The best way to answer situational interview questions

Situational interview questions are one of the most common types of questions you'll hear during a job interview. If you've had a few interviews, you've probably already had some experience answering them. However, the potential types of situational questions you could get are quite broad. Let's go over some of the situational questions you might hear and how to answer them. We'll also discuss how to predict situational questions and prepare your answers ahead of time.

What are situational interview questions?

A situational question, sometimes called a behavioral question, usually requires you to describe something that happened during your previous work experience. A good answer:

• Demonstrates real examples of your traits and potential
• Helps the manager envision you in their workplace
• Shows off your best soft skills and how well you work with others

Situational interview question examples

When you create a profile so employers can find you, they might ask a few situational questions based on the information you provide on it. With that in mind, let's go over a few example questions and answers you might be asked in an interview.

Can you describe a situation where you had a difficult customer and how you responded?

This question might come up in a job interview where customer service skills are important. Your best bet is to provide a real explanation of what you did, why you did it, and how it worked out.

Example answer for a retail manager job: "In my last job, customers occasionally returned to ask for a refund. Because of the price of the product and the importance of ensuring authentic returns, I was required to ask tough questions without making a customer uncomfortable. I remained calm and listened before talking because I know that it cuts down on customer service time. On a particularly rough day, I resolved three unnecessary customer return requests in the final hour of my shift."

Example answer for a truck driver job: "When on the job, I know I'll be driving long distances and will have to find a way to deliver goods on time. There was a situation once where a miscommunication with a coworker put us at risk of not delivering on time. I kept the customer at ease and communicated an alternate time that my truck could arrive, actually delivering early. He remained a client for years and once said my actions were what kept him as a customer."

Was there ever a time when you received extra work unexpectedly?

This question helps you demonstrate adaptability when it's time to work faster or harder. Again, a specific story will go a long way.

Example answer for massage therapist job: "There were quite a few times where the workload got heavier than the norm. There was one week when I had to come in every day to do massages for a few coworkers who canceled. I took a two-pronged approach. First, I highlighted my own time-wasters, finding ways to be more efficient and open with my schedule. Second, for coworkers who were canceling the most often, I spoke with them cordially and managed to get everyone working consistently again."

Example answer for user experience designer job: "One example comes to mind from my second year in freelance. I was working for one company as a contractor, and they got new leadership who wanted three times as much work produced per week. Making the schedule changes to produce that much more work was a little daunting at first, but I knew I'd be happy with myself for taking it on. My goal is to get a consistent level of challenge like that in a staff position."

Can you talk about a time when you worked with a difficult coworker and how you handled it?

Workplace conflicts can sap time and hinder team productivity, so it helps to show you handle interpersonal conflicts professionally. Your story will work best if you focus on the conflict and how you solved it over who was right or wrong.

Example answer for pet store job: "I worked as a clerk in a pet store for three years. There was a coworker there who had a reputation around the store for being hard to talk to and quiet. I was going to run the store with her for two days a week, so I made an effort to start a dialogue during our first day together. I learned other sides of her personality and discovered that she really was a nice person. We worked great together, and now everyone gets along there."

Example answer for marketing manager job: "Two positions ago, when I was first signed on as a manager, I was taking charge of an office dealing with a week-long feud between two designers. I gave things some time, and then I held a meeting with the two of them . After about a half an hour of team-building exercises, these two designers were much more used to one another and occasionally shared design tips over the next year."

Were you ever wrong about something or made a mistake on the job, and how did you fix it?

Nobody's perfect, but businesses function better with employees who take accountability for mistakes. You can be briefer with this question and emphasize how you responded to the mistake appropriately.

Example answer from cashier job: "There was one time where I forgot to give a customer an important receipt on a custom order, which she might need if there were any shipping concerns. I hurried to the front of the store before she left, apologized, and handed her the receipt. She was quite pleased, and the experience helped me get over my nerves and double-check my work."

Example answer from statistics and experimental design job: "Coming up with new angles to produce experiments means there will be dead ends. You don't really hear about experiments that don't lead to anything, but they certainly happen. There was a time when I pursued an experimental design that just didn't work for the project my company needed. My later projects have been absolutely effective and worth the time. I actually recently designed a digital schedule that shows me my work efficiency stats in a way that inspires me to stay productive."

How to prepare for situational interview questions

One tricky part of situational questions is that if you run out of memorable moments, suddenly you're drawing a blank on the next question. You might be able to come up with more workplace success stories than expected, though. A story of when you solved a problem or crisis is the usual go-to, but you can also:

• Look for forgotten moments when you turned a good situation better.
• Ask past references or current coworkers and supervisors if any moments come to mind.
• Write down your best possible answers to situational interview questions that worry you.

Situational interview questions are a common part of most job interviews. If you want to be prepared for any situational query, researching your past positions and achievements will go a long way. Taking one big success story from your last job, you may be able to divide it into smaller stories that highlight your career potential.

More tips to help you stand out during a job search:

See more examples of how to answer behavioral interview questions.

Read what you should know about a company before you interview.

Learn how to use transferrable skills to switch jobs.

Make sure you've memorized the best questions to ask in an interview.

Looking to get an admin job? Try this administrative assistant resume example and writing tips.