Ever felt the pressure spike when faced with a question about a hypothetical scenario during an interview?
We know the agony all too well.
You want to give the perfect response, but all you can come up with is awkward silence and incoherent stories, mixed with a spiral of anxiety.
Situational interview questions love to put you on the spot, testing how fast you can think and react, how you make decisions, and who you are when faced with a problem.
Don’t stress. In this article, we break down how to nail those situational questions like a boss.
You’ll learn:
- Why interviewers ask situational questions
- 20+ most common scenario-based questions (with example answers)
- How to ace these questions in 5 simple steps.
Want to get an offer after every interview? Our interview preparation tool will guide you through all the questions you can expect, let you record and analyze your answers, and provide instant AI feedback. You’ll know exactly what to improve to turn your next interview into a job.
Don’t waste days compiling overused interview techniques. Get original answers to every single question you could expect.
Situational Interview Questions: An Overview
In summary:
- Situational interview questions ask how you would handle specific hypothetical situations at work.
- You can spot them easily, as they usually start with “What would you do if…” or “How would you handle…”
- They’re designed to see how you’d approach problems, make decisions, and interact with others in realistic job-related scenarios.
Situational or scenario-based interview questions require the candidate to imagine a hypothetical situation and explain how they would handle it.
The hypothetical scenarios can be both positive and negative. For example, you might hear: “How would you ensure a project is completed on time and within budget?” or “What would you do if you received a negative performance review or criticism from your supervisor?”
And if you’re thinking these questions sound similar to behavioral (“Tell me about a time when…”), you’re not entirely wrong.
Behavioral vs. Situational Interview Questions
The difference between situational and behavioral questions is minimal — it’s all about the way you approach them.
Behavioral questions are about past situations — they require you to look back and retell an experience or a situation from the past. For example: “Describe a time when you had to complete an important project on a tight deadline.”
Situational questions are about imaginary, “what if” scenarios — they ask you to put yourself in a hypothetical situation. For example: “What would you do if you had to complete an important project on a tight deadline?”
Essentially, both are asking the same thing — the interviewers want to see how you handle stress and pressure, and how you would put your organizational skills to use.
Sometimes a situational question will, in essence, become behavioral for you because you experienced the scenario it refers to. It wouldn’t make sense to pretend you haven’t, right?
Similarly, a behavioral question might become situational if you haven’t experienced what they are asking about before.
Bottom line: In either case, if you use the STAR method to answer (more on that later) and base your answers on specific examples that highlight your skills, you’ll be safe.
The Most Common Situational Interview Questions and Sample Answers
Here are some most common situational questions you can expect to hear in an interview regardless of your role.
Situational questions about teamwork
- What would you do if you had to resolve a conflict within your team?
- What would you do if you had to work closely with a difficult colleague?
- How would you handle a project where you need to lead a team under tight deadlines?
- Imagine a team member isn’t contributing their fair share of work. What do you do?
Example answer:
What would you do if you had to resolve a conflict within your team?
If there was a conflict in the team, I would speak with each person individually to understand the conflict better, then organize a meeting to try to resolve it. I had a similar situation as a Hotel Front Desk Manager a few years ago when, during peak season at the resort, some reception workers felt that the workload was unfairly distributed. There was bitterness and tension, which I knew could potentially impact their quality of service. I needed to address the conflict quickly and effectively to prevent it from disrupting the smooth operation of the reception desk.
I initiated one-on-one conversations with each team member involved in the conflict, and tried to provide them with a safe space to express their concerns openly. I listened to their perspectives and tried to show empathy and understanding for their feelings and frustrations. I then organized a team meeting where I set ground rules to ensure that communication remained respectful and constructive. Each team member was given the opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences without interruption. We identified the underlying issues that contributed to the conflict, like communication breakdowns and differing perceptions of fairness. Then, we developed an action plan to clarify roles and responsibilities, and implement fair and transparent processes for workload distribution.
Situational questions about communication
- Describe how you would explain a complex issue to someone with no knowledge of the subject.
- What would you do to successfully communicate a change in procedure to your team?
- How would you react if you received negative feedback?
- What would you do if you suddenly started getting a lot of customer complaints about the same issue?
Example answer:
Describe how you would explain a complex issue to someone with no knowledge of the subject.
My approach would mirror teaching someone to swim by starting in the shallow end — gradual, accessible, and without overwhelming them.
Whenever I need to explain something highly technical to someone without specialized knowledge, I begin with the basics — identify the fundamental concepts that must be understood as a foundation, avoid industry jargon or, if it’s unavoidable, make sure to define any technical terms in simple language.
Next, I use analogies and metaphors that relate to everyday experiences. For instance, explaining a computer network can be likened to a postal system, where messages (data packets) are sent to specific addresses (IP addresses).
I do my best to break the issue down into smaller, digestible pieces to make learning less intimidating. After explaining a section, I always check for understanding before moving on.
Sometimes, visual aids prove helpful, too. Diagrams, charts, or even quick sketches can provide more clarity than wordy explanations. Visuals serve as anchors for the concepts we’re explaining.
Lastly, I encourage questions and make it clear that there is no such thing as a stupid question. Sometimes, the questions asked can give great insights into which part of the explanation didn’t land and needs to be approached differently.
Situational questions about adaptability
- What would you do to adjust to a significant organizational change at work?
- You need to learn a new type of software quickly. How do you approach it?
- What would you do if you had to juggle multiple responsibilities?
- The quarterly strategy you planned isn’t bringing the expected results. What do you do?
Example answer:
What would you do to adjust to a significant organizational change at work?
I think it’s important to be flexible, open-minded, and adaptable in times of change. For example, if the company was to be acquired by a larger corporation, this would require restructuring of departments, changes in leadership, and changes to company policies and procedures. First, I would try to understand the scope of the change by attending meetings, reading internal communications, and engaging in discussions with colleagues and supervisors. I’ll try to learn if and how that change would impact my role and responsibilities, as well as my team. Nobody likes uncertainties and challenges that go hand in hand with organizational change, but I’d try to keep a positive attitude and focus on finding solutions to problems rather than dwelling on the negative aspects of the change.
Situational questions about leadership
- What would you do if you had to undertake a leadership role without formal designation?
- How would you motivate team members who are disengaged?
- What does it mean to you to lead by example? What behavior would illustrate this kind of leadership?
- What strategies would you use to ensure your team meets objectives under pressure?
- What would you do if you had to make an unpopular decision?
Example answer:
What would you do if you had to undertake a leadership role without formal designation?
We recently had a particularly busy week in the customer support department, with a sudden influx of inquiries and escalations, while our team lead was on vacation. I recognized the need for someone to take charge and ensure that customer issues are addressed promptly and effectively, even in his absence. I organized a short meeting with the team, explained that I would be willing to step up and take on a leadership role temporarily. I was looking for their reactions, input and support. I then delegated tasks based on each person’s tech skills and strengths, and tried to ensure everyone felt valued and motivated. Things went well and we managed to resolve 100% of requests. I managed to distribute the workload well and keep a positive work environment.
Situational questions about time management
- How would you manage an overwhelming workload?
- You know you’re about to miss a deadline. How do you react?
- Can you provide an example of how you would manage interruptions in the workplace?
- How do you ensure that long-term projects stay on track?
Example answer:
How would you manage an overwhelming workload?
In these situations, I think it’s really helpful to use the Eisenhower matrix to determine each task’s priority and urgency. I recently faced an overwhelming workload due to multiple projects with tight deadlines and competing priorities. I first created a list of high priority tasks that I would take on immediately. Then, because I knew I couldn’t handle everything on my own, I delegated lower priority tasks to team members based on their strengths, skills, and availability. I communicated clearly about expectations, deadlines, and the importance of each task to ensure successful delegation. I maintained open and transparent communication with my supervisor and team members, and had daily check-ins to track progress and discuss any problems. In the end, we managed to deliver everything without compromising on quality or missing deadlines.
Pro tip: Apart from these common situational questions, you should also be prepared to get technical, role-specific questions. For example, SEO managers may get something like: “Imagine that the website you’re managing has experienced a sudden and significant drop in organic search traffic. How would you diagnose the issue and develop a strategy to recover?”
How to Answer Situational Interview Questions
In summary:
- Use the STAR (Situation-Task-Action-Result) formula to give on-point and memorable answers to situational interview questions.
- Set the scene by explaining the hypothetical situation, then go on to detail what your task in that scenario would be. After that, describe the actions you would take to solve the problem or achieve the goals. Finally, explain what the result of all the steps would be.
- Maximize the impact of your answer by focusing on the question directly and staying clear and concise.
- Emphasize key skills that are required for the role you’re interviewing for and focus on the results and outcomes of your actions.
Use the STAR method
The STAR method is a proven formula you can use to give structured and impactful answers to situational questions.
These questions require you to tell a story, and it’s easy to lose track of time or go into unnecessary details if there’s no structure to your narrative.
STAR stands for Situation-Task-Action-Result and can be broken down like this:
Situation — Start by describing the situation so that your interviewer understands the context.
Task — Briefly describe your specific task or responsibility in that situation.
Action — Describe what exact actions you would take to achieve the set goal.
Result — Finish by pointing out the tangible results of your actions (bonus points if you can quantify them).
Ideally, your answer should be 1–2 minutes long, and you’d spend most of the time talking about the actions and results.
Stay relevant and concise
Interviewers like clear and short answers that get straight to the point.
You want to provide a targeted, on-point answer, so avoid going into too much detail or giving several unrelated examples from the past. One solid example is enough.
By being concise, you maximize the impact of your response and avoid diluting the key points.
Emphasize flexibility, problem-solving ability, and outcomes
To give a good answer, you need to analyze the question and figure out what skills and qualities the interviewers are probing for.
If they ask, “Imagine a team member isn’t contributing their fair share of work. What do you do?” — they’re asking about communication and problem-solving.
- What language would you use to start the conversation and give constructive criticism?
- What would you recommend that the employee do?
- How would you present this as a serious issue without blaming them?
- Would you be able to handle this yourself without involving the higher-ups?
- If the conversation turned into a conflict, what would you do to stay professional?
It’s important to focus on the outcome — the employer wants to know if you’re a person who can deliver results and not turn into a liability.
Show you can handle situations with soft skills like flexibility, team spirit, and communication while keeping the company goals in mind, and you’ll be fine.
Prepare example situations before the interview
Even if scenario-based questions ask you to imagine future or hypothetical situations, you can always say “I’ve had a similar experience in my last role…” and then answer the same way you’d answer a behavioral question (while still sticking to the STAR formula).
That’s why it’s crucial to prepare diverse examples from various aspects of your career before the interview.
Even if you’re applying for a different role or industry, there will always be a way to connect the previous experience to a possible future one.
Take this example: A person who’s been a marketer for years, but had worked as a high-school teacher earlier in their career is negotiating their promotion to Head of Content. On paper, they have zero leadership experience. But in reality, they spent years managing classrooms of 30+ students. So if they got asked, “You have to lead a team through a crisis or unexpected challenge? What do you do?” or “How would you communicate a difficult decision that you know would be unpopular with your team?” — they would have a lot of examples to draw from.
If you’re a Big Interview user, you can use the Answer Builder to practice situational questions. Head over to Interviews, then select Build Answer to use the STAR tool to build your best answers.
Avoid generic responses
When answering situational interview questions, always personalize the answer to the company, role, and repeat the specific wording of the question.
Giving generic answers won’t get you far — the interviewers are looking for something to distinguish you from other candidates.
Instead of giving long intros or talking theory, address the specific scenario from the question directly. This will show them that you understand the question and can provide relevant information.
Situational Interview Questions: Popular Opinion vs. Expert Advice
There’s nothing wrong with looking for interview advice online and getting real-life examples from people like you. Still, not all career advice on TikTok, Reddit, YouTube, or Quora is legit.
Two experts, Big Interview’s co-founder and Chief Career Coach with 15+ years of experience, Pamela Skillings, and Michael Tomaszewski, a Certified Professional Resume Writer, analyze the tips given by the community.
Here’s what user eossfounder replied in a Reddit thread on situational questions:
What absolutely grinds my nuts is when you look up interview advice and the example answers to these questions literally amount to “I persuaded a client by being able to convince them” and “I was able to solve the problem by thinking outside the box”. Absolutely infuriating BS.
I absolutely agree — your answers (just like example answers from online sources) should be a lot more nuanced and specific. Specific stories are a lot more memorable than vague or abstract statements. When answering, give vivid details and context, and explain exactly what you would do and how. This way you’ll make a stronger impression on the interviewer and increase the chances that they will remember you positively.— Michael Tomaszewski, CPRW
And another example from the same thread:
I’ve been asked these exact questions and have never been in any of these situations. I’ve never had conflicts with other employees, I’ve never had to solve a significant problem in an unusual way, and I’ve never had to persuade clients to do anything. But you can look these questions up and make something up. Sometimes an interview is how well you can tell a story, even if it isn’t true.
I hear similar comments a lot, along with “I can never answer this kind of questions because I can’t remember the situations and what I did.” And I get it. That’s why you need to prepare for interviews in the first place. I do often recommend to clients to use a behavioral example as part of the answer to a situational or hypothetical question. First, address the general approach you would take and then give a short example of when you did something similar. If you haven’t, then make sure to weave key skills that are required for the role in your answer.— Pamela Skillings, Co-Founder and Chief Career Coach at Big Interview
Summary of the Main Points
Here’s a quick recap:
- Situational interview questions ask how you would handle specific hypothetical situations at work.
- They’re easy to recognize because they usually start with “What would you do if…” or “How would you handle…”
- Most job candidates dislike situational interview questions because you need to put yourself in a very specific, but hypothetical work situation and detail the approach you would take to solve a problem or hit a goal.
- Just like with behavioral questions, it’s best to use the STAR formula to make your answers concise, structured, and targeted.
- To give good answers to scenario-based interview questions, you need to keep your answer relevant, emphasize the key skills required for the role, prepare example situations beforehand, and avoid giving generic, theory-only answers.
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FAQ
Why do interviewers ask questions about made up scenarios?
Interviewers ask questions about made up scenarios to test your thought processes and problem-solving skills. The main purpose of these questions is to assess your ability to think critically and make informed decisions in real-world situations you’ll encounter in the role.
I was never in a situation I’m being asked about, what do I say?
When faced with a hypothetical scenario that you haven’t encountered before, be honest about your lack of direct experience. Then try to ascertain what skills the question is asking about — problem-solving, decision-making, communication, resourcefulness — and then propose a theoretical approach that aligns with the company values and industry best practices, while highlighting your skills in those areas.
What are the most difficult situational interview questions?
Some of the most difficult situational interview questions are “What would you do if your manager asked you to do something unethical?” or “How would you respond if your boss asked you for your honest opinion about a bad idea?” Most candidates dislike questions that can expose weaknesses — questions about stress, conflict resolution, and failures.
Is it possible for the whole interview to be scenario-based?
It’s rare, but possible. For example, instead of a traditional question like “How do you handle stress”, you may get a hypothetical scenario “What would you do if you were given conflicting priorities from multiple supervisors?” This format makes it easier for employers to assess your ability to apply skills and competencies to real-world situations.
In what industries are situational interview questions most commonly used?
Situational interviews tend to be more common for roles or industries where specific skills and problem-solving abilities are highly valued. These include leadership or management positions, customer service, sales, advisory roles, teaching, emergency response and crisis management.
Are scenario-based interview questions designed to be tricky?
No, scenario-based interview questions are not designed to be “tricky”. Employers ask them to get an idea of how you would react in real situations you’ll face on the job. They seem tricky because they require you to analyze a complex scenario and think critically about a hypothetical situation.
