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Behavioral Interview Questions Template
40 behavioral interview questions across 8 competencies, with strong-answer signals, red flags, a 1-4 STAR rubric, situational variants and scoring sheet.
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What you get
- A question bank of 40 behavioral questions organized by eight competencies
- What a strong answer shows and the red flags to probe, for every question
- A 1-4 STAR scoring rubric with behavioral anchors so interviewers score the same way
- Situational ('what would you do') variants for candidates early in their careers
- A panel-interview role split and a scoring sheet ready to print
Template preview
A preview of the structure. Download the PDF or CSV for the complete, ready-to-use version.
How to run a behavioral interview
Behavioral questions ask for a specific past example, because what someone actually did is better evidence than what they say they would do. Ask every candidate for the same role the same core questions, probe for the STAR elements (Situation, Task, Action, Result), and score each competency against the rubric before the debrief.
STAR scoring rubric (1-4)
| Score | Label | What you heard |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Strong evidence | A specific, recent example; the candidate's own actions are clear ('I', not 'we'); results are measurable; they explain what they learned or would change |
| 3 | Solid evidence | A specific example with clear personal actions and a reasonable outcome; some detail needed prompting |
| 2 | Limited evidence | Example is vague, dated or mostly about the team; actions or results stay unclear after two probes |
| 1 | No evidence or concerning | No real example, a hypothetical answer, or behavior that conflicts with the role's requirements |
Competency 1: Problem solving
| Question | Strong answer shows | Red flags |
|---|---|---|
| Tell me about a problem at work where the cause was not obvious. How did you find it? | Structured diagnosis: gathered data, tested hypotheses, found the root cause | Jumped to a fix without checking; can't explain how they knew it worked |
| Describe a time you had to decide with incomplete information. | Named what was unknown, set a deadline, chose a reversible option where possible | Waited indefinitely, or claims certainty they could not have had |
| Give an example of a process you improved. What changed as a result? | Before-and-after numbers; brought others along | Improvement with no measurable effect; ignored the people using the process |
| Tell me about a time your first solution didn't work. | Noticed quickly, owned it, adjusted the approach | Blames others or circumstances; never revisited |
Competency 2: Collaboration
| Question | Strong answer shows | Red flags |
|---|---|---|
| Tell me about a project that depended on another team that had different priorities. | Found the shared goal, agreed on trade-offs, kept commitments visible | Escalated immediately or worked around the other team |
| Describe a disagreement with a coworker. How was it resolved? | Sought to understand first; disagreed on the issue, not the person | Still resentful; 'they were wrong' with no reflection |
| Give an example of helping a colleague succeed at something that wasn't your job. | Specific help with a real cost to themselves | Cannot think of an example |
| Tell me about a time you had to rely on someone who was not delivering. | Direct, early conversation; offered support before escalating | Silent frustration, then blame at the deadline |
Competency 3: Ownership and accountability
| Question | Strong answer shows | Red flags |
|---|---|---|
| Tell me about a mistake you made at work and what happened next. | Owned it quickly, fixed the impact, changed something to prevent a repeat | Trivial mistake; or the story is really about someone else's fault |
| Describe a time you took on something no one had asked you to do. | Spotted a gap, checked it mattered, followed through | Did it but left it half-done or unannounced |
| Give an example of a commitment you were at risk of missing. | Raised the risk early with options | Missed it without warning |
| Tell me about a goal you did not reach. | Honest about why; what they learned; what they did next | Claims they always hit their goals |
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How to use this template
- 1
Pick three or four competencies per interview
Choose the competencies that matter most for the role, from the job description or intake form. Assign each competency to one interviewer so no one repeats questions.
- 2
Ask one question, then probe with STAR
Use one main question per competency and spend the time on follow-ups: What was the situation? What did you do, specifically? What happened as a result?
- 3
Score right after the interview
Rate each competency 1-4 against the rubric anchors and write down the evidence before talking to other interviewers.
- 4
Debrief on evidence, not impressions
In the debrief, each interviewer reads their score and evidence before open discussion. Resolve gaps of two or more points by comparing evidence, not by averaging.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between behavioral and situational interview questions?
Behavioral questions ask what a candidate did in a real past situation ('Tell me about a time...'). Situational questions ask what they would do in a hypothetical one ('What would you do if...'). Past behavior is usually stronger evidence, so use situational variants mainly for early-career candidates and cap their scores.
What is the STAR method?
STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result. Interviewers use it to check that an answer includes a real context, the candidate's own responsibility, the specific actions they took and a measurable outcome. If a part is missing, ask a follow-up for it rather than marking the candidate down straight away.
How many behavioral questions should I ask in one interview?
In a 45-minute interview, plan on three or four main questions, each with several follow-ups. Going deeper on fewer questions gives better evidence than rushing through ten. Across a full interview loop, cover every competency once.
Should we still assess culture fit?
Assess values alignment instead. 'Culture fit' is too vague to score consistently and tends to favor candidates who resemble the interviewer. Values alignment uses your written company values, a specific question for each and the same 1-4 rubric as the other competencies.
How should a panel interview be scored?
Each panelist scores only the competencies assigned to them, independently and before any discussion. In the debrief, everyone shares scores and evidence first, and large disagreements are resolved by looking at the evidence. Averaging scores without discussion hides real concerns.
What if a candidate can't think of an example?
Give them a moment and offer to come back to the question. You can also broaden it to school, volunteer or personal experience. If there is still no example, score the competency against the rubric (usually a 1) and note that the candidate could not provide evidence.