The Top 20 Behavioral Interview Questions

A list of the top 20 most commonly asked behavioral interview questions

How do you feel about interviewing for a new job? Many life science professionals feel nervous, anxious, and/or uncomfortable with the interview process. As you prepare yourself for an interview, considering possible behavioral interview questions that may be asked of you, and role-playing with a friend or career coach can be helpful. Behavioral interviewing is probably the most popular interviewing style utilized today. During this conversation, your interviewer is looking for examples of your past behavior that will predict future success in a new role.

Some people refer to behavioral interviews as “storytelling interviews” because they can require you to tell a story about a specific circumstance, and how you performed. The interviewer is usually looking for you to explain your thought process and the actions you took to achieve positive results. Often, the behavioral interview questions aren’t technically questions at all. They can be statements instructing you to provide certain feedback. Here are some of the top behavioral interview questions to prepare for!

1. Tell me about a time when you had to manage deadlines.
2. Can you tell me about a time when things didn’t work out well?
3. How do you handle setting goals? Can you give me an example?
4. Tell me about the most difficult project you’ve tackled.
5. Tell me about a time when you had a task to complete with a tight deadline.
6. What do you do when a team member drops the ball, and doesn’t complete their work?
7. Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond what was asked of you.
8. How do you seek to balance work and home life?
9. Tell me about your client management experience.
10. How have you handled uncertainty and change in the past?
11. Tell me about a situation at work in which you led a team well.
12. Tell me about a situation at work in which you experienced conflict and how you resolved it.
13. How do you behave in teams?
14. Tell me about a time when you exhibited initiative.
15. How do you deal with stressful situations at work?
16. How do you motivate subordinates?
17. Tell me about a time when you solved an important problem in the workplace.
18. How do you ensure that your employees meet project deadlines?
19. How do you deal with difficult clients?
20. Tell me about your greatest professional failure. How did you turn things around?

If you’re planning a job search in the near future or actively pursuing a career change, understanding how to answer behavioral interview questions can be vital. After reviewing some of the top behavioral interviewing questions, do you feel confident in answering them? Can you recall specific projects, circumstances, and scenarios that present you in the best light? Take a moment to reflect and write out some possible answers to the questions. What else could you do to prepare yourself for a behavioral interview?

Porschia Parker is a Certified Coach, Professional Resume Writer, and Founder of Fly High Coaching. (https://www.fly-highcoaching.com) She empowers ambitious professionals and motivated executives to add $10K on average to their salaries.