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Intro to Behavioral Interviews

Master the art of behavioral interviews and asking the right questions

Pro Tips for Success

Do Your Research

Look them up on LinkedIn beforehand and reference specific projects or company initiatives so in the conversational flow of the interview you can reference those specific things.

Avoid Vague Responses

  • Every statement should add value and signal competence
  • No "filler" content that raises red flags (e.g., "personal things going on")
  • Think of each answer as needing to "turn the page" - keep them engaged

Don't Raise Uncertainty About Yourself

  • Avoid: "I was busy with kids," "I wasn't the core contributor"
  • Instead: "I collaborated with the team to deliver..."

Answer Directly First

  • Address the exact question before adding context
  • Interviewers have limited time and specific signals they need
  • Don't make them ask follow-ups for basic information

Stay Professional and Confident

  • No self-deprecating comments or excuses
  • Focus on your contributions and impact
  • Frame challenges as learning opportunities

Example: Turning a Weak Response into a Strong One

Weak Response:

"I wasn't really the main person on that project, and I had some personal stuff going on, but I tried to help where I could."

Strong Response:

"I collaborated with a team of 5 engineers to deliver this feature. My specific contribution was architecting the data pipeline, which improved processing speed"

The difference:

  • Specific role and impact
  • Quantified results
  • No red flags or uncertainty
  • There was no need to mention that you weren't the main person or anything about personal stuff

Behavioral Interview Questions Bank

Career Direction

Where do you see yourself heading next in your career, and what are you hoping to learn or achieve in your next role?

Project Motivation

What motivated you to build one of the projects on your resume? Was it driven by business needs at work or by your own interests?

Decision-Making in Transitions

Can you walk me through why you decided to move from one job to another?

Alternative Solutions

When you worked on a specific project, what different approaches or solutions did you consider before settling on the one you chose?

Deep Dive Into Tech Choices

You mentioned using [API / framework / technology]. Can you explain how it works and how it compares to another commonly used solution?

Iteration and Improvement

Looking back at one of your projects, what's something you would change or do differently if you had the chance?

Background and Entry into Engineering

For those who switched into software engineering from another field: what led you to make that transition?

Context and Impact

Could you briefly explain the business context or technical details behind one of the more interesting projects you've listed?

Technical Disagreement and Trade-offs

Tell me about a time when you had a disagreement with a teammate or classmate about a technical decision. What were the different approaches being considered, and how did you evaluate the trade-offs to reach a resolution?

Initiative and Customer Focus

Describe a time when you took initiative and went above and beyond for a customer or end user. What drove you to take that extra step, and what was the impact?

Working Under Pressure and Prioritization

Tell me about a time when you had to work under a tight deadline with multiple competing priorities. How did you prioritize your tasks, and what strategies did you use to manage stress and deliver quality results?

Questions to Ask the Hiring Manager

What would I be working on in the first 6 months? What problems is the team currently facing?

This shows you're thinking strategically about impact and want to understand immediate priorities.

What's your favorite and least favorite thing about working at this company?

Gets honest insight into company culture and potential challenges you might face.

What separates people who succeed from those who struggle in this role?

Helps you understand success criteria and shows you're focused on excelling.

How does the company culture stand out from your previous companies?

Shows you care about fit and gives insight into what makes this place unique.

What does mentorship and career development look like here?

Demonstrates you're thinking long-term and want to grow within the company.

What's the most exciting project you've worked on at this company?

Gets them talking about something they're passionate about and shows what's possible.

What's the most important signal you're looking for in this role?

Then conversationally highlight how you demonstrate that exact quality.

Questions NOT to Ask the Hiring Manager

  • Work-life balance questions → Signals you might prioritize personal time over work impact
  • Perks and benefits → That's HR's domain, not the hiring manager's focus
  • Questions assuming you got the role → Comes across as presumptuous

If You Can't Think of a Question

Ask: "If you were interviewing for this role, what would you want to know?" Then ask them that question.

If You Don't Have an Answer to a Question

❌ Don't Make Something Up

It's obvious when candidates fabricate stories, and this immediately damages trust and credibility. Interviewers are experienced at spotting inconsistencies and vague details.

✅ Do This Instead

  • Be honest and pivot: "I haven't encountered that exact situation, but here's a similar experience where I..." Then share a related story that demonstrates the same competencies.
  • Show your thinking process: "I haven't been in that situation yet, but if I were, I would approach it by..." Then walk through your logical framework for handling it.
  • Reference adjacent experiences: "While I haven't had that specific scenario, I did face a similar challenge when..." and explain how the skills would transfer.
  • Ask for clarification: "Could you help me understand what specific aspect you're most interested in? I want to make sure I give you the most relevant example."