5 Proven Strategies To Ace Tough Situational Interview Questions

If you are going to make a mistake answering interview questions, the situational types of questions are where you’ll most likely make it. I repeatedly hear from job hunters that not only are these hard, but they confess they aren’t sure how to even begin to answer them effectively.

I was working with a client on interview preparation, and during our coaching session, she said, “These questions are challenging, and I usually can’t think of a good answer.” Most job hunters agree with her. Situational questions often start with “Give me an example,” “Tell me about a time,” or “Describe a situation.” The answers require a well-thought-out work example. Your response proves how you solved the problem or dealt with the situation before, and you can’t just slip by with a vague answer.

Most people fail miserably in telling a work story. They skip over details, their answers are unclear, confusing, or too vague. Employers require candidates to give “work examples” because these can reveal important things. They demonstrate how you handled something before, and the employer will assume that is how you would deal with a similar situation again. Work stories are also hard to develop on the spot if you haven’t prepared some interview answers with examples beforehand.

This interviewing style asks you to give specific examples of positive and negative work situations. The interviewer uses this probing style to determine how you have performed in the past. They seek details of your past abilities and performance to predict your future performance, assuming you would behave similarly in your role. The interviewer is looking for specifics: specific details, specific illustrations, and specific outcomes. A few common questions asked can be quite difficult ones, such as:

• Tell us about a time you had to work with a difficult coworker.
• Share with us your proudest accomplishment.
• Tell us about a time you made a big mistake.
• Describe your management style.
• Tell us about a time when you had to manage stressful work situations.
• Explain how you tackle a large project.

Best Strategies For Success

1. Craft Work Examples Before an Interview

Every situational question requires a concise, detailed work example. I can’t overemphasize the importance of taking the time to craft these work examples in advance when you aren’t under pressure. Sometimes, the first example that comes to mind might not be the best example, so by preparing in advance, you can consider different scenarios to select the best one for those questions. Expect to get several different situational questions, so you’ll need multiple work examples to answer each question properly.

2. Write and Edit

Think of the appropriate story and outline all the details about the situation and the outcome. Write it out, edit it, and rehearse the answer so it’s clear and easy to remember. Do not memorize the answer, just become familiar with it. Memorizing will trip you up if you forget something, and it often makes you flustered. The best approach is to think of it as telling a story to your friends. You need to give them the details, the meat, and the ending in a short amount of time. Avoid lengthy responses. Be sure you can relate the story in less than 60 seconds.

3. Paint a Relatable Picture

Paint a picture with your description so the employer can envision you doing the same thing working in their job. You must quickly identify all the specifics to set the stage. Too many people skim on the opening details—don’t make that mistake. Outline where this situation took place, what job it was and for what employer. State who was involved, the issue, what you did, and the results or outcome. Using the first names of people will make it easier for the interviewer to understand and follow the story.

4. Have Several Work Stories

Prepare several work stories covering most of the questions you might be asked. They likely can be applied to respond to several different inquiries. Although you can’t know precisely what will be asked, employers who use this style of interviewing typically ask only situational questions, so be ready for that.

5. Rehearse and Roleplay

Rehearse! Roleplay your answers with a friend asking you some situational questions. Allow them to make up a couple to see how you answer ones you didn’t expect. Get their feedback after every question. Was that work example clear? Did they understand it? Was anything confusing? Did it effectively answer the question? Was the outcome apparent? Does this story show you in a positive light? Integrate their feedback to improve your storytelling ability. Practice in the same type of setting your actual interview will be: roleplay on Zoom if it’s an online interview. If it will be in person, be sure to practice one-on-one.

For more advice on handling an in-person interview, read my Forbes and newsletter article Employers Are Restarting In-Person Job Interviews: 7 Mistakes To Avoid.

This article was originally published in Forbes.