Situational interview questions are common in the hiring process. Here’s how to answer them well.
Situational interview questions are a type of question that you’ll often see during an interview. The goal is to get you to talk about how you would handle hypothetical situations that could arise on the job.
A typical situational question will be something like:
Describe a situation where a very angry customer came to you with a complaint. How did you resolve the problem?
Or it might be:
How would you prioritize competing deadlines?
These questions ask you to describe what you would do if faced with a particular hypothetical scenario. These are different from behavioral questions, which ask you to describe what you have done in the past. Situational questions also differ from scenario-based questions, which present you with a specific realistic situation drawn from your potential new role, and ask you to describe what you actually did in that situation in the past.
What Interviewers Are Looking For
When interviewers use situational questions, they’re not trying to evaluate your past behavior. Instead, they’re trying to assess your judgment, values, and decision-making in hypothetical circumstances that you may not have encountered yet. This allows them to evaluate your potential rather than just verifying your past behavior. Emotionally-charged workplace conflicts can hinder productivity, so these questions are especially important for hiring teams looking to hire people who are good at resolving interpersonal conflict.
Situational interview questions usually don’t have a single correct answer. That means you should focus on demonstrating your judgment and values when answering them. You want to show that you understand the importance of certain workplace behaviors, and that you’re willing to put those values into practice even in difficult situations.
How to Answer Them Well
When answering situational interview questions, choose something you genuinely feel proud of. Leading others or overcoming obstacles are two good options. When conflict scenarios come up, avoid attacking previous employers. Focus on showing that you know what you’re doing and that you’ll make decisions based on what’s best for the company.
In other words, when answering situational interview questions, focus on demonstrating your judgment and values. Show that you understand the importance of certain workplace behaviors, and that you’re willing to put those values into practice even in difficult situations.