5 Behavior-

Based Interview
Questions
Screening for Soft Skills
Introduction
By definition, soft skills are the behavioral attributes which
characterize an individual’s interactions with other people. They
account for 25% of the skills required to successfully perform in
a role, and are directly correlated to career performance and
advancement (source).

While 77% of recruiters agree that soft skills are just as important as
hard skills (source), 60% report challenges in assessing candidates
for these behavioral attributes (source). Why? Unlike hard skills
which can easily be tested or measured, soft skills can’t be taught
and are difficult to quantify.

So, how does one determine whether a candidate is a team

player, can communicate effectively, or has emotional maturity?
Behavior-based questions are the most effective way to predict
how a candidate will assimilate into an organization. The questions
are designed to extract a specific and structured response, one
which touches on a specific situation, task, action, and result.

To help recruiters and hiring managers better screen for these

traits, ZoomInfo has designed five behavior-based questions to
incorporate into your interview strategy.

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Question 1

Describe a time when you were asked to take

on a project outside of your core responsibilities.
What steps did you take to ensure the task was
completed efficiently and correctly?

Remember what Charles Darwin taught us about evolution?

It’s not the most intelligent species that survive, it’s those most
adaptable to change. The same can be said for employees in
the information age. As technology continues to modernize the
workforce, organizations are seeking employees who can easily
transition into new roles under changing circumstances.

69% of hiring managers

say adaptability is the
69%
most im portant soft skill
they screen for (source).

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Question 2

Tell me a time you had to be strategic in order to

meet your top priorities?

In sales and marketing -- from selling to campaign implementation

-- strategy is everything. Inviting candidates to talk about their
strategic thought process will open the door for highlighting their
other skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving, and more.
This way, you’ll be able to assess if the skills they highlighted are a
good fit for your team environment.

67% of B2B organizations 67%

consider strategy and
problem solving to be valued
within their organization

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Question 3

Recall a time when you had to deliver bad news to

a co-worker or manager. What was your thought
process and how did you convey the message?

An organization’s culture refers to its values and beliefs and is

often revealed through communication and language. Given that
89% of hiring failures are caused by a poor culture fit, ensuring
a candidate aligns with your organization’s specific culture is
extremely important (source). Asking this specific question will
help you understand how a candidate interacts with co-workers,
specifically under difficult circumstances.

When deciding whether a

candidate is a cultural fit,
83% of recruiters consider 83%
communication style
most important (source).

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Question 4

Think about the last time you missed a deadline.

What was the reason for it and how did you handle
the repercussions?

When an employee displays poor time management skills,

it affects their entire team. Research shows candidates with
strong time management skills are more likely to transition
into efficient and productive employees. They also are more
adept to simplify workflows and develop smarter strategies for
executing their responsibilities.

48% of recruiting
professionals report time
management as a top
48%
soft skill they value in
candidates (source)

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Question 5

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a direct

report. Specifically, a time when they disagreed
with your instructions or decisions.
Walk me through your thought process and the
actions you took to resolve the issue.

How a candidate integrates their soft skills into their managerial

style is predictive of how a team will perform under their
leadership. That being said, 94% of recruiters believe an employee
who possesses strong interpersonal skills will have a better chance
of being promoted over an employee with more experience but
weaker soft skills (source).

Managers who incorporate a

range of soft talents into their
leadership tactics increase 30%
their team’s performance by
as much as 30% (source)

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Conclusion
With ZoomInfo Powered by DiscoverOrg, recruiters can
easily identify and connect with passive candidates
in any industry, job function or location. Beyond that,
vetting candidates is now easier than ever as ZoomInfo’s
professional profiles come fully loaded with background
details, including employment history, education details,
professional certifications, web references, and more.

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Start hitting your number
with ZoomInfo.
Visit www.zoominfo.com or call 866-904-9666 to find out how.