Interview Question Bank
A comprehensive collection of interview questions organized by competency, role, and question type to help you conduct effective, structured interviews and make better hiring decisions.
Introduction to Structured Interviewing
Effective interviewing is a critical component of the hiring process. Structured interviews, where each candidate is asked the same set of predefined questions, have been shown to be more reliable, valid, and legally defensible than unstructured conversations.
This question bank provides a comprehensive set of interview questions organized by competency and question type to help you assess candidates consistently and fairly, while gathering relevant information to make informed hiring decisions.
Types of Interview Questions
Behavioral Questions
Assess past behavior to predict future performance based on the principle that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance
Situational Questions
Present hypothetical scenarios to evaluate how candidates might handle specific work situations
Technical Questions
Evaluate specific knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the position
Cultural Fit Questions
Assess alignment with company values, work style, and team dynamics
Sample Questions by Competency
Leadership & Management
- Describe a time when you had to lead a team through a significant change. How did you manage the process and what was the outcome?
- Tell me about a time when you had to motivate a team member who was underperforming. What approach did you take?
- Give an example of a difficult decision you had to make as a leader. How did you reach your decision and communicate it to your team?
- Imagine your team is struggling to meet a critical deadline. How would you approach the situation?
- How would you handle a situation where two high-performing team members are in constant conflict?
- If you were assigned a project with unclear objectives, what steps would you take to clarify expectations and deliver results?
Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking
- Tell me about a complex problem you faced in your previous role. How did you approach it and what was the outcome?
- Describe a situation where you had to analyze data to solve a business problem. What methods did you use and what did you learn?
- Give an example of a time when you identified an opportunity for process improvement. How did you implement the change?
- If you were given a project with conflicting priorities and limited resources, how would you determine where to focus your efforts?
- How would you approach a situation where the solution to a problem isn't immediately clear or requires creative thinking?
- If you discovered a significant error in a project just before its completion deadline, what steps would you take?
Communication & Collaboration
- Describe a situation where you had to communicate complex information to someone with little background knowledge. How did you approach it?
- Tell me about a time when you had to collaborate with a difficult colleague or stakeholder. How did you manage the relationship?
- Give an example of a successful cross-functional project you worked on. What was your role and how did you contribute to its success?
- How would you handle a situation where you need to deliver negative feedback to a colleague or team member?
- If you were tasked with presenting a controversial proposal to senior leadership, how would you prepare and deliver your message?
- How would you approach working on a project where team members are in different time zones and primarily communicate virtually?
Interview Best Practices
- Prepare a structured interview guide with questions selected from the bank relevant to the position
- Ask the same core questions to all candidates for consistency and fairness
- Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to evaluate answers to behavioral questions
- Take detailed notes during interviews to aid in candidate comparison
- Use follow-up questions to probe for specific examples and clarify responses
- Include multiple interviewers to reduce individual bias in the evaluation process
- Allow sufficient time for candidates to ask their own questions at the end of the interview