Are you launching a new job search? If so, you’re probably spending time updating and tweaking your resume, ensuring that your LinkedIn profile supports your applications and networking with professionals in your target field. Now, you’re ready to start prepping for your interviews, which includes preparing to answer situational questions that are likely to come up.
Situational interview questions are becoming increasingly popular with employers. If you’re not familiar with them, situational questions ask how you would handle specific situations that may arise in the workplace. They can be intimidating if you’re not prepared for them, but with some prep and practice, you can ace any situational interview question.
What Are Situational Interview Questions?
As a refresher, situational interview questions are designed to test how you would handle a specific task or real-life situation relevant to the job you’re applying for. For example, you might be asked how you would deal with a complicated customer service issue or what you would do if you were given a last-minute project to complete.
These interview questions can be intimidating, but it’s important to remember that they allow you to stand out from the competition in a personalized and relevant way.
The interviewer is looking to understand your thought process and assess your ability to apply your education and experience in real-world ways. When you share stories that resonate with the hiring manager, you’ll stick in their memory far better than you can through your resume alone.
How Do You Answer Situational Interview Questions?
Admittedly, open-ended questions can be nerve-racking, as there’s no specific right or wrong answer. But preparing ahead of time can ensure that you’re able to answer clearly and create the most impact. Then, when it comes time to share your stories, you can respond confidently.
Using the STAR method when answering situational questions is best to help you create a concise and thorough answer. Here’s a brief overview if you’re unfamiliar with the STAR method.
- Situation: Offer an overview to give the interviewer context.
- Task: What was your role in this scenario? What needed to be accomplished?
- Action: How did you respond, or what choice did you make?
- Result: What was the outcome of your choice or action? Ideally, you’ll highlight how the outcome would benefit the employer or the team.
When You Lack Relevant Experience
At first glance, it might seem impossible to answer a question when you don’t have direct experience in the role. However, it’s important to remember that these questions are designed to test your problem-solving abilities and resourcefulness. So, even if you don’t have any direct experience, try to think of an example from another area of your life where you had to use the same skills.
For example, suppose you’re applying for a customer service job and you’re asked how you would deal with an angry customer. In that case, you could talk about a time when you had to diffuse a difficult situation with classmates, a neighbor, or even public transportation. By drawing on examples from your personal life, you can show the interviewer you have the skills they’re looking for.
Which Situational Interview Questions to Prepare For
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to know which questions the interviewer will ask. However, we’ve included some common situations that are often touched on. But you’ll also want to dive deeper and try to put yourself into the role of the hiring manager.
Think about the most common situations that could come up in the job you’re applying for. What challenges might you face? What would be your goals in each case? Start by reading over the job posting again, looking for keywords, and focusing on the desired tasks.
For example, if teamwork is a strong focus, that gives you an excellent launching point. You could brainstorm a time when you had to work with a problematic classmate or when you took on a leadership role in a group setting, even if it wasn’t a formal work team.
Common Situational Interview Questions (and Example Answers)
1. Can you tell me about a time you had to work with a coworker who was difficult to get along with?
As a retail salesperson, I’m used to working with people from all walks of life. One of my most challenging experiences was when I had to work with a coworker who constantly disagreed with me. It wasn’t easy to stay calm, but I knew it was essential to maintain a positive attitude and remain professional.
I really had to look past her communication style, which was much more aggressive than most, and discovered that she had some excellent ideas. Although I never felt that she was easy to work with, I respected our differences, which allowed us to be productive.
2. Can you share a time you had to deal with a difficult customer?
I once had a customer who was extremely unhappy with the product they received. They were yelling and demanding to speak to a manager. Instead of getting defensive, I listened carefully to their concerns and empathized with their situation. I explained that I would be happy to help them resolve the issue and offered a solution that satisfied the customer and diffused the situation.
The customer left happy and I was able to prevent the situation from escalating. This experience taught me the importance of remaining calm in difficult situations and finding creative solutions to customer complaints.
3. Share a time you had to take on a leadership role you hadn’t been fully trained for.
In my previous job, I worked as a marketing assistant. When our team leader left unexpectedly, I stepped up and took on leading the team until a replacement could be found.
It was a temporary position, allowing me to show my leadership skills. I successfully motivated my team and completed all of our projects on time. My experience in leading a team taught me the importance of clear communication and delegation. I also learned how to handle difficult situations and resolve conflict within a team.
Overall, it was a great learning experience that has helped shape my career development plan, as I was also able to recognize where I still needed to focus on growing as a future leader.
4. Have you been faced with a difficult decision without having much information? What did you do?
One of the most difficult decisions I ever had was whether to accept a job offer from another company or stay with my current employer. The other role offered a better salary and benefits. Still, it was a smaller startup that I wasn’t sure would have the same long-term stability or opportunities for learning and growth, as they had a reasonably short time in business.
When I considered my career goals, I felt I had more potential for growth with my current employer. Ultimately, I made the best decision for my career development plan and used the resources I had to make that decision.
5. Tell me about a time you had to manage stress to meet a challenging deadline.
One of the most challenging situations I’ve ever faced was during my final year of university when I was working on my thesis. I was under immense pressure to complete the project on time and meet all the requirements.
To make things worse, I was also dealing with personal issues affecting my ability to focus. Instead of caving to the pressure and dropping out, I created a very organized schedule and approach to managing my stress. I utilized exercise and scheduled breaks for stress management and focused on my core time management strategy daily.
Despite all the challenges, I stayed on track and completed my thesis by the deadline. This experience taught me how to manage my time effectively and deal with stress healthily.
Other Common Situational Interview Questions
- Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond your job duties.
- Tell me about a time when you had to make an unpopular decision.
- Tell me about a time when you faced a challenging situation at work.
- Tell me about a time when you had to persuade a client or coworker to go in a different direction.
- Tell me about a time when you sought out additional responsibilities at work.
- Tell me about a time when you had to manage a complex project.
- Tell me about a time when you had to deal with conflict within a team.
- Tell me about a time that you had to work for an ineffectual leader.
Related Job Interview Questions
- 7 Tips for Handling Curveball Interview Questions
- 30 Common Interview Questions, Tips, and Example Answers
- How to Answer the Question “Tell Me About a Time You Failed”
- How to Answer “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?”
- How to Answer “Why Do You Want to Work Remotely?”
- Navigating Interview Questions About Your Unemployment
Preparing Effective Answers for Situational Interview Questions
By taking the time to brainstorm different situational interview questions and scenarios, you’ll be able to walk into your interview feeling confident and ready to answer any question that comes your way.
