Cheat Codes To Acing Your Next Interview

Here’s your go-to guide to help you master answering behavioral interview questions.

What Exactly Are Behavioral Interview Questions?

Job interviews can be an exciting opportunity to showcase your skills. But they’re also a chance for employers to get beyond the basics and find out what you’re *really* made of! That’s why so many hiring managers use behavioral interview questions – instead of familiar “tell me about yourself,” or “where do you see yourself in five years” queries- which provide deep insights into how candidates problem solve on their feet and handle professional scenarios. With these types of inquiries, it’s not just about trying tease out impressive anecdotes; the goal is really getting a genuine understanding of each candidate based off past experiences – better yet… field tested abilities!

Desperate to know what behavioral questions you’ll get in a job interview? Well, don’t worry…we’ve got your back! We can provide an idea of the types of inquiries that could pop up. To be fully prepared for anything that comes at ya—read through our list and think ahead with stories tailored to each type of question they 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.

1. Tell me about a time you had to work closely with someone whose personality was very different from yours.
2. Tell me about a time you got into a fight with a coworker. What did you do about it?
3. Tell me about a time when you had to step up and show that you were a leader.
4. Tell me about a time you made a mistake and wished you’d handled a situation with a coworker differently.
5. Tell me about a time when you needed information from someone who was hard to reach. What did you do?

Adaptability questions

Amidst any stormy seas, there’s always a pearl of wisdom to be found. Reflect back on your most recent work turmoil and consider what it taught you – even if the outcome wasn’t perfect, some valuable insight or message can still come out of difficult times!

1. Tell me about a time at work or school when you were under a lot of pressure. What happened, and how did you handle it?
2. Tell me about a time when something changed in your team or company. How did it make you feel, and how did you deal with it?
3. How did you get used to your last job? How did you figure out what to do?
4. Tell me about a time you had to think quickly on your feet.
5. Tell me about a time you didn’t do well. What did you do to deal with it?

Time management questions

When an interviewer quizzes you on time management, be prepared to share a story of how you juggled various tasks with grace and finesse – from setting priorities to sticking the clock. Show them that not only can you handle everything coming your way in stride, but also get it all done ahead of schedule!

1. Give me an example of a time when you were responsible for a lot of things. How did you react?
2. Tell me about a long-term project that you managed to finish. How did you keep everything in motion?
3. Tell me about a time when you had too many responsibilities. What did you do?
4. Tell me about a time when you wanted to accomplish something. How did you make sure you would accomplish your goal?
5. Tell me about a time when an unexpected problem stopped you from doing what you had planned. How did you get back to normal?

Communication questions

Whether it’s an email to a colleague or presenting your big idea at the meeting, communication is something we all use daily – and so does every interviewer. Show off just how sharp you are by recounting an example of when you had to get creative in getting your message across!

1. Tell me about a time when you needed to use writing to get your point across.
2. Tell me about a time at work when you were able to convince someone to see things your way.
3. Describe a time when you were the resident technical expert. How did you make sure that everyone could understand what you were saying?
4. Give me an example of a time when you had to have a difficult conversation with a frustrated client or colleague. How did you deal with the problem?
5. Tell me about a successful presentation you gave and why you think it was a hit.

Motivation and values questions

Interviewers may throw you a curveball with questions that seem unrelated, but behind it all they’re trying to get at one key question: what motivates YOU? Provide answers that highlight your values and show how motivated you are – even when the interviewer doesn’t give away their motives.

1. Tell me about your proudest professional accomplishment.
2. Tell me about a time when you saw a problem and did something to fix it.
3. Tell me about a time when you were either very closely supervised or not supervised at all. What did you do about it?
4. Tell me about a time when you had the chance to be creative with your work. What about it was exciting or hard?
5. Tell me about a time when you did not like your job. How could it have been better?

4 Tips for Answering Behavioral Interview Questions

#1. If you want to be sure that your interview goes off without a hitch, take some time beforehand and craft tales from the job description! Look out for any points of emphasis like “works independently” or “takes initiative,” then assemble stories around those topics. When it comes time to answer questions, pull one out… no nerves necessary!

#2. Crafting the perfect interview response can seem intimidating, but using the STAR method is sure to make it a breeze! This strategy will help you create engaging answers that keep your story succinct and on-point. Make those job offers come rolling in with this go-to technique!

#3. Your story should be your grand finale! After you’ve delivered it to the interviewer, don’t forget a conclusion. You want them leaving with that “aha moment” knowing exactly how this relates to their hiring decision and what they can expect from YOU as an employee — even if your tale didn’t fit like hand in glove into the STAR method. Wrap up by saying something along these lines: “I used X approach to solve Y problem, so here’s my go-to process when facing similar circumstances”. Now THAT’S sure to make an impression!

#4. Taking the time to practice can give you a winning edge on interview day. Imagine what it would feel like if your “mock” answers flowed with ease, confidence, and presence during an actual job interview! Don’t just memorize – rehearse out loud to get yourself warmed up for the big occasion. And why not do it in front of a mirror? After all that hard work, then watch how well you perform when showtime comes around!

Taking the time to brush up on your interview skills can make all the difference! Get ready to wow them with stories that’ll be a surefire ticket through round 2. Don’t forget, practice makes perfect – so get out there and show ’em what you got!

Every third Thursday of the month, re:WORK TRAINING host free mock interviews for anyone looking to get into Tech Sales. Want to learn more? Visit reworktraining.org