tips: behavioural & hypothetical

questions

WORK LESS. ACHIEVE MORE.

what’s a behavioural question?
A behavioural question looks at how you've handled a previous challenge in the past
to assess if you’ll be a good match for the role. The questions are based off the
premise that past behaviour is a likely predictor of future behaviour.

Behavioural questions usually start with phrases such as “tell me about a time when”
or “give me an example of” or “describe a decision you made”. Interviewers will be
looking for examples of what you have done and how you have done it.They may
follow up with more probing questions such as, “how did you respond next?” or “what
was the impact of the result?”

Use a behavioral interview technique like the STAR approach to help structure your
answers.

WORK LESS. ACHIEVE MORE.

STAR approach

Situation Task Action Result

fiverr.com

Explain the goal Detail the specific Describe your

Describe the
accomplishments
situation you were in you were working Unskilled
steps you took
and the overall
or the task you toward. and the role(s)
you played. outcome.
needed to
accomplish.

WORK LESS. ACHIEVE MORE.

tips when using the STAR
approach
It’s important to deliver a thoughtful and well-structured answer to behavioural questions. When using the
STAR approach:

● Spend less time talking about the Situation and Task. Yes, it is still needed to set context for the
interviewer, however it is the less exciting part of your answer so it’s best to keep it brief.

● Focus your attention more on the Actions you took and the Results of anything that was achieved (Was
it a time or process efficiency? Was it a cost improvement and a delighted stakeholder who gave
repeat business? And so on). Give data-driven responses wherever possible, and ensure you have
answered the question “so what?” for your results (tell the interviewer why it matters and why your
results were impactful).

● Talk more in the ‘I’, as opposed to saying ‘we’ - this will help make your responses appear stronger. While
we know it’s often a team effort to get big projects off the ground, your interviewer will be keen to
understand the extent of your personal involvement in all specific examples that you talk through.

WORK LESS. ACHIEVE MORE.

 examples of behavioural
questions.
Describe a decision you made that was unpopular and how you handled this?
Things to consider for your answer:
● Who you involved and how you influenced them
● Challenges you faced and how you resolved it
● How you applied your learnings to future stakeholder scenarios

Tell me about a time you failed to meet a deadline. What happened and what did you learn?
Things to consider for your answer:
● The root cause
● How you applied what you learned to future projects

Describe a specific goal you set for yourself and how you achieved it. What factors led to your
success?
Things to consider for your answer:
● Explain your objectives and why you chose that goal.
● How did you track progress and what were your success metrics?
● Obstacles or learnings you encountered along the way.

WORK LESS. ACHIEVE MORE.

what’s a hypothetical question?
Hypothetical questions are open-ended questions which evaluate how you would handle a
challenge you may not have experienced yet. They encourage you to think outside of the
box and demonstrate role-related problem solving skills.
These questions would typically start with phrases like, “if XYZ happened…” or “imagine that…”
and they are designed to assess your thought process rather than getting to any specific
“right” or “wrong” answer.
To answer a hypothetical question well, you’ll need to communicate in a logical, concise
and well-structured manner. Know that if you need more information about the parameters
or a deeper understanding of the question before you begin your answer, it is a good idea
seek clarification from your interviewer first (this can also help buy you a little more time to
think!).

WORK LESS. ACHIEVE MORE.

tips to answer hypothetical
questions well.
● Show you understand the problem: can you clearly define what the root cause of the
problem is and why? Are you thinking about how to gather information from relevant
stakeholders or conduct research to gather more information on the problem, if needed?

● Explore solutions: discuss out loud any assumptions you have made along the way and
consider if your solution/s would solve the initial problem? Be sure to talk through the pro’s
and con’s of your solutions, and your rationale for why your proposed solution is the best
option to take.

● Measure success: how will you measure and monitor the success of your suggested
solution? What will potential success indicators look like and how will you pivot if things do
not go to plan?

WORK LESS. ACHIEVE MORE.

 what’s a hypothetical question?
Our tips to answer a hypothetical question well:

1. Show you understand the problem: can you clearly define what the root cause of the problem is and why?
Are you thinking about how to gather information from relevant stakeholders or conduct research to gather
more information on the problem, if needed?

2. Explore solutions: discuss out loud any assumptions you have made along the way and consider if your
solution/s would solve the initial problem? Be sure to talk through the pro’s and con’s of your solutions, and
your rationale for why your proposed solution is the best option to take.

3. Measure success: how will you measure and monitor the success of your suggested solution? What will
potential success indicators look like and how will you pivot if things do not go to plan?

WORK LESS. ACHIEVE MORE.

 examples of hypothetical
questions.
Imagine you are tasked with organising our office move to a new location in Davao City. How would
you plan for this?
Things to consider for your answer:
● What are the goals/objectives of the event?
● Which stakeholders will be impacted by this change? Tip: it would be helpful to look at this through
the lense of the RACI model (for example): consider who is Responsible and Accountable for the
move VS who needs to be Consulted and Informed.
● Event logistics (timing, set-up and so on)
● How will success be measured?

If I told you that you failed, what would be your first reaction?
Things to consider for your answer:
● Understanding the facts and the impact of what happened
● How well do you accept constructive feedback? Can you take responsibility and ownership of
mistakes?
● How would you learn from the experience and put in place preventative measures for the future?

WORK LESS. ACHIEVE MORE.