Courses / Behavioral & Structured Interviews
6. Behavioral vs Situational Questions
Distinguishing past-behavior questions from hypothetical situational questions and when to use each.
Screening & Interviewing Skills for Talent Acquisition
Behavioral vs Situational Questions
Behavioral questions ask about past actions; situational questions ask how someone would act in a hypothetical future scenario.
"I need to know whether someone actually handled a challenge before versus how they'd probably handle one next time."
Behavioral questions request concrete examples from a candidate's past (what they did, why, and the result). Situational questions present a future or hypothetical scenario and ask what the candidate would do in that situation.
"I need to know whether someone actually handled a challenge before versus how they'd probably handle one next time."
Behavioral questions request concrete examples from a candidate's past (what they did, why, and the result). Situational questions present a future or hypothetical scenario and ask what the candidate would do in that situation.