Situational interview questions are designed to assess how candidates would handle specific workplace scenarios. These questions require applicants to provide examples of past experiences or hypothetical situations and demonstrate their problem-solving, communication, and decision-making skills. To excel in a situational interview, candidates must prepare thoroughly to showcase their abilities effectively.
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.
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…?”
To ensure you shine amid a pool of candidates, follow this method for answering situational interview questions with confidence:
Master of English Pronunciation
Whether discussing a past experience or offering insights on a hypothetical situation, always answer using the STAR(T) or CARL method. STAR(T) stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. I also add a T for Takeaways. CARL stands for Context, Action, Result, Learning. Formatting your answers in one of these structured frameworks will ensure you’re communicating essential information concisely.
Here’s an example of a question you might get and how to answer it using the CARL method: “Can you tell me about a time you solved a big problem?”
We had a significant decline in user engagement on [company name’s] mobile app. Since we rely on in-app purchases and advertisement revenue, this was a critical business issue I knew we had to solve quickly.
First, I conducted a thorough analysis of the user feedback through all channels, looked at user satisfaction scores, and reviewed drop-off points in the click-through process per customer segments. Next, I reviewed market data and did a competitor analysis, which provided me with a clear understanding of how our competitor was capitalizing on our lack of continued innovation. I discussed the data with our UX leader, and we agreed we needed to solve this problem. Unfortunately, the UX team had no bandwidth, so developing and implementing a solution meant I had to influence the CEO to push off other priorities to allow the UX team to dedicate time to this issue. I knew once we fixed the technical problems, we needed a way to reengage lost customers, so I influenced the sales team to offer an incentive program that included exclusive discounts, in-app rewards, and events. All of this happened within two weeks.
Within just one month of launch of the app’s new UX, we saw a 28% improvement in our engagement numbers, and our retention rates leveled out. We also started seeing customers praise our new UX implementation on social media. The changes not only improved our engagement and retention, but also continued to build our brand as one that listens to our customers.
This was a big lesson for me and the company: Just because you’re a market leader doesn’t mean customers will always stick with you because of brand loyalty. That experience is what prompted me to proactively and regularly review customer data, competitive analysis, and market trends.
This answer highlights both the hard skills needed to conduct research and analysis as well as the soft skills used to influence senior leaders to push back other priorities. Finally, the candidate ends on how they approach their work more broadly.
Once of my clients, currently a lawyer transitioning to the role of COO, has spent his entire career in the legal field. Despite the technical nature of his legal background, his experience extends beyond the legal realm. As a shareholder in a firm, he actively participated in various operational functions, including strategic planning, P&L management, facilities management, training, and engaging in projects focused on organizational transformation and continuous improvement.
Although operations constituted only around 5% of his overall responsibilities as a lawyer, all of his situational interview answers highlight his proficiency in operational matters. Most importantly, he adeptly draws connections for the interviewer, illustrating how his diverse experiences align with the requirements outlined in each COO job description. For example, he highlights his experience in developing, implementing, and tracking KPIs to measure and report on the firm’s operational performance for the board, as well as his leadership of continuous improvement initiatives, including optimizing workflows between lawyers and paralegals, which resulted in increased efficiency and organizational effectiveness. Further, he touches on how his legal expertise would bring unique value to the position, citing examples such as his ability to review vendor agreements and other contracts without having to use costly outside counsel.
Consider your audience when determining how much detail to add to your stories. For example, you might simplify technical language for a recruiter but include technical details for the hiring manager, who will want to know you perform the work and not just oversee it. Adjust your narrative throughout the interview process based on who you’re talking to.
Revisiting the example above, when talking to a cross-functional stakeholder, you might adjust your answer to focus on how you’ve aligned stakeholders when solving a problem:
Solving this problem was going to require numerous teams coming together. I led a meeting with leads from the data science, marketing, data analytics, UX, and sales teams to explain the problem, and we aligned on the plan to gather the most impactful and focused data. Within one week I had collected all the data from each team and synthesized it into themes. It was clear that our competitor was capitalizing on our lack of continued innovation of our app. In talking to the UX team leader, I knew the team was already burned out, so adding this urgent project to their workload wasn’t an option. Developing and implementing a solution meant I had to influence the CEO to push off other priorities so the UX team could dedicate its time to updating the app. The CEO agreed and the UX team got right to work. Further, I knew we also needed something to reengage lost customers, so I influenced the sales team to develop an incentive program to reengage users, including exclusive discounts, in-app rewards, and events. In working with great partners whom I led toward one North star, we were able to move from alignment to implementation in just two weeks.
In this example, the interviewee’s story highlights their abilities in aligning stakeholders, driving to a solution, influencing senior leadership, and ensuring the well-being of teams.
Keep your answers concise, adhering to the “two-minute rule,” which means all answers should be under two minutes. Unfortunately, interviewers will eliminate candidates who cannot demonstrate the ability to simplify complex information or separate important from unimportant information. Practice your answers aloud and time yourself, refining them as necessary to be clear and focused.
At the end of your answer to the question, always ask the interviewer, “Did that give you a clear understanding of how I would handle [the situation asked about]?” Or “Do you need any further details on that answer?” If the interviewer asks a follow-up question, listen carefully, then answer the exact question in three to five sentences. Continue to be concise and direct.
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.
