Wednesday, November 23, 2011

List of behavioral interview questions and how to answer them


  • Can you tell  me about a project you were reluctant to complete and how you inspired yourself to complete it? 
     
  • Let's talk about your most difficult boss, professor or other person.Tell me why that person was difficult and how you successfully dealt with that person? 
     
  •  Describe the steps you took to complete a particularly difficult task.

  • What was the riskiest decision  you have ever made. What considerations did you make for that particular decision. 
     
  • We often have to work in groups. Tell me about a particular group project. What obstacles did you face? How did you resolve these? 
     
  • Describe a situation when you or a group that you were a part of were in danger of missing a deadline. What did you do? 
     
  • None of us are the same. Tell me about a time when you worked with a person who did things very differently from you. How did you get the job done. Would you consider working with that person again? 
     
  • Tell me about your  three greatest accomplishments to date.  

     
  • Give me an example of something you had to learn quickly. How did you do it? 

     
  • Give me an example of acomplex problem that you solved? What process did you use? 

  • Tell me about an occasion about  make a quick decision. 
    Avoid artificial sounding  answers or anything that sounds memorized. You are not perfect. Interviewers are interested in knowing about how you might have sweated, and how you pulled yourself out, what you learned, and what you might have done differently. We all make mistakes!!

    Don't forget to use the STAR method - - situation, task, action, result.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

More behavioral interview preparation

1. Tell me about your greatest accomplishment on the job.


2. Tell me about a difficult situation you encountered at work and how you overcame it.


3. Give me three adjectives you would use to describe yourself and examples of your work style to support them.


4. Give me three adjectives you would use to describe your weaknesses/areas for improvement and the reasons why you feel you need to work on these.


5. If I was to ask a co-worker about you, how would they describe you on-the-job?


6. Tell me about a time where you were required to work with a difficult person (i.e. client, co-worker, manager, etc.). How did you handle the situation? What was the outcome?


7. If you were given a task to complete in an unrealistic time frame, what would you do?


8. If someone came to you with an enthusiastic, yet unrealistic request, how would you handle it?


9. Why are you looking to leave your current position?


10. What do you want to get out of your next job?


11. Tell me about the best manager you ever had? Now tell me about the worst?


12. What are the three most valuable things you’ve learned while working in your current position?


13. What was the biggest mistake you’ve made on a job? How did you handle the failure?


14. What do you feel makes you successful in your current role? Give an example to support your success.


15. What do you think makes a company good to work for? What do you like about your current company? What could be better?


16. Do you prefer working alone or in teams? Give examples of how you have worked successfully both alone and in a team? What do you attribute your success to?


17. What are your own business philosophies - what do you feel must be present in a successful business?


18. What skills are you looking to develop in your next job? Why?