30 Behavioural Interview Questions You Should Be Ready to Answer

Posted 17th October 2019 • Written by People First • •

Almost any interview you attend will involve behavioural questions that are designed to get you to describe situations in which you have shown your skills, dealt with a problem, etc.

They can be difficult to answer because they require you to think of an original answer on the spot but, while the questions each client you visit might be different, they are often similar.

So, to help you prepare and give you an idea of what to expect here are some common ones.

Questions about Teamwork:

You need to show how you work with other people, often very different from you:

Give me an example of a time you faced a conflict while working on a team. How did you handle that?

We all make mistakes we wish we could take back. Tell me about a time you wish you’d handled a situation differently with a colleague.

Tell me about a time you needed to get information from someone who wasn’t very responsive. What did you do?

Questions about Client Facing Skills:

Even if you’re not meeting clients in your job, you’ll always have to speak to someone external at some point

Describe a time when it was especially important to make a good impression on a client. How did you go about doing so?

Give me an example of a time when you did not meet a client’s expectation. What happened, and how did you attempt to rectify the situation?

Describe a time when you had to interact with a difficult client. What was the situation, and how did you handle it?

When you’re working with a large number of customers, it’s tricky to deliver excellent service to them all. How do you go about prioritizing your customers’ needs?

 Questions about Adaptability:

Companies, especially small or new ones, often like to see how you can handle different duties

Describe a time when your team or company was undergoing some change. How did that impact you, and how did you adapt?

Give me an example of a time when you had to think on your feet in order to delicately extricate yourself from a difficult or awkward situation.

Tell me about a time you failed. How did you deal with the situation?

Questions about Time Management Skills:

Very important! Are you organised? Can you prioritise?

Tell me about a time you had to be very strategic in order to meet all your top priorities.

Sometimes it’s just not possible to get everything on your to-do list done. Tell me about a time your responsibilities got a little overwhelming. What did you do?

Give me an example of a time you managed numerous responsibilities. How did you handle that?

Questions about your Communication Skills:

How do you communicate with others and get your point across?

Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully persuade someone to see things your way at work.

Give me an example of a time when you had to explain something fairly complex to a frustrated client. How did you handle this delicate situation?

Questions about your Motivation and Values:

Tell me about your proudest professional accomplishment.

Describe a time when you saw some problem and took the initiative to correct it rather than waiting for someone else to do it.

Tell me about a time you were dissatisfied in your work. What could have been done to make it better?

When People First Team China arranges a job interview for you, we will also send you additional interview information specific to that job with that client.

Of course, you might also be asked a very weird question like “How many golf balls are there in the UK?” (which one of our candidates was asked!) that are impossible to prepare for! But these will help.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch through WeChat if you have questions for the team – Rui, Luna, Ivy, Maidina, Pippa and Ian.