Interview Questions

Examples of Behavioral-Based Interviewing Questions

Competency: Critical & Analytical Thinking: Ability to look at situations from multiple perspectives. Breaks problems into component parts. Tendency or ability of individual to do something or create something new. Considers and organizes parts in a systematic way. Creates solutions to problems using novel methods and processes. Looks for underlying causes or thinks through the consequences of different courses of action.

Question: Describe a situation in which you developed a brand new idea for a product or service that your organization offered to its clients. What was unusual or innovative about this idea? What resistance, if any, did you encounter as you attempted to “sell” your idea to your colleagues or customers, and how did you overcome it?
Question: Describe a situation in your career in which you were asked to develop a product or service that no one had ever thought of before. This should be something that really had no previous “blueprint” from which you could build your idea. What was the product or service? Describe how you took things from the “concept phase” to the “reality phase.”

Competency: Customer Focus: Degree to which an employee attempts to, or meets customer expectations. Concern with performing work to a level, which satisfies customer needs. Includes appropriately reacting to customer demands. Creates an atmosphere in which timely and high quality information flows smoothly between self and customer. Encourages open, honest and constructive expression of ideas and opinions. Demonstrates active Listening skills. Uses appropriate body language. Seeks to understand others' viewpoint. Analyzes the customer needs and adjusts to the perspective of the customer, when appropriate.

Question: Describe a situation in which a customer had an unusual business need, and you were tasked with finding a way to meet that need. This might have been either a large-scale revamping of your organization’s business process, or a response to a one-time need. In either case, please be specific in describing the need and what you did to meet the customer’s expectations.

Competency: Integrity, Honesty & Ethics: Degree to which an individual can be trusted. Operates in an ethical manner. Degree of trustworthiness and ethical behavior of an individual with consideration for the knowledge one has of the impact and consequences when making a decision or taking action.

Question: Describe a time in your career in which someone asked you to perform a task you thought was unethical. Without naming names, what position did this person hold (for example, supervisor, colleague, customer), and how did you respond to this person? We are interested in how you handled the situation in general terms.

Competency: Fiscal Accountability & Budget: Apply fiscal management knowledge, principles and practices to obtain, utilize, manage financial resources in the workplace to meet program, project or business requirements. Involves maintaining available resources, making resource decisions based on need and availability, and developing and implementing strategies to make rational and well thought-out decisions related to organizational resources. Includes the ability to provide guidance, formulate a budget plan, defend a budget plan, assess budget performance, advocate budget and alternative scenarios and execute a budget plan. Requires knowledge of policies and practices related to Federal, State, Agency and Installation accounting, and internal business information systems.

Question: Using examples from positions you have held in the past, describe your experience managing budgets. How did you make decisions when allocating resources? What unique problems or resistance did you encounter? Please include any rules or stipulations you had to follow in order to receive funding.

Competency: Conflict Management & Mediation: Ability to effectively resolve disputes among others. Manages disagreements. Methods and style of dealing with disagreements. Requires the ability to remain impartial and unbiased. Help others resolve complex or sensitive disagreements and conflicts. Effectively lead a rational process of illuminating issues, enhancing understanding of divergent interests, and identifying common grounds for a workable solution.

Question: This position serves as a facilitator or coordinator of special projects and committees. In this role, you need to resolve differences of opinion among committee members regarding project issues. Please describe a situation in which you faced a similar challenge. Include the type of project and the differences of opinion. Be specific about the actions you took and what you said when resolving those differences.

Competency: Building Consensus & Negotiation: Transforms thought into productive action. Creates successful outcomes by sharing knowledge and information within the work unit and across organizational lines. This includes mentoring others, building relationships key to success by establishing trust, credibility and rapport with key players and customers. Uses awareness of the organization (i.e. structure, centers of authority, decision-making roles) and knowledge of the different roles and power positions within the organization to positively affect results.

Question: This position must negotiate, execute, and manage several contracts. Please describe a contract you have negotiated in which the parties had a difficult time coming to agreement. Be specific about the nature of the disagreement(s), how you helped the parties work through the problems, and the end result. We are particularly interested in your negotiation style and techniques, so we would like to know specifically what actions you took and what you said in the negotiation process.

Competency: Project/Program Management: Effectively direct and integrate all aspects of a project or program, ensuring that work progresses toward achieving goals and objectives.

Question: Describe a situation in which you needed to assess the work-related skills of your employees to determine the distribution of assignments to complete a project. What method did you use to assess their skills, and what were the most obvious successes (and failures, if any) of your method?

Competency: Collecting, Planning, Organizing & Analysis of Information: Effectively identify, collect, organize, and document data and information in ways that make the information most useful for subsequent assessment, analysis, and investigation.

Question: The person in this position must be able to identify, obtain, and evaluate information critical to the organization’s business needs. Describe an experience in which you sensed that your organization needed additional information before it could develop an effective business plan. What type of information did you need, what methods did you use to collect this information, and how did you analyze or evaluate this information?

Competency: Problem Solving: The identification of various types of problems along with the creating of workable solutions. Requires the identification and analysis of problems, evaluation of alternatives, and provision of solutions.

Question: Describe a situation in your career in which you recognized a problem and then devised a solution to it. Be specific about the nature of the problem, the solution you devised, the most difficult obstacle to overcome in the process, and what you did to ensure the successful implementation of the solution.

Competency: Initiative/Results Orientation: Level of concern for own effort and initiative. Refers to effort an employee will display during a particular task. Also implies that an individual will work and take action without specific direction and without being monitored.

Question: Describe a situation in your career in which a goal or objective was delayed or thwarted. What was the specific goal? What were the obstacles in your path, and what specifically did you do to overcome them?

Competency: Coaching, Counseling & Mentoring: Overall concern for the developmental level of an individual or group of peers, clients, or superiors. Takes steps to explain and provide guidance because it is needed in contrast to training somebody as a formal responsibility. Sending people to required training is not included.

Question: Describe a time in which you used a special or unusual method of teaching someone a job-related skill. We are most interested in finding out how your teaching style was effective for a particular situation when more conventional teaching styles might not have worked as well.

Competency: Team Leadership & Relationship Building: Ability to effectively manage and guide group efforts. Includes providing appropriate level of feedback concerning group progress. Leading and supporting a team to achieve results. Builds short- and long-term relationships with people critical to work and project success. Relationships involve all those encountered at work. Is respected as a valid resource through consistent actions and behaviors. Builds relationships by bringing conflicts and disagreements into the open, as appropriate. Makes appropriate or acceptable compromises in order to meet goals and to gain cooperation from others.

Question: Please describe a situation in your career in which you built a team using members from separate workgroups. Be specific about the groups with which you worked, your common goal, the specific role you played in bringing everything together, and the outcome of the situation.

Competency: Resource Management: Effectively organize multiple assignments, sometimes of a complex nature or involving competing priorities, to produce work products that are accurate, thorough, and on time. Ability to appropriately allocate a variety of resources, which may include, materials, money, facilities, and equipment. Requires the ability to assess needs and track progress for multiple customers.

Question: It is common for our customers, both internal and external, to make simultaneous work requests of you. Please describe a complex or difficult situation of this type that you have faced. Be specific about the nature and number of the requests, and how you prioritized them. Also describe whether or not the customers’ expectations were met.

Examples of Different Styles of Rating Guides

The following are examples of rating guide formats. In truth, there is virtually no limit to the number of variations, but we’ve tried to include several useful formats to meet differing needs.

Rating Guide - Example A Competency: Team Leadership & Relationship Building
Definition	Ability to effectively manage and guide group efforts. Includes providing appropriate level of feedback concerning group progress. Leading and supporting a team to achieve results. Builds short- and long-term relationships with people critical to work and project success. Relationships involve all those encountered at work. Is respected as a valid resource through consistent actions and behaviors. Builds relationships by bringing conflicts and disagreements into the open, as appropriate. Makes appropriate or acceptable compromises in order to meet goals and to gain cooperation from others.
Question	Please describe a situation in your career in which you built a team using members from separate workgroups. Be specific about the groups with which you worked, your common goal, the specific role you played in bringing everything together, and the outcome of the situation.
Rating Criteria
5 points: In addition to 4-point elements, response indicates that: Candidate planned and implemented several team-building activities that successfully brought together team members. Candidate created a team approach with 3 or more workgroups and/or 12 or more people. 4 points: Response indicates that: Candidate truly had primary responsibility for creating a successful teamwork approach. Candidate’s actions led to successful teamwork and outcome. Candidate regularly sought and utilized information from team members. S/he ensured team members felt valued and appreciated. 3 points: Response indicates that: Candidate played an important role in fostering teamwork. Candidate’s actions positively impacted and helped create a successful outcome. Candidate provided or contributed to opportunities for team members to share information and work together. 2 points: Response indicates that: Teamwork and coordination were evident, and that the candidate participated in the process, but s/he did not clearly demonstrate that it was his or her actions that led to a successful outcome. 1 point: Response indicates that: Candidate’s actions (or lack thereof) did little to foster successful teamwork. Teamwork may have “happened on its own.” 0 points: Response indicates that: Candidate took actions that were counterproductive to fostering teamwork. OR Candidate did not provide a response.
Interviewer’s notes on candidate’s response:
Candidate’s score on this question: __________
Reason(s) for assigning this score:

Rating Guide - Example B
Competency: Conflict Management & Mediation
Definition	Ability to effectively resolve disputes among others. Manages disagreements. Methods and style of dealing with disagreements. Requires the ability to remain impartial and unbiased. Help others resolve complex or sensitive disagreements and conflicts. Effectively lead a rational process of illuminating issues, enhancing understanding of divergent interests, and identifying common grounds for a workable solution.
Question	This position serves as a facilitator or coordinator of special projects and committees. In this role, you need to resolve differences of opinion among committee members regarding project issues. Please describe a situation in which you faced a similar challenge. Include the type of project and the differences of opinion. Be specific about the actions you took and what you said when resolving those differences.
7 6	Candidate’s response shows extensive aptitude for resolving differences. Key behaviors demonstrated should include: Directed discussion toward identifying common interests and possible solutions; Involved all parties in development of alternatives that fulfilled their interests and needs; Helped all parties understand the key issues from others’ perspective; and, Resolved the differences in a way that each person felt his or her concerns were respected and addressed. Response is thorough, clear, complete, and provides specific details in response to the scope of the question.
5 4 3	Candidate’s response shows adequate aptitude for resolving differences. Key behaviors demonstrated should include: Listened to all parties and impartially re-stated and acknowledged all positions, Clearly identified areas of agreement and disagreement, and focused on those issues in need of resolution, Identified and collected all necessary information relevant to the differences, and Identified circumstances necessary for a successful resolution to occur. Response is clear, complete, and provides specific details in response to the scope of the question.
2 1	Candidate’s response shows little aptitude for resolving differences. Key behaviors demonstrated may include: Does not appear to have considered all positions equally; Made little attempt at unbiased mediation of the differences in opinion; and/or, Allowed differing parties to “work it out among themselves.” Response may be unclear, incomplete, or lacking specific details in response to the scope of the question.
Interviewer’s notes on candidate’s response:
Candidate’s score on this question: __________
Reason(s) for assigning this score:

Rating Guide - Example C
Competency: Resource Management
Definition	Effectively organize multiple assignments, sometimes of a complex nature or involving competing priorities, to produce work products that are accurate, thorough, and on time. Ability to appropriately allocate a variety of resources, which may include, materials, money, facilities, and equipment. Requires the ability to assess needs and track progress for multiple customers.
Question	Tell us about a time when you were required to complete multiple assignments in the same time period. How did you handle the situation? Please be specific about the situation, the number of assignments, the actions you took, the reasons for those actions, and the result.
Key Criteria	Worked concurrently on four or more assignments; Most or all of the assignments were of a complex nature and required thought and diligence to handle appropriately; All of the assignments were completed on time; Candidate employed sound rationale for the actions taken and for the method used to prioritize assignments; and, All parties involved (supervisor, customer, co-worker) were satisfied with the results.
(7 - 9 pts)	Response covers in detail all of the elements listed. The situation described is highly complex, similar to what may be encountered in this position. Response indicates that the candidate fully understood and considered the issues involved, and that he/she took proactive steps to ensure timely completion of the assignments.
(4 - 6 pts)	Response covers at least 3 of the elements listed, but is less thorough than an exceptional response. The situation described is similar in complexity to what is routinely encountered in this position. Response indicates that the candidate understood the issues involved, and that he/she handled the situation satisfactorily.
(1 - 3 pts)	Response covers at least 3 of the elements listed, but is less thorough than an exceptional response. The situation described is similar in complexity to what is routinely encountered in this position. Response indicates that the candidate understood the issues involved, and that he/she handled the situation satisfactorily.
Interviewer’s notes on candidate’s response:
Candidate’s score on this question: __________
Reason(s) for assigning this score:

Rating Guide - Example D

Addresses supervisory actions related to employee performance issues.

Competency Cluster: Performance Management

Question

As supervisor, you are responsible for keeping your team’s morale and productivity up. This includes the potential for dealing with employees who display a negative attitude or perform poorly. Please describe a situation in which an employee you supervised was underperforming or hurting team morale with his or her attitude on the job. Be specific about how you addressed the employee, the actions you took, and the outcome of the situation.

Response demonstrates superior aptitude for supervision and employee motivation. Should include:

Privately asked to speak with employee and explained that noticed he or she seemed unhappy at work; and
Expressed concern for employee’s welfare and performance at work.
Listened to employee to determine reason for performance problems.
Helped employee identify problems or areas of concern and how may best help employee.
Developed plan whereby employee could succeed at work and obtain training or assistance necessary to achieve success.
Set guidelines and time frames for follow-up.
Documented situation.

Response demonstrates sufficient aptitude for supervision and employee motivation. Should include:

Spoke to employee and clearly expressed concerns with his or her performance at work.
Focused on measurable outcomes and means of achieving them.
Developed mutually-agreed upon plan for improvement of performance.
Documented situation.

Response demonstrates inadequate experience with or aptitude for supervision or employee motivation. May include:

Informed own supervisor of situation.
Warned employee about his or her poor performance at work.
Documented poor performance in employee’s personnel file.

Interviewer’s notes on candidate’s response:

Candidate’s score on this question: __________

Reason(s) for assigning this score: