behavioral questions and sample answers

1. Tell me about a time when you had to juggle multiple priority tasks. How did you decide where to begin? 2. How do you manage stress on the job? 3. Tell me about a time when you had a conflict with a coworker. How did you navigate the situation? 4. Describe a time when you had to adapt quickly to a change in priorities. 5. Can you tell me about a time when you failed on the job? 6. Tell me about a time when you led a team. 7. Describe a time when you had to deal with an upset customer. How did you handle it? 8. How do you approach goal-setting? 9. Tell me about your greatest professional accomplishment. 10. Tell me about a time you had to make an unpopular decision.

11. Tell me about a time you made a mistake. 12.

Tell me about a time when you had to juggle multiple priority tasks. How did you decide where to begin “In my last administrative assistant position, I was given two high-priority tasks from two different managers I supported. The deadlines for each were tight, and both projects were vital, so the nature of the duties alone wasn’t enough to establish how I should approach the situation. “To figure out how to proceed, I took a moment to outline the required steps for both tasks. This allowed me to estimate the time necessary while also ensuring I wouldn’t overlook something critical. “I then decided to start with the duty that had the lowest amount of time required. My main reason is that one could be completed in hours and the other would take a few days. By choosing the shorter one first, I could fully wrap up that responsibility, eliminating the need to provide updates in the coming days on that assignment, giving me more time to focus on the tasks themselves, and allowing me to complete both by the deadline.”

How do you manage stress on the job? “While I’ve found that some stress actually pushes me to be my best, it’s also essential to ensure that my stress levels remain reasonable. One approach I’ve found that works for me is focusing on organization. “I’m a big fan of breaking large responsibilities down into small tasks, making them feel more manageable and giving me a roadmap to follow. For a recent project in my current job, I divided the work up into ten micro-goals. Then, I blocked out time on my calendar for every activity. Not only does this keep me on target, but it also reduces the odds that I’ll feel overwhelmed.

“While in my current job, I was part of a project team that was tasked with coming up with a new campaign for a client. A coworker and I didn’t see eye-to-eye on the direction the campaign should take when it came to the tone, leading to some conflict. “To address the issue, I requested a meeting with my coworker to discuss their perspective. My goal was to understand why they were adamant about that approach, asking clarifying questions and rephrasing what they shared to ensure I saw the complete picture. “Then, I did the same, sharing my perspective in a calm, professional manner. This led us to a very beneficial discussion, one where we both saw the merits in the other’s strategy. Ultimately, this allowed us to work together to create the best possible campaign, one that boosted the client’s sales by 15 percent.”

“As a member of my current employer’s IT department, COVID-19 required some quick pivoting. I was part of a team that managed remote work permissions and technologies for the organization. When it became clear that a shelter-in-place order may be on the horizon, we had to reprioritize quickly, ensuring we could get everyone their needed credentials, applications, and devices handled as fast as possible. “I spoke with my manager about my workload, allowing us to identify tasks that could be set aside temporarily. After that, prioritized the employee list based on their position, ensuring those who needed to stay connected were handled before those where a short delay wouldn’t be as problematic. “Then, I dedicated as much time and effort to setting up telecommuting solutions as possible. This includes everything from ordering mobile devices and laptops, coordinating the service providers to add relevant user accounts, and creating initial training documents to ensure those who began working remotely had the information they needed to transition as seamlessly as possible. While the situation was challenging, I was able to complete everything tasked to me before a shelter-in-place order was issued in our area, and even had time to assist others, increasing the success of the entire project.”

“In my first job, I had trouble gauging my workload. After getting my first big solo project, I underestimated the time it would take to complete the work and handle my other duties. As a result, I gave the client a deadline that was ultimately unrealistic, and I wasn’t able to deliver in time. “The client was understandably displeased when I informed them that the project would be late. I made sure to take full responsibility for the issue and worked with them to ensure the project was completed to their satisfaction, albeit behind schedule. “In the end, they were pleased with the results. However, the moment when I had to inform them that the deadline would be missed stuck with me. It became a powerful lesson for me about time estimates and workload assessments. I used what I learned to improve my approach and, since that project, have finished every project either on time or early.”

“In my last position, I was tasked with overseeing the transition to a new order management system. This involved coordinating with multiple teams to ensure that the date from the existing solution would transition successfully to the new one. Additionally, I had to communicate with all of the end-users, ensuring they knew about use limitations or downtime in advance. “I created a project plan for the transition and implementation, and worked closely with each team to ensure the timeline was workable. Along the way, I monitored progress, answered questions, and facilitated conversations to keep everyone on the same page. Additionally, I provided reports to the leadership team, ensuring they were informed. “Ultimately, the project was a success. All of the transferred data was in place, and we finished on time, ensuring the company could reach full productivity on the desired schedule.”

“At my current job, a customer contacted us saying they were displeased with their most recent order. Along with complaining about the product, they began yelling threats about what they would do if they weren’t issued a refund and given a new item immediately. “I didn’t take the tone personally, as I was certain it was out of frustration. I pulled up the customer’s file to learn more about the order, as well as review their history with the company. At that time, I discovered that they had been placing regular orders for some time, and this appeared to be the first time they called about an issue. “I apologized for the inconvenience and began asking clarifying questions to ensure I fully understood the nature of the issue. As I spoke, I focused on keeping my tone calm and professional. “While company policy didn’t typically allow a replacement and refund, it also gave me some leeway when it came to finding a solution, particularly since they had been a loyal customer for some time. I explained what was usually allowed in these situations but requested a moment to consult with my manager regarding the issue. I was able to secure them a replacement product and a 20 percent discount on a future order. Ultimately, the customer was happy with the outcome, and they remained a customer during the rest of my time there, and possibly beyond.”

“I believe goal-setting is essential, as it helps me focus my efforts based on organizational objectives. My preferred approach is to review the company’s priorities and how they relate to my position. Then, I create well-defined, actionable targets using the SMART goals process. That way, I have clear objectives that are measurable and motivating. “However, I also go the extra mile, breaking down larger goals into micro-goals. That way, I can see every step between myself and the objective, creating a roadmap that guides me toward success.”

“My biggest achievement was revamping the company’s marketing approach, leading to a 34 percent increase in sales within six months. The past campaign wasn’t resonating with younger buyers, causing us to lose market share. I refocused our strategy to make it more social media-focused, creating a comprehensive campaign that worked well on platforms that appealed more to the target audience. Ultimately, this allowed us to reach our target demographic, boosting overall profitability and securing a solid ROI.

I try to be careful in my work and limit the mistakes I make. However, one previous mistake I made in my last role was to not set clear expectations with one of our important customers. The customer called and asked for a timeframe for the completion of their project. I was eager to impress them and gave an optimistic timeframe, but we failed to deliver. My manager told me later that this customer left and went to a competitor after being disappointed in the missed deadline, so I consider this a serious mistake, and it’s something I regret. I used the experience to improve my abilities, though. I have a better understanding of time management and project timelines, but more importantly, I know how to set expectations for a project to give myself a few extra days so that we can deliver early or on time even if we hit a few roadblocks. Misunderstanding a customer/client Misunderstanding instructions from a boss or coworker, which led to a mistake Mishandling or losing cash at work Missing a deadline Not delivering the work a client/customer expected Being unprepared for a team meeting Losing a new customer/client as a sales representative Losing an important piece of information, whether physical or digital Not saving your progress on a project and having to do the same work again Not addressing a problem promptly and therefore allowing it to become a bigger issue than necessary Not anticipating a potential problem before it occurred Committing any error that slowed the day-to-day operations of your company