Glossary
Behavioral interview question
A behavioral interview question asks a candidate to describe a specific thing they did in the past, on the idea that past behavior in similar situations is a useful guide to future behavior.
Behavioral questions usually start with “Tell me about a time when…” or “Give me an example of…”. They ask for a real event, not an opinion or a hypothetical. The answer shows what someone did when it counted, which is harder to fake than what they say they would do.
Good and weak versions
| Weak | Better |
|---|---|
| “Are you a team player?” | “Tell me about a time a teammate wasn’t pulling their weight. What did you do?” |
| “How do you handle pressure?” | “Describe the busiest week you’ve had at work. How did you decide what to do first?” |
| “Do you have attention to detail?” | “Tell me about a mistake you caught before it reached a customer. How did you spot it?” |
The weak versions invite self-description. The better ones ask for evidence.
What to listen for
- A specific event. “There was a Tuesday last March when…” beats “I always…”.
- Their own actions. Listen for “I,” not only “we.” It’s fine to credit a team, but you need to know their part.
- A result. What happened, and ideally what they learned or changed.
- Honest trade-offs. Strong candidates often mention what they’d do differently.
Many candidates structure answers with the STAR method. Use it as a listening checklist rather than a scoring criterion.
Follow-ups that work
- “What did you do first?”
- “What was your part, specifically?”
- “How did it end?”
- “What would you do differently now?”
When to use something else
Behavioral questions assume relevant past experience. For graduates, career changers or first-time workers, a situational question about a realistic scenario is often fairer. You can also widen the frame: “This could be from work, school, volunteering or anywhere else.”
Pitfalls
- Accepting a general answer without probing for a specific example.
- Asking about experiences that could touch protected characteristics or private life. Keep every question tied to the job.
- Rewarding storytelling polish over what actually happened.