the whole experience were.

Behavioral Interview Questions On Failures

16. tell us about a time when you failed..

Tip: Failure is a part of the learning process. Do not shy away from talking about your failure. Moreover, include the goal you had set out to achieve in the task and the reason for your failure. Add to it what you learned from the failures. Do not under any circumstances blame your losses on anyone else.

17. What was a big mistake you made on a job, and how did you handle it?

Tip: Candidates interviewing for leadership roles are almost always asked this question. You are expected to describe a high-stakes mistake you made at work. Remember to include the reason for your mistake and how you resolved the situation.

18. Tell me when you could not meet your goals/timeline.

Tip: This question aims to understand how you handle setbacks. Start by describing the context and the goal. We also advise you to explain your response to failure and to provide a genuine reflection. It’s also an excellent idea to include examples of further achievements directly resulting from what you learned from this event.

19. Tell us about a decision that you regretted and how you overcame it.

Tip: Please feel free to show vulnerability while answering this question. This question will testify to your ability to bounce back from failure. (You can also mention the steps you took to achieve this decision).

20. Tell us about a decision you regret and how you overcame it.

Tip: This question is used to understand how vulnerable you are. Talk about how you bounced back from failure and the measures you took to overcome the damage.

Also Read: What is Project Portfolio Management? Description, Tools, and Tips

Leadership-Based Behavioral Interview Questions

21. tell us about when you had to assume leadership for your team..

Tip: To answer this question, take the time to describe your thought process. What were your initial steps? How did you decide on task delegation? Also, talk about the part of the process you enjoyed the most.

22. Give me an example of how you set team goals and helped them achieve them.

Tip: Discuss how setting goals for the team differs from setting goals for yourself. Explain how each goal you created was tailored to suit your team member’s job role or function. Did you allow people to volunteer? You are also expected to discuss the results while explaining how you helped your team members thrive and perform better.

23. Tell us how you motivate the unmotivated team members.

Tip: Take this time to discuss your motivational style. Aim to answer these questions. Do you rely on stories or rhetoric? How do you identify unmotivated team members? What measures do you put in place to monitor their performance?

24. Tell us about when you had to postpone making a decision.

Tip: It’s wise to discuss why you postponed the decision. You can talk about how it was overwhelming or required more learning to make a well-informed decision. It’s expected that you’ll be honest with your answers.

25. How do you juggle multiple priorities?

Tip: Tell us what steps you take while juggling multiple projects. Do you prefer notes or software? How do you keep separate communication channels with the involved members? This is your chance to show off your multiple project management skills and knowledge.

Personal-Behavioral-based Interview Questions

26. tell us about the most challenging work situation which you resolved..

Tip: Describe the situation and what made it difficult. Explain to the interviewer the process you utilized to reach a resolution.

27. Tell us about a time when you disagreed with a supervisor.

Tip: You are expected to present the reasons for your disagreement. While discussing the incident, including the result of the disagreement and whether you consider the situation productive!

28. Tell us about an incident wherein you had to work on your own unexpectedly.

Tip: This question requires you to present a narrative. Let’s start by discussing the project and the initial stakeholders involved and then mention why it was unexpected. Explaining the difference between working alone and working with a team will help showcase your ability to adapt.

29. Has there been a conflict you faced in your work?

Tip: This question lets you showcase your situational awareness and problem-solving ability. Be open with the story, and talk about how you engage conflicts and the process you have in place for finding resolutions.

30. Tell us about an instance when you worked well under pressure and how you navigated it.

Tip: The first thing to do is to outline the stakes involved. Explain whether the pressure was coming onto you because of your mistake or a circumstance that was not in your control. Speak about the process that allows you to plan and deliver even in dire circumstances. Make sure to highlight the outcome of the situation.

How To Answer Behavioral-based Questions?

So, now the question arises: How do you answer behavioral questions? To simplify things, we have summarized them into a four-step process. If you only keep these in mind, you can easily sail through the interview.

• Once an interviewer has asked you a question, you need to identify what the person is seeking. Is it to gauge your hard or soft skills? Or are they trying to gauge your work qualities?
• As a response, always choose a story that is relevant to the question but has positive outcomes.
• While narrating the story, emphasize the details that speak to the relevant skills that are asked of you.
• Wrap up your answers by discussing your general approach to the presented situation.

Tips To Help You Ace A Behavioral Interview

We’ve compiled a few general takeaways to help you ace your behavioral interview. Take a look at them below:

#1. Always have a few stories prepared before the interview.

Walking into an interview well rather than being underprepared is always a good idea. Refer to the job description for a rough idea of which stories can help you in the interview. Look for repetitive words, words that are emphasized on more than one occasion, like “an initiative taker,” “role-player,” or “solution-oriented.” You might end up using these stories or not, but preparing a few will help you decrease your nervousness.

#2. Tell your stories using the STAR method.

Interviewers usually have multiple candidates aligned throughout the day. It’s almost impossible for them to remember every story they hear. Follow the STAR method to answer their questions, and you’ll have a higher recall value.

The STAR method involves you following these four steps to answer a question:

• Situation: Set the scene while giving the necessary details about the example.
• Task: Describe your responsibilities in the situation.
• Action: Explain exactly what steps you took to address the task.
• Result: Close out by sharing the outcomes you achieved through your actions.

#3. Always include a conclusion to your answers.

Not all stories will fit perfectly with the STAR method, which is fine. Either way, we suggest you always summarize your story with a takeaway. This method will let the interviewer know what they should learn from it. In short, tell your story and close it with what they need to think. It can be: “I use this practice to address such problems generally.” “ I use this process to address and resolve problems at work.”

#4. Practice, Practice, Practice

The easiest thing you can do to get better at your interviews is practice. Specifically, practice answering possible behavioral interview questions out loud. But please don’t go about memorizing your answers. Speak them out loud till you’re comfortable. Next, start practicing while standing in front of the mirror. This practice will make you less self-conscious and give you a better sense of presenting yourself.

Gain the Project Manager Skills You Need to Succeed

Project managers are expert communicators. They understand the team’s feelings and emotions. Apart from the team, they must hold honest & open lines of communication within their team. These traits help them predict future behaviors, allowing them to plan effectively to avoid conflicts, burnout, and stress while maintaining efficiency and team morale.

Effective people management requires respect across cultures. When people feel respected, they are more likely to perform well and meet expectations. Therefore, strong behavioral skills are essential for becoming a successful project manager.

As a professional aiming to step into leadership roles, preparation for your next switch should start with an online project management course . Learn through expert instructor-led live classes. Maintain your CCR (Continuing Certification Requirements) for PMI-related certifications with 46 PDUs. Benefit from real-world experiences with Capstone projects, and get acquainted with the latest AI topics in special masterclasses to become an invaluable asset in the modern workplace.

You might also like to read:

Project Management Tips: What is a Feasibility Study?

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Behavioral Interviewing

BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWING

Better Interviews. Better Hires.

Interviews are a wild card in the hiring process. Nearly every business uses them, but few get them right. In fact, many managers are never trained to conduct interviews. The risk? Bias can get in the way of hiring.

Remember, candidates are interviewing the company, too. There’s nothing worse than finding the right candidate, only to have them turn you down because of a poor interview experience.

Enter Targeted Selection®, DDI’s behavioral interviewing system that ensures fair, accurate candidate evaluation and great candidate experiences. Behavioral interviewing is the world’s most widely used interviewing approach today. And Targeted Selection is the most accurate interviewing system in the world.

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Behavioral Interviewing Makes a Difference

Data shows behavioral interviewing results in better hiring decisions.

USE BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWING

75% of employers use behavioral interview questions to assess soft skills

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CARE ABOUT INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE

64% of job seekers are unlikely to accept a job offer after a negative candidate experience

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LACK CONFIDENCE

78% of leaders lack confidence in making the right hiring decisions

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What Is Behavioral Interviewing?

Behavioral interviewing is a structured interviewing approach built on research. The process shows that past behavior predicts future behavior.

In a behavioral interview, candidates provide concrete examples of how they have used specific behaviors and skills on the job. These examples help interviewers understand not only what candidates can do, but how they do it.

Behavioral interviews are also designed to gather consistent criteria across candidates for a job. That way, hiring teams can evaluate and compare candidates fairly. The result? Less bias and greater confidence in hiring teams to select the strongest talent to move your business forward.

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Every Leader Needs Behavioral Interviewing in Their Toolkit

An essential task of every leader is hiring the right people. Talent decisions are a long-term investment that can pay off with a highly skilled employee. But the wrong hiring decision can cause a drop in revenue, productivity, morale, and business performance.

That’s why it’s critical that leaders don’t hire for only what a person can do. They need to hire for how they do it. And that’s only the first step. A new hire’s performance and retention depends on how the leader onboards, coaches, delegates, engages, and so much more.

This is why behavioral interviewing skills should be part of every leader’s development. With a DDI Leadership Development Subscription, you can improve how your leaders hire, grow, and retain their teams.

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The speed to productivity once somebody’s hired is significantly higher. They have a clear and consistent picture of what their job role is going to be and what competencies are expected starting before the interview.

Cory Kreeck, Vice President of Organizational Development, Beachbody

What Are Behavioral Interview Questions?

You might know behavioral interviewing questions as the ones that start with “tell me about a time when…” But asking questions this way is only the beginning. You also need to structure questions around the competencies for the job.

Behavioral interviewing questions are designed to show how candidates demonstrated a specific behavior or skill in a situation. This format deters candidates from speaking in generalities or talking only about what they  would  do. Instead, the candidate can explain exactly how they achieved their accomplishments.

Using the STAR Method in Interviewing

Have you heard of the STAR method of interviewing? It's a key part of behavioral interviewing. DDI brought the STAR method to market in the 1970s.

The STAR method helps interviewers capture complete information about how a candidate has performed on the job.

Learn about STAR

How Do You Master Behavioral Interviews?

At DDI, we train leaders to master both the art and the science of interviewing. The art of interviewing helps you learn how to handle the job interview. For example, managers learn how to build rapport with candidates and ask focused, behavioral-based questions.

The science of interviewing is a process that helps you ensure consistency and reduce bias. For example, managers learn how to score candidates on a consistent scale and integrate the data for a final decision.

Can a Behavioral Interview Evaluate Job Fit?

A common misconception is that you can evaluate job fit in an interview. But too often, “job fit” can be a loose term for bias. It’s easy to make snap judgments about how someone will fit in.

What’s more important is motivational fit. Motivational fit indicates how a candidate’s preferences align with the requirements of the job, location, and company. Motivational fit also shows whether someone wants to do the job versus being able to do the job. 

By evaluating motivational fit, you’re more likely to select a candidate who will be satisfied on the job.

Transform Your Interviewing

Learn how NewYork-Presbyterian uses behavioral interviewing. Plus, see how they rapidly transformed their approach to hiring, even while the hospital was at its most vulnerable.

Get tips and lessons learned to refresh your interview process.

OpenAI o1 might be the final nail in coding's coffin — "If OpenAI's o1 can pass OpenAI's research engineer hiring interview for coding at a 90-100% rate, why would they continue to hire actual human engineers?"

As earlier predicted, coding might be dead in the water with the prevalence of AI and the launch of OpenAI o1 with advanced coding capabilities.

What you need to know

• OpenAI recently launched a series of new next-gen AI models with advanced reasoning capabilities across coding, math, and science.
• Per benchmarks shared, OpenAI o1 and o1-mini are exceptionally great at coding and have passed OpenAI's research engineer hiring interview for coding at a 90-100% rate.
• This raises more concern among professionals and the security of their jobs with the rapid prevalence of AI and its capabilities. 

Is artificial intelligence just a fad , or it's on the verge of the biggest technological breakthrough ? Over the past few years, AI has taken center stage at major tech companies, including Microsoft, Google, OpenAI, NVIDIA, and more. 

Incidentally, early adoption of the technology and integration of AI across their tech stack has propelled most of these companies to the top of the food chain, each having a brief taste of the world's most valuable company with over $3 trillion in market valuation .

Despite AI's high demand for electricity and cooling water and rising concern among investors , companies continue to forge forward with their AI efforts. OpenAI was reportedly on the brink of bankruptcy within the next year, with projections of $5 billion in losses. 

However, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Apple will participate in another round of funding to keep the ChatGPT in business , pushing its market capitalization well beyond $150 billion . 

Microsoft's latest Work Trend Index report indicated that contrary to popular belief, AI creates job opportunities, but executives won't hire anyone without an AI aptitude , prompting "a 142x increase in LinkedIn members adding AI skills like Copilot and ChatGPT to their profiles."

In the recent past, coding among other creative jobs is seen as the first profession on AI's chopping block. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang predicted that coding might be dead in the water as a career for the next generation with the prevalence of AI. Instead, he recommended exploring opportunities in other areas, including biology, education, manufacturing, or farming. 

Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman echoed Huang's sentiments :

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"If you go forward 24 months from now, or some amount of time — I can't exactly predict where it is — it's possible that most developers are not coding."

OpenAI's new advanced reasoning models blow engineers out of the water

And now, it's quite possible that AI could reshape the coding landscape and claim jobs from developers — especially after OpenAI recently launched a new series of next-gen AI models (aka Strawberry) with advanced reasoning capabilities across science, math, and coding. OpenAI o1 and o1-mini are reportedly exceptionally great at writing and detecting errors in code.

If OpenAI's o1 can pass OpenAI's research engineer hiring interview for coding -- 90% to 100% rate.........then why would they continue to hire actual human engineers for this position?Every company is about to ask this question. pic.twitter.com/NIIn80AW6f September 12, 2024

In an interview, OpenAI CTO Mira Murati discussed the rapid prevalence of AI and its impact on the job market . Murati indicated that while AI is creating job opportunities, it's also rendering some professions redundant:

"Some creative jobs maybe will go away. But maybe they shouldn't have been there in the first place — you know, if the content that comes out of it is not very high quality."

In the same breath, a separate report claims the banking sector could be on AI's chopping board next, with  approximately 54% of jobs susceptible to automation . OpenAI's GPT-4o model launched during the Spring event spotted similar capabilities , but OpenAI o1 and o1-mini are seemingly more advanced. 

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Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry at Windows Central. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. You'll also catch him occasionally contributing at iMore about Apple and AI. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.

• 2 Microsoft has scrapped Edge's big UI refresh with rounded tabs
• 3 Razer Wolverine V3 Pro vs. Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2: Which is best for you?
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• Open access
• Published: 16 September 2024

Gaps in communication theory paradigms when conducting implementation science research: qualitative observations from interviews with administrators, implementors, and evaluators of rural health programs

• Nicole L. Johnson   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5686-2062 1 , 2 ,
• Jennifer Van Tiem 1 , 2 ,
• Erin Balkenende 1 , 3 ,
• DeShauna Jones 1 , 4 ,
• Julia E. Friberg 1 , 2 ,
• Emily E. Chasco 1 , 4 ,
• Jane Moeckli 1 , 2 ,
• Kenda S. Steffensmeier 1 , 2 ,
• Melissa J. A. Steffen 1 , 2 ,
• Kanika Arora 5 ,
• Borsika A. Rabin 6 , 7 &
• Heather Schacht Reisinger 1 , 3 , 4  

Implementation Science volume  19 , Article number:  66 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

Communication is considered an inherent element of nearly every implementation strategy. Often it is seen as a means for imparting new information between stakeholders, representing a Transaction orientation to communication. From a Process orientation, communication is more than information-exchange and is acknowledged as being shaped by (and shaping) the individuals involved and their relationships with one another. As the field of Implementation Science (IS) works to strengthen theoretical integration, we encourage an interdisciplinary approach that engages communication theory to develop richer understanding of strategies and determinants of practice.

We interviewed 28 evaluators, 12 implementors, and 12 administrators from 21 Enterprise-Wide Initiatives funded by the Department of Veteran Affairs Office of Rural Health. Semi-structured interviews focused on experiences with implementation and evaluation strategies. We analyzed the interviews using thematic analysis identifying a range of IS constructs. Then we deductively classified those segments based on a Transaction or Process orientation to communication.

We organized findings using the two IS constructs most commonly discussed in interviews: Collaboration and Leadership Buy-in. The majority of segments coded as Collaboration ( n  = 34, 74%) and Leadership Buy-in ( n  = 31, 70%) discussed communication from a Transaction orientation and referred to communication as synonymous with information exchange, which emphasizes the task over the relationships between the individuals performing the tasks. Conversely, when participants discussed Collaboration and Leadership Buy-in from a Process orientation, they acknowledged both constructs as the result of long-term efforts to develop positive relationships based on trust and respect, and emphasized the time costliness of such strategies. Our findings demonstrate that participants who discussed communication from a Process orientation recognized the nuance and complexity of interpersonal interactions, particularly in the context of IS.

Conclusions

Efficient, reliable information exchange is a critical but often overemphasized element of implementation. Practitioners and researchers must recognize and incorporate the larger role of communication in IS. Two suggestions for engaging a Process orientation to communication are to: (a) use interview probes to learn how communication is enacted, and (b) use process-oriented communication theories to develop interventions and evaluation tools.

Peer Review reports

Contributions to the literature

Communication is a vital part of implementation. Yet, predominant discussions about implementation strategies are limited to a Transactional orientation. Conversely, the Process orientation to communication acknowledges the multiple moving elements in an implementation context that influences collaboration and leadership buy-in.

Exemplars of interview segments about communication engaging a Process orientation were identified to demonstrate ways interviewers can probe to gain a deeper understanding of communication as a process.

We provide examples and suggestions for qualitatively examining communication processes to better understand the impact of implementation strategies.

Several theories with a Process orientation are identified for consideration in future research and implementation planning and evaluation.

Most implementation strategies include a communication component, particularly when evidence-based interventions are introduced and promoted throughout an organization. When implementing new programming, it is common to consider communication as simply a means through which information is imparted [ 1 , 2 ]. Implementation Science (IS) researchers have an imperative to understand the role of communication as more than a means for information exchange [ 3 ]. Yet, even as a means for information exchange, Manojlovich and colleagues recognized the lack of attention on communication in implementation research [ 1 ].

Broadly, the study of communication focuses on how messages are used to generate meanings [ 4 ], and provides perspective for moving beyond an emphasis on information exchange, thus moving beyond the task dimension and recognizing the value of the relational dimension. Despite its relatively young development both academically and professionally, the communication discipline offers valuable insight to IS research [ 5 ]. There are two predominant ways to characterize communication: (1) communication as Transaction, and (2) communication as Process. When communication is viewed as a Transaction, it is discussed as a linear one-way flow of information [ 3 ]. The materiality – the element of substantive value – of communication is found in accurate, efficient information transfer, thus putting emphasis on the task dimension and channel (e.g., phone, handout) through which information is exchanged. When practitioners focus their efforts on preparing thoughtful and detailed educational sessions intended to increase program adoption, but do not allow time for interactive questions or develop opportunities for building relationships between key personnel responsible for successful adoption, then we see a reliance on the Transaction orientation to communication. When communication is conceptualized as a Process, we emphasize its constitutive nature wherein our environments – social, organizational, political, etc. – shape and are shaped through communication [ 3 ]. From a Process orientation, the transformative properties of communication emphasize its relational dimension and bring about a materiality from the intangible elements of the process (e.g., tone of voice, relational history, contextual exigency), and concepts such as psychological safety, mutual respect, and trust foreground the mechanics of information exchange. For example, someone may schedule multiple options for the same information session to ensure real-time interactivity for questions and build in opportunities for small group breakouts and post-presentation networking for relationship-building. When understanding of communication shifts to encompass more than information exchange, we begin to recognize the role of communication in building relationships and influencing long term cultural shifts, which is often the goal for implementation scientists [ 3 ]. If the Process orientation is overlooked in favor of a Transaction orientation, we may miss opportunities for identifying evidence-based communication strategies to support implementation.

The majority of subsequent work engaging Manojlovich et al.’s assertions agree on the imperative to engage a Process orientation to communication, but they make no strides in designing approaches for exploring the characteristics of communication surrounding effective implementation strategies (e.g., [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]). As the conversation initiated by Manojlovich and colleagues about the role of communication in implementation science has progressed, recognition of communication has grown, but emphasis continues to focus on formal contexts (e.g., trainings and webinars) [ 1 ]. Further, quantitative measures that assess information accuracy like the one used in Zhao and colleagues’ work overlook the importance of informal communication (e.g., rapport-building before meetings, impromptu connections) and the nuanced influence of the relational dimension that contributes to effective implementation. Bustos et al.’s (2021) analysis acknowledges both the formal and informal strategies through which communication might occur, but the communication they refer to is discussed from a Transaction orientation (i.e., “how information… was communicated to program staff” (p. 10)) [ 9 ].

For this study, we draw on interviews with employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) who evaluated, implemented, and administered interventions focused on improving the health and well-being of rural Veterans or the clinical staff who serve them. These interviews were exploratory and wide-ranging; for the purposes of this manuscript, we treat the interviews as akin to direct observations of intervention stakeholders discussing their real-world experiences operationalizing implementation strategies. Instead of focusing on what we could learn from the communication described in the interviews, we directed our attention to what lessons could be missing because of the way participants discussed communication. In this manuscript, we provide examples of how Transaction and Process orientations to communication appear in the data when individuals described their experiences, as well as their relationships that supported IS strategies and facilitated intervention goals. We also suggest interview strategies to elicit detail about communication from a Process orientation to support ongoing learning of these informal communication processes. Though these interviews were not focused on communication, we use data from the interviews to argue that noticing communication helps us discover how to do implementation science better. Specifically, a Process orientation emphasizes the space between IS strategies and outcomes, and advances understanding of implementation challenges and solutions.

Study setting and context

The VA’s Office of Rural Health (ORH) supports the creation of Enterprise-Wide Initiatives (EWIs) to address issues facing rural Veterans from mental health and primary care access to training and education of VA staff who serve rural Veterans. As a part of the funding cycle, EWI teams must conduct annual evaluations. The Center for the Evaluation of Enterprise-Wide Initiatives (CEEWI) was created through a 2019 partnership between ORH and the VA’s Quality Enhancement Research Initiative to support EWI evaluation and disseminate best practices. The CEEWI team, consisting of implementation science experts and qualitative data analysts, reviews the annual reports and provides feedback to EWI teams on reporting standards.

Data collection

As part of the initial CEEWI project, EWI evaluators, implementors, and administrators were interviewed about effectiveness of IS strategies they used and why, in part, to assist the CEEWI team in understanding key aspects of EWI implementation and evaluation. The interview guide included questions about the participant’s role on the EWI, the core components of the EWI, implementation strategies and their impact on desired outcomes, outcome measures used for evaluation, and the evaluation process. CEEWI team members and EWI leadership identified the evaluators, implementors, and administrators to recruit for the study. While recruitment sought a purposive sample of roles from each EWI, ultimately the sample was a convenience sample based on availability and willingness to participate during the first nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional details about recruitment and data collection can be found in an earlier manuscript from this larger project [ 10 ]. We conducted 43 semi-structured interviews, which averaged 51 min (range 20–77 min), from April – December 2020 with evaluators, implementors, and administrators from 21 EWIs. While most interviews were conducted one-on-one, 8 were group interviews ranging from 2 to 4 participants [ 10 ]. This study uses these interviews as an example on how communication is described when discussing implementation strategies.

Data analysis

Audio-recordings were transcribed, reviewed for accuracy, and uploaded into MAXQDA, a qualitative data management software [ 11 ]. Two doctorally trained qualitative analysts (NJ & JVT) leveraged their previous IS knowledge and conducted primary-cycle inductive coding to identify IS constructs and trends in the data [ 12 ]. The analysts initially coded all transcripts together in real-time and resolved discrepancies immediately. During this first round of coding, several IS constructs were identified in participants’ discussion of their implementation strategies, including Staff Buy-in, Tailoring, Rapport, Fidelity, and Mentorship. Collaboration and Leadership Buy-in emerged as the two most discussed IS constructs among participants. For secondary-cycle deductive coding to interpret how communication was conceptualized in discussions of Collaboration and Leadership Buy-in, the lead author, a Health Communication scholar, used an iterative process to develop a codebook to identify the language representing a Process or Transaction orientation for each construct (i.e., Collaboration and Leadership Buy-in) [ 3 , 12 ]. The analysis focused on the how communication was discussed, not about the form of communication that took place.

Collaboration, a term often characterizing various levels of formal and informal partnerships between individuals, departments or organizations, is defined as a mutually beneficial and well-defined relationship between two or more parties to achieve common goals [ 13 ]. An example of discussing Collaboration from a Transaction orientation to communication would be using the term Collaboration to describe monthly meetings where the parties update one another about the status of their tasks and goals. From a Process orientation, Collaboration would be discussed in relational terms, describing the trust and rapport the team members have among one another.

Leadership Buy-in represents the role of support from individuals in leadership positions for a program’s adoption and sustainability, particularly when competing clinical and administrative demands are at play [ 7 ]. An example of discussing Leadership Buy-in using a Transaction orientation to communication would be a description of strategies for adoption that only focused on leadership education. However, someone who engaged a Process orientation to communication might: (1) discuss tailored persuasive strategies for demonstrating value to specific decision-makers, or (2) acknowledge the necessity for long-term relationships with individuals in leadership roles for sustainment.

We conducted 43 interviews with 28 evaluators, 12 implementors, and 12 administrators. We coded a total of 90 segments as Collaboration ( n  = 46) and Leadership Buy-in ( n  = 44) across all the interviews. Most segments coded as Collaboration ( n  = 34, 74%) and Leadership Buy-in ( n  = 31, 70%) discussed communication from a Transaction orientation. The following results present examples of the discussion of Collaboration and Leadership Buy-in from the Transaction and Process orientations to communication.

Transaction orientation to communication

When communication is treated as a transaction, it is discussed as a one-way flow of information traveling from one party to another during a discrete moment in time [ 3 ]. The materiality of communication is reduced to accurate, efficient information transfer, thus putting emphasis on the channel (e.g., Teams meeting, email) through which information is exchanged and the task dimension of the interaction.

Collaboration as transaction

Participants sometimes discussed Collaboration in a way that missed its nuance and treated communication as merely a means for transferring information that produced Collaboration. For example, one participant implied that communication, regardless of quality, is inherently good, thus the more there is, the better. They identified “communication across the team level” as an important strategy having the most impact on desired outcomes. “The more communication there is, the more people are able (…) to divide up [responsibilities].” (1A) In this instance, communication is synonymous with information exchange. While we do not have enough information to assess the quality of communication that Participant 1A is referring to, the fact they only discussed the parties involved and quantity of communication is an example of the Transaction orientation to communication.

In another example, a participant explained what they felt did not work as well in their evaluation process. “We have excellent communication with some, but not all members of the [EWI] (…) I’m not sure they’re always on the same page with each other, and then depending on who we’re having a meeting with, we might hear one thing but then that’s not what someone else was going to do (…) that’s one of the pieces that I think is hard for us.” (2A) Again, we see the Transaction orientation, and the barometer for effective communication is accuracy. The participant went on to discuss ways to improve this lack of alignment among team members, suggesting that “even if it’s just being invited to join calls (…) [for us] to answer questions about the [evaluation] data” would improve teamwork. (2A) This passage highlights an important aspect of communication – being present for an interaction and having the opportunity to answer questions enables information exchange.

One participant described the communication that occurred during a monthly videoconference:

The learning collaborative is focused on bringing people [together] to share their experiences and how various facilitators identify ways to shape their program, but also the way that our national team gives feedback about the data (…) One call a month is right after a report (…) they do a data review on the call where they go over the numbers with the entire learning collaborative, everyone in the program, giving them feedback from a national perspective and always reminding people of the milestones of the metrics that they’ve agreed to under the ORH grant. (3A)

Here, we see another example of a participant discussing communication in terms of information exchange.

Leadership buy-in as transaction

Participants also discussed Leadership Buy-in from a Transaction orientation. In the following passage, participant 4A described the benefits of the EWI leadership team visiting sites in-person:

They would do a site visit to all the hubs (…) and meet with the local leadership team and that’s where they confirmed if there were any issues that they might have. They would do like a 2–3 day site visit (…) so it helped create that structure where people knew exactly who to report to and how these programs were established and plenty of opportunities to address any concerns or any issues they might have.

There are substantial implications for local Leadership Buy-in through in-person visits, yet the only aspect of communication discussed here is information exchange and clarifying the information flow hierarchy (i.e., who to report to).

Participant 5A described their program’s efforts to obtain Leadership Buy-in:

Simple outreach and education, that was really the only things that we could do, and then as they continued, training kind of showed its usefulness. That had an impact on leadership buy-in.

Here, buy-in is attributed to education, which may account for some or even most of buy-in, but it does not recognize the relational dimension of communication.

For another EWI, leadership turnover at the facility presented a significant barrier to program sustainment, because Leadership Buy-in was perpetually reset, which exacerbated a “conflict between implementation and sustainment strategies” when the decision-maker for sustainment funding was not the same person to “sign off on it originally” (9A). Given the EWI provided seed-funding for specialty staff to implement the program, the expectation was that the facility would eventually incur the expense for sustainment, but the plan for funds was not made explicit at the time of application for the seed-funding. Participant 9A went on to explain how their program responded to the unforeseen challenge obtaining sustainment funding from sites:

Our clinical director worked really hard with the first cohort of sites prior to their funding ending to try to come up with strategies to pitch the program to leadership (…) Most sites had challenges with changing leadership priorities.

In response, the interviewer clarified their sources for funding, then changed topics: “Interviewer: Ok, alright. How about strategies that were intended to optimize the effectiveness outcomes for your EWI?” In this example, the interviewer seems to be approaching the participant’s description of Leadership Buy-in from a Transactional orientation. A Process-oriented approach that asked about the nature and details of pitching the EWI to leadership may have provided more information about implementation strategy.

Process orientation to communication

From the process perspective, no single interaction serves as the cause or proof of effective Collaboration. Rather, the Process orientation recognizes the value of communication lies in the cumulative outcomes of consistent, often routine, interactions.

Collaboration as process

Collaborations require shared responsibility, mutual authority, accountability, and sharing of resources and rewards for success [ 13 ]. Collaboration in implementation has focused on strategies to enhance partners’ ability to work together to achieve mutual benefits. We identified examples from participants discussing Collaboration with a Process orientation to communication. From these examples we see that Collaboration is seen as a product of long-term efforts to develop positive relationships and establish trust and autonomy to make one’s own decisions. Many participants recognized the uniqueness and value in reaching the point of Collaboration. For example, Participant 10A shared, “The partnerships, it’s like a very special kind of relationship–, where we have to trust them, we rely on each other, but we also need to be able to make independent decisions.” Participant 6A also recognized the importance of relationships, “I would say they’re collegial but they’re not fully collaborative (…) when they’re really more deeply integrated and their role is understood and recognized (…) they are more collaborative members.”

One participant on a different EWI echoed this sentiment that individuals’ intent and motivations for the work should extend beyond the assignment to be considered Collaboration, “It’s not just trying to check off a box (…) there truly is a passion behind it, on all of our parts, and that has been wonderful.” (7B) Recognizing others’ intent for their work allows one to acknowledge how interpersonal communication is influenced by more than information exchange.

In the following exemplars, we can see how interviewers were able to elicit detail about the interactions surrounding the implementation strategies they were discussing.

Exemplar for Probing Collaboration . In Table  1 , we share an exemplar for engaging the Process orientation to communication, which led to greater explication of the role of communication in the implementation process.

Through this example, we see a more nuanced treatment of communication as a process after the interviewer probed twice to understand the participant’s use of “facilitation” as an implementation strategy. We gained description of the collaborative atmosphere within a team and how individuals’ psychological safety is manifested through authentic interactions.

Leadership buy-in as process

It takes more than information-exchange to garner support (e.g., financial, staff) for facilitation and sustainment. One participant acknowledged the web of influence that contributes to Leadership Buy-in and effective implementation:

We reached out to all the rural sites their leadership… sort of advertising the program, so we would schedule a conference call with a director, chief of staff, emergency room chief, to sort of discuss the program (…) then we would follow up with an actual 1-day on-site visit (…) where we meet with again, leadership, but we also meet with the [staff from several departments] (…) It’s an all-day visit to further introduce our program, to the team on site, as well as learn more about their program, and how [our EWI] might incorporate itself, and what challenges (…) we might face in implementation. (2B)

Here, we see an acknowledgement of reciprocal relationship-building to learn about priorities and needs.

Several participants discussed how time costly it is to gain Leadership Buy-in to ease the burden of change on an organization and staff, particularly for a nationwide program. One participant reflected:

Ten years ago, it was a [regional] project, so the main kind of instruction came from a [regional] level down, you know. The site visit was just a medical director and the nurse manager telling you that, ‘Hey, this is what’s going to happen,’ and it happened. Now (…) it’s like a year-long process to get people familiarized (…) go live went from one day to four days long. (11B)

Despite its value, garnering Leadership Buy-in has its challenges. Sometimes identifying the right individuals who represent the relevant leadership roles is not clear cut.

Once we have identified that our program can go to that site, we ask the local (…) program manager to identify who (…) key local leaders are (…) It’s important to have the managers of those sites involved in this process from the beginning (…) We (…) set up an initial meeting (…) where we review the implementation process plan with everybody on that call, and answer questions about what we and [specialty care] services will provide as part of the training opportunity and clearly delineate what we need the site or the facility to commit to provide (…) we answer questions, alleviate concerns, things like that. (7B)

Participant 7B went on to describe the challenge of identifying the right leadership representative:

The only barrier that we’ve encountered is some challenges in getting the right leadership on the call to review this in real time and answer questions (…) whether it is due to leadership turnover at the site, even from the time that we set up the call to the time that we actually do the call, there have been some change-overs, and that has been a challenge.

Again, we see this participant engaging a strong Process orientation to communication as they emphasize the importance of relationship-building for Leadership Buy-in.

Exemplar for Probing Leadership Buy-in . In the following example, the interviewer engaged the Process orientation to communication with probes that led to greater explication of the role of communication in developing Leadership Buy-in (Table  2 ).

Results illustrate ways administrators, implementors, and evaluators characterized communication related to Collaboration and Leadership Buy-in. From the Transaction orientation, we saw that the term communication was used synonymously for information exchange. The problem of implementation lies beyond efficient and reliable information transfer, and instead centers on cooperative sensemaking and learning within and among teams situated in an organization that is influenced by its social, geographic, and political environments [ 2 , 14 , 15 ]. Communication necessary for effective implementation is based on improvisation and reciprocity and constitute relationships over time [ 2 , 15 ]. Our data indicate these processes are occurring in implementation, but we may not always be paying close enough attention to their occurrence. If most discussions about communication engage a Transaction orientation, then practitioners and evaluators will never have the insight necessary to maximize the impact of their communication efforts.

Participants often discussed Leadership Buy-in more as an outcome of education, and less as a byproduct of improvisational relationship-building, which demonstrates the predominant Transaction orientation to communication privileging rehearsed, often unidirectional, and mostly controlled interactions. Formal information exchange is undoubtedly an important element of effective implementation; the Transaction orientation aligns well with the goals of dissemination and implementation as a field [ 15 ]. However, our data point to the importance of thinking about communication from a Process orientation for improving effectiveness of implementation strategies—and show how members of implementation and evaluation teams too often focus on the transaction elements of communication. Previous work that engages the Transaction orientation and points to the benefits of reliable information exchange has paved the way for more exploratory naturalistic methods for studying IS from a Process orientation to communication [ 3 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. As noted in our findings, the Transaction orientation overlooks the intricacies of processes that occur among individuals to build trust, cultivate buy-in, and influence team decision-making, all of which are markers of successful implementation.

Suggestions for engaging process orientation to communication

Given the purpose of IS is to promote the adoption of research and evidence-based practices, it would behoove implementation scientists to tap into the richness of interdisciplinary theorizing and engage a Process orientation to communication [ 17 ]. As thinking about communication has evolved from a Transaction orientation, scholars recognized the symbolic process that humans use to create meaning through informal, improvised interactions over a period of time [ 2 ]. Recent analysis of implementation strategies for behavioral health interventions called for explicit attention to the supportive role communication may play in most, if not all, strategies [ 15 ]. The Process orientation to communication enriches theorizing and elevates scholars’ and practitioners’ understanding of how to leverage implementation strategies to be meaningfully responsive to the relationships among the interested parties [ 18 ]. However, we warn against over-characterizing communication into a ‘nebulous, global process’ [ 2 , 19 ]. For gaining insight on communication processes, we suggest two strategies: 1) interviewers focused on understanding implementation strategies could probe their interviewees to learn more about how communication is enacted; and 2) IS practitioners could utilize process-oriented communication theories in developing interventions and evaluation tools (e.g., interview guides).

The supplementary material accompanying this article includes excerpts from our interview data as examples demonstrating hypothetical ways interviewers can elicit more nuanced understanding of communication processes (see Tables S1 and S2).

Our analysis identified examples of missed opportunities for interviewers to probe about communication from a Process orientation recognizing the relational dimension of communication. Interview probes like those recommended in Tables S1 and S2 could lead to valuable understanding of the processes of communication, allowing exploration of the relational dimension of communication and implementation, and insight to individuals’ attitudes and sensemaking about those experiences. This may contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the importance of communication in implementation strategies beyond a transactional information exchange. We also provided examples highlighting the constitutive role communication plays in relationship-building. Our goal is to help attune IS researchers to the value of the processes of communication as a critical component of many implementation strategies.

Probing for communication processes in interviews

Challenges to implementing any new program may be significantly varied and widespread. No single barrier serves as an intervention’s fatal flaw, but rather, implementation is affected by numerous factors shaped through informal interactions [ 17 , 20 ]. A recent study that aimed to identify which implementation strategies should be most closely considered for which determinants of practice reported one of its limitations was the heterogeneity of responses [ 21 ]. This variation in responses among administrators, implementors, and evaluators points to the value of a more nuanced understanding of the unique, context-dependent, and relationally based communication processes undergirding implementation strategies [ 21 ]. Further, in their ethnographic study on hand hygiene programs, Goedken and colleagues poignantly emphasized the importance of understanding how implementation strategies are used and defined in real-world settings for understanding determinants of practice [ 22 ]. By looking below the surface of implementation strategies and focusing on the interactions surrounding those strategies, we may begin to recognize the determinants of practices, the mechanisms for change, more precisely. Discussing communication from a Process orientation allows us to access what is happening below the surface that cannot be observed as an outsider. With greater insight on communication processes occurring throughout implementation, the field of IS would be poised to provide meaningful guidance for combining implementation strategies [ 22 ]. In a similar vein, IS researchers should consider the temporality of IS strategies and how this underscores the role of communication. The role of Leadership Buy-in at all stages of development and implementation on effectiveness cannot be overstated [ 23 ]. Albright suggests shifting away from the predominant focus of research on the active implementation period to explore activities occurring during design and preparation [ 15 ].

Most implementation strategies have a communication component representing the channel for education and promotion (e.g., workshops, webinars, brochures) [ 15 ]. Our proposed interview strategies interrogate communication in a way that recognizes the relational dimensions of interpersonal interactions, providing insight about what truly results in effective implementation. By understanding communication from a Process orientation, we may enrich our understanding of implementation strategies [ 24 ].

Utilize process-oriented theories

Theories that engage a Transaction orientation to communication often ascribe to the traditional knowledge-intention-behavior paradigm that proposes a stable, linear positive relationship between knowledge and behavior change (e.g., Theory of Reasoned Action, a predictive theory suggesting a strong relationship among individuals’ attitudes about a behavior, their intention, and their behavior [ 25 ]) and tends to overlook the nuance of communication processes. However, humans are more complicated and inconsistent than these theories acknowledge. The Process orientation to communication allows for more realistic approaches that privilege the constitutive nature of communication to co-create meaning socially. In a recent scoping review of 158 studies in implementation research on maternity care, effective communication was noted as a key factor for promoting change across the body of work, but the majority of research was atheoretical and ambiguous in operationalization of communication [ 26 ].

Health communication scholars are trained to be sensitive to the cooperative nature of establishing shared meaning, multiple interpretations of behaviors, and the challenges of coordinating interactions when studying implementation strategies. Several theories, including two that pay special attention to how meaning is created socially, Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) [ 27 ] and Structuration Theory [ 28 ], could highlight perspectives that recognize communication as a complex process and translate well to practice. CMM is a constructivist theory that provides a practical heuristic for interpreting interpersonal communication events that comprise larger conversations. As such, CMM informs practitioners’ decision-making by illuminating patterns of interactions to find ways of talking that could result in desired outcomes [ 29 ]. Structuration Theory, coined by sociologist Anthony Giddens in the late 1970s, describes the dynamic relationship between individuals and their environment that constrains and enables social practices [ 28 ]. Through its critical lens, Structuration Theory highlights the (lack of) agency individuals perceive for themselves and others, and the rules and resources perpetuated through social interactions. Lastly, Diffusion of Innovations, a framework well-entrenched in IS research and practice, also engages a process paradigm [ 30 , 31 ]. There is ample opportunity and an imperative to employ a Process orientation to better understand communication in implementation science.

Limitations

This study has multiple limitations. We did not collection demographic data to describe our participants beyond the role they held on their EWI teams. The data represents a convenience sample of administrators, implementors, and evaluators working on EWIs funded at the time of data collection, which resulted in variability in representation across EWIs and staff roles. Further, because of the diversity of foci, designs, and timelines of EWIs, we cannot draw conclusions about effectiveness of strategies discussed in this paper. Lastly, the interviews were not conducted to assess communication explicitly. Despite these limitations, our analysis facilitates concrete suggestions for improving understanding of the role of communication in implementation.

Future directions for research

Research analyzing the role of communication from a Process orientation would enrich the field of IS. Similar to Fishman et al.’s work comparing measurement and operationalization of attitude among IS studies and those grounded in psychology, our work emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration [ 32 ]. The interviewees and interviewers in our study focused predominantly on a Transaction orientation to communication; more studies are needed that focus on this level of distinction, particularly how to adopt a Process orientation to communication for implementation strategy specification. There is great potential for a body of knowledge about communication processes that has been systematically developed to inform IS strategies supporting a range of aspects crucial to effectiveness including Leadership Buy-in and Collaboration. Future research may do well to conduct direct observation to characterize communication processes related to implementation strategies from a rich Process orientation. Dissemination Science, as one facet of Dissemination and Implementation Science, is firmly rooted in the mechanics of communication and would greatly benefit from engaging the Process orientation. A recent scoping review demonstrated that the field of Dissemination Science lacks insight to communication from the Process orientation; in their review of dissemination determinants, the Transaction orientation persists in focusing on imparting information from one party to the next [ 33 ].

This study described instances of two broadly accepted orientations to communication engaged by implementation scientists. The findings demonstrate opportunities – and strategies – for engaging in the Process orientation of communication to gain greater insight into the role communication plays in implementation outcomes. We hope this work inspires dialogue, new interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovative methods to highlight the utility of engaging the Process orientation to communication to undergird the value of communication theory to implementation science for improving health services. When communication is understood as a process, practitioners will be better able to prepare for the unpredictability and uniqueness of the relational dimensions of communication.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets presented in this article are not readily available in accordance with federal requirements and standards and guidelines for the protection of participants’ privacy and to maintain confidentiality. Requests to access the datasets should be directed to Dr. Heather Reisinger ([email protected]).

Abbreviations

Center for the Evaluation of Enterprise-Wide Initiatives

Coordinated Management of Meaning

Enterprise-Wide Initiative

Implementation Science

Office of Rural Health

Department of Veterans Affairs

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the interview participants who participated in this study for their time and insights. We would also like to acknowledge Office of Rural Health (ORH) program analysts Dr. Kelly Lora Lewis, Karyn Johnstone, Nicole Sanchez, Maura Timm, Anthony Achampong, Richard Huang, and Janice Garland for their assistance, as well as Dr. Sheila Robinson, former Deputy Director of ORH, Dr. Peter Kaboli, Executive Director of ORH, and Dr. Thomas Klobucar, former Executive Director of ORH, for their support. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States government.

VA Office of Rural Health and QUERI Project #: PEC 19–456.

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Johnson, N.L., Van Tiem, J., Balkenende, E. et al. Gaps in communication theory paradigms when conducting implementation science research: qualitative observations from interviews with administrators, implementors, and evaluators of rural health programs. Implementation Sci 19 , 66 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-024-01395-3

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Former employee of Trump shooting suspect recalls police standoff and penchant for ‘stupid’ behavior

Exclusive: ‘i don’t know what he was thinking,’ tina cooper tells the independent of her former employer ryan wesley routh, who is accused of attempting to assassinate donald trump. she’d worked for routh in 2002 when he’d been arrested after a three-hour long police standoff, article bookmarked.

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A North Carolina woman who once worked for the suspect cops say attempted to assassinate Donald Trump while the former president golfed on Sunday remembered her former boss as someone widely derided over his penchant for doing “stupid s***.”

Tina Cooper, 58, a former employee at United Roofing, a Greensboro, North Carolina contracting company owned by suspect Ryan Wesley Routh, told The Independent that she hadn’t thought much about Routh since he abruptly fired her two decades ago.

Now, Routh has been detained after allegedly putting the barrel of a AK47-style rifle through the perimeter fence of the Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach in what the FBI says “appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump.”

That’s a far cry from when Cooper was hired to assist Routh, a father of three, with paperwork around his roofing company office. Routh, 58, who had gotten his driver’s license revoked in 2002 , gave Cooper one of his cars to use in order to pick him up in the mornings and shuttle him around town, she said.

In December 2002, Routh’s criminal actions caught the attention of local papers.

“He had a standoff here, and I don’t know what he was thinking then, either,” Cooper said on Sunday night.

Although he no longer had a valid license, Routh was behind the wheel when he was pulled over by Greensboro police, according to news reports from the time. He fled the scene and drove to the United Roofing offices, where he barricaded himself inside, armed with a fully-automatic machine gun, the Greensboro News & Record reported .

Three hours later, Routh surrendered. He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a weapon of mass destruction, for the machine gun, as well as resisting, delaying and obstructing a law enforcement officer and driving while his license was revoked.

“All I know is that I got woken up one morning with the news that he had got arrested and the guys needed work orders, so I went and got the work orders,” Cooper said. “He had threatened to blow up the entire Greensboro Police Department, that was all documented in the police reports.”

A judge handed down a suspended sentence and probation to Routh, who avoided prison altogether, court records show.

In an interview with Wired , Tracy Fulk, the officer who arrested Routh that day said, “I figured he was either dead or in prison by now. I had no clue that he had moved on and was continuing his escapades.”

Fulk said Routh had been involved in other standoffs, and that officers “always knew he had weapons.” Routh’s rap sheet dates back to the early 1980s, with dozens of charges for vehicular offenses including DUIs. In 2010, Routh was arrested on three felony counts of possession of stolen property, ultimately pleading guilty to one misdemeanor count. He again received a sentence of probation, according to correction department records .

“All we can do is arrest them and then obviously it goes into the court system and they decide all of that,” Fulk told Wired . “It’s frustrating at times.”

For Cooper, her role at United Roofing quickly turned into a much bigger one than first expected, as she functioned as a personal assistant to Routh.

“[I would] pick him up, take him to do estimates, pick up the payroll, pay the guys, pick up the kids, take them shopping for their school clothes,” Cooper recalled. “Lora, his ex-wife, she was sweet.”

In 2004, Cooper was terminated without warning, she said, explaining, “My sister Theresa had been stealing the car in the middle of the night and running out all the gas.”

When the car’s transmission eventually blew, Routh blamed Cooper, “and I got fired,” she went on. This prompted a “falling out” between the two of them, according to Cooper, who said, “He wouldn’t even speak to me when I’d run into him at the store.”

At the same time, Cooper also described Routh as “a good guy.” He didn’t have any strong political views that she knew of, she said, adding that he seemed primarily focused on “money, jobs,” and the crew of 40 who worked for him.

“He done what he could for people,” she said. “That’s why I don’t understand what’s going on with him.”

According to a 2001 article in the News & Record , when Routh saw a nearby resident’s house in poor repair, he gathered a crew of volunteers from his church and workers from United Roofing to fix up the man’s home, free of charge.

“With all the resources we have nowadays, there’s no reason anybody should live like this,” Routh told the outlet.

Routh moved to Hawaii in 2018 to try his hand at building affordable housing, according to his LinkedIn profile. Cooper said she hasn’t seen him or spoken to him since.

Routh “did some stupid s*** down here, and... got away with some of it,” Cooper said. But, she asked, “What drives people to do stupid s*** in this day and time? I mean, come on now.”

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