During a job interview, you may be asked situational interview questions. Interviewers do this to help them see your thought processes and how you’ve used your skills in the past. Show
Your answers will demonstrate how you have overcome any challenges, help with any company needs or how you work with a team. This article will explain more about the intent behind situational interview questions as well as how to prepare for them. What Are Situational Interview Questions?Situational interview questions, also called behavioral interview questions, are intended to help the interviewer get a better understanding of how you would solve problems specific to the job you’re applying for. They’re some of the most common interview questions around because they give hiring managers and recruiters the greatest insight into the interviewee’s key strengths and weaknesses. One of the common ways to do this is by asking about how you’ve handled similar problems in the past or by giving you hypothetical situations to work through. Your answers will give your potential employer insight into your soft skills such as communication, leadership, and teamwork. While this may sound intimidating, it’s actually a great opportunity for you to showcase your skills and the results you’ve gotten from putting them into practice. How to Answer Situational Interview QuestionsThe best way to prepare for these types of interview questions is to practice. Even though you won’t know exactly what interviewers are going to ask, you can look at the qualifications listed in the job description and think of examples of when you’ve demonstrated them in past positions. Use the STAR method to structure your answers:
Even if you don’t use your practice answers in your interview, getting used to using this formula will help you structure your real answers so that they sound organized and professional. 15 Example Situational Interview Questions and Answers
20 Common Situational Interview QuestionsThere are plenty more situational interview questions that might come up. Here’s a list of more common situational interview questions, broken down by category: Communication Skills
Time Management
Goals and Motivations
Adaptability and Stress
Teamwork and Collaboration
Expert OpinionSituational Interview Question Tips From An Expert Situational interview questions are the most telling and thus the most valuable questions for a hiring manager. The interview is a chance for you to showcase your relevant skills for this particular opportunity (not ALL of your skills). The best way to prepare is to do your homework first. Research the company (industry, size, etc.) and go through the job description line by line. Think about your experience as it relates to every bullet on the job description. Be prepared to answer any question they ask with the context of this company and this job description in mind. This planning will enable you to be relevant when they ask an open-ended question like “tell me about your experience at company X.” You can also infer a lot of what is needed based on your research of the company itself. For example, a high-growth startup will have a fast-paced environment and need someone who can build processes from scratch with little infrastructure. This may or may not be explicit in the job description. If the job description states that you will hire and develop a team, be prepared to discuss your previous experience with this succinctly but with relevant detail. If the job description states that you will lead a system implementation, same thing. Conversely, if you have experiences that are not listed in the job description as important, then don’t waste time talking about them. You want to “meet the interviewer where they are” and position your experience in the way that best solves their problem.
Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you. What might be asked in a situational interview?Sample Situational Interview Questions and Answers
Describe a difficult work situation or project and how you overcame it. What problems have you encountered at work? Describe how you dealt with them. Describe a challenge or problem you faced and how you handled it.
Which of the following statements is representative of what might be asked in a behavioral interview choose at least one correct answer?The correct answer is A) "Consider a time when you were faced with an angry client. What did you do to turn the situation around?"
Which of the following is a true statement regarding structured situational interviews?Answer and Explanation: The correct answer is A. Future-oriented interviews are less valid than experience-based interviews. In situational interviews, future-oriented items focus on the future, and the candidate answers hypothetical questions, while experience-based, the candidate is asked about past performances.
What is a situational interview definition?Situational Interviews
These types of interviews are similar to behavioral interview questions – but they are focused on the future, and ask hypothetical questions, whereas behavioral interview questions look at the past.
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