Behavioral interview is a stage of the job [[Interview preparation|interview]] process in which candidates are asked to describe specific situations from their past experiences to demonstrate their skills, abilities, and character traits. ## Key suggestions: - Focus on real-life examples from experience. You can focus on different aspects of these experiences, but don't lie - Use the STAR method (Situation (context), Task (your responsibility), Action (what you did), Result (outcomes and learnings)) for structuring responses - Prepare the answers to the common questions beforehand - Align your answers with the values/mission of the company - Align your answers with the expected position: IC - how you delivered the project end-to-end by yourself; techlead - how you organized technical part of the project and helped the team deliver it; manager - how you organized communications and handled requirements and limitations; any level higher than senior - how you handled cross-team communications, how you managed and created processes. This interview often includes a short intro about yourself, but other stages may include it, so it is worth preparing it as well: * Most relevant/important job experience and specific projects, including the technologies used * What are you interested in (production vs. R&D, classical ML vs. Deep Learning, technical side vs. business side, etc) ## Example questions and basic templates for answering #### Q: Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult team member. S: In my role as {position}, I was part of a team working on {project}. One team member was consistently {describe difficult behavior}. T: My task was to {the responsibility} while ensuring the project stayed on track despite these challenges. A: I approached the situation by {describe actions: having a conversation, changing communication style, involving a manager}. R: As a result, {improved team dynamics, project success or a different positive result}. This experience taught me {lesson learned}. #### Q: Describe a situation where you had to meet a tight deadline. S: While working as {position/company}, we received an urgent request from {client/stakeholder/manager} to {task} within {timeframe}. T: I was responsible for {the responsibility} in meeting this deadline. A: To tackle this challenge, I {describe actions: prioritized tasks, worked extra hours, delegated effectively, streamlined processes, found a clever solution}. R: Thanks to these efforts, we successfully {delivered the project on time, fixed the bug, etc}. This experience reinforced my ability to {skills developed/strengthened}. #### Q: Give an example of a time you showed leadership skills. S: During my time as {position/company}, our team faced {describe a challenging situation or opportunity}. T: Although I wasn't in a formal leadership role, I recognized the need to {what needed to be done} and took the initiative to lead this effort. A: I {describe leadership actions: organized a team meeting, developed an action plan, motivated team members, coordinated efforts}. R: As a result of these actions, {problem solved, goal achieved, project delivered}. This experience demonstrated my ability to {leadership skills showcased} and taught me {important lesson about leadership}. #### Q: Tell me about a mistake you made and how you handled it. S: While working as {position/company}, I made a mistake involving {brief description of the error}. T: I needed to address this error and mitigate its impact. A: I immediately {describe actions taken to rectify the mistake and prevent future occurrences: roll back changes, notify responsible persons, deploy a fix, organize a meeting}. R: As a result, {impact mitigated, any positive impact if relevant}. This experience taught me {lesson learned}. #### Q: Describe a situation where you had to persuade someone to see things your way. S: In my role as {position/company}, I encountered a situation where {brief context}. T: I needed to convince {person/group} to {your perspective/proposal: implement a change, fix an issue, change process}. A: To persuade them, I {gathered data, presented a compelling argument, estimated the impact}. R: Eventually, {outcome of your persuasion}. This taught me {insight about effective persuasion}. #### Q: Give an example of a time you had to make a difficult decision. S: While working on {project/role}, I faced a challenging situation where {context}. T: I had to decide between {options}. A: To make this decision, I {describe your decision-making process: evaluated options, consulted with experts}. R: Ultimately, I chose {your decision} which resulted in {outcome}. This taught me {lesson learned}. #### Q: Tell me about a time you went above and beyond in your job. S: During my time as {position/company}, we faced {challenging situation}. T: While my role typically involved {regular duties}, I saw an opportunity to {additional contribution}. A: I took the initiative to {describe actions that went beyond expectations}. R: This extra effort led to {positive outcomes}. It demonstrated my commitment to {relevant qualities}. #### Q: Describe a situation where you had to deal with a disappointed customer or client. S: As a {position/company}, I encountered a situation where a client/customer was dissatisfied with {issue}. T: My responsibility was to address their concerns and find a resolution. A: I approached this by {describe actions: active listening, proposing solutions}. R: As a result, {positive outcome}. This experience enhanced my skills in {relevant areas}. #### Q: Give an example of a case when you had to follow a team decision with which you didn't agree. S: While working on {project}, our team decided to {decision you disagreed with}. T: Despite my reservations, I needed to support the team's decision and contribute effectively. A: I {describe how you professionally expressed your concerns and then supported the decision}. R: This approach led to {outcomes}. It taught me {lessons about teamwork and professionalism}. #### Q: Tell me about a time you disagreed with a coworker/manager/decision. S: In my role as {position/company}, I disagreed with {coworker/manager} about {issue}. T: I needed to address this disagreement professionally while maintaining a good working relationship. A: I {describe how you handled the disagreement, e.g., private discussion, presenting alternative viewpoints}. R: This resulted in {outcome}. The experience taught me {insights about handling disagreements}. #### Q: What is the achievement/project that you are most proud of? S: During my time at {company}, I led/contributed to {project/achievement}. T: My role was to {your specific responsibilities}. A: I {describe key actions you took that made this achievement notable}. R: This project resulted in {significant outcomes}. I'm particularly proud of {specific aspects} and how it demonstrated my ability to {relevant skills}. #### Q: Tell me about a time you had to work or make a decision quickly / under a tight deadline. S: While working as {position/company}, we suddenly faced {unexpected situation/deadline}. T: I needed to {describe what needed to be done} within {timeframe}. A: To meet this challenge, I {describe quick actions and decision-making process}. R: Due to these efforts, we managed to {outcome}. This experience honed my skills in {relevant areas}. ## Links - [Intro to Behavioral Interviews by Jackson Gabbard](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJKYqLP6MRE) - [Practical suggestions on interview preparation](https://igotanoffer.com/blogs/tech) - [Dealing with tricky behavioral questions](https://leetcode.com/discuss/interview-experience/1532708/tips-for-answering-few-tricky-behavioural-interview-questions)