Most Common Types of Behaviour Interview Questions

Most of the behavioural interview questions can be categorised into the following 6 aspects:

• Leadership
• Team Work
• Time Management
• Communication
• Motivation and Values
• Handling Conflict

To ensure our answers are complete and logical, most of the interview questions can be answers using the STAR approach:

• S (Situation): You need to describe what was the situation. For example, what was the project, project tasks, project goal, how many people were in the team, etc?
• T (Task): What was the exact thing your team is going to do or achieve?
• A (Action): You need to explain your action, what you did. For example, you dive deep into the problem and tried really hard and managed to find a solution.
• R (Result): What was the outcome? You need to describe after you taking action, what was changed and improved. For example, received positive feedback from the client, lowered the cost by 5%, etc.

1. Leadership

Example Questions:

• Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead.
• Give me an example of a time when you motivated others.
• Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively.

You should demonstrate how you set the goal, organise discussions, delegate tasks, solve conflicts, maintain the process, and what the outcome you got.

Note: Interviewers would like to hear what actions you take, you need to mention them explicitly. What and why you took those actions. "I have a good leadership" means nothing.

2. Teamwork

Example Questions:

• Can you tell me about your most recent experience working in a team? What was your role? How did you interact with the other team members?
• Can you describe a time when you tried to solve a dispute within the team? What was the result?
• Can you describe a time when a team member was not doing their job? What did you do?

An effective team player should be able to finish his tasks on time with excellent quality, help the team member when they need, communicate well with the manager and team members when there is any doubt, contribute ideas and thoughts when having a team discussion, comply with group decision even not 100% agree with it, point out any problem or issue when you notice.

Time Management

Example Questions:

• Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritise your tasks.
• Describe a long-term project that you managed. How did you keep everything moving along in a timely manner?
• Sometimes it is just not possible to get everything on your to-do list done. Tell me about a time your responsibilities got a little bit overwhelming What did you do?

You don't need to explain too much about the reason why you were overwhelmed. You need to explain more about how you handled lots of tasks. Key things to remember:

1. Always plan in advance.
2. Identify your goal in each small stage.
3. Make clear deadlines for each task.
4. Leave some time for any unplanned situations.
5. Being rational when you have to make choices.
6. Prioritise tasks according to the importance.
7. Handle the most important tasks when you are with full energy.

Communication

Example Questions:

• Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things in your way.
• Tell me about a successful presentation you gave and why you think it was a hit.
• Tell me about a time when you had to rely on written communication to get your idea across to your team.
• Tell me about a time when you had to explain something fairly complex to a frustrated client. How did you handle this delicate situation?

Communication is not about the way of talking, but about how you think logically. For example, you don't need to present your presentation again during the interview, but you need to mention how you decided your topic, how you designed your keypoints (logic orders), how you prepared your slides, how you improved your slides, how you ensured the whole presentation exactly fitted the time frame you were given, how you got feedback and improved your presentation, etc.

Motivation and Values

Example Questions:

• Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills.
• Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it.
• Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
• Describe a time when you saw some problem and took the initiative to correct it rather than waiting for someone else to do it.

The interviewer would like to hear if you are capable and mature to handle challenges and problems, and if you are able to adjust your mindset and mood.

Handling Conflict

Example Questions:

• Tell me about a time when you disagree with an idea your team member wanted to pursue. How did you approach the disagreement?
• Think about a situation in which you disagreed with the direction or idea that your boss suggested. What were your thoughts about the situation?
• Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or co-worker.
• Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision.

Again, the interviewer would like to hear how you handle the conflict, not why you have to handle it. What were your decisions? You choose to ignore the conflict, or just try your best to avoid any conflict, or you tried to handle it calmly and logically. When you handle conflict, have you tried to understand the others' thought? Do you have anything in common with the others, anyway? Is it possible to solve the problem and get an agreement which both sides are happy with? The key is to think in his way, to communication.

Some Other Questions

1. What is your plan of following a few years?

The interviewer would like to know if you really want this job, if the company is in your plan, if you have a long term plan, and if you have a genuine wish to join the company. You should not express anything suggesting you are joining just because of money, or improving your skills or gaining experiences. You should avoid answers such as "My plan is to double my pay in 2 years" or "My plan is to get a promotion in 1 year", etc.