Gone are the days when interviewers merely probed job candidates about their strengths and weaknesses. Today, recruiters and hiring managers are keen on assessing how candidates think and solve problems relevant to the job. To evaluate a candidate’s capabilities, “situational” or “behavioral” interview questions are commonly asked, beginning with prompts such as, “Can you tell me about a time when…” or “What would you do if…?”
5 Ways to Prepare for Situational Interview Questions
Tactical advice to help you nail common prompts.
February 21, 2024
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Summary.
When interviewing for a new job, anticipating and preparing answers in writing to the most common situational questions — such as how you solved a big problem, aligned stakeholders on a project, influenced someone to think a different way, worked with difficult personalities, or met a tight deadline — will ensure your answers are crisp and clear. Knowing exactly how you will approach common situational questions will help you stay calm and focused on highlighting how your unique strengths and experience make you the perfect candidate for the job. The author presents five strategies for answering situational interview questions with confidence.