Behavioral interview questions help hiring managers evaluate how candidates handled real workplace situations rather than how they think they would respond. By asking structured, competency-based questions, organizations can make more objective, evidence-based hiring decisions while reducing interviewer bias and improving hiring quality. Behavioral Event Interviewing (BEI) is widely regarded as one of the most reliable interviewing methods because past behavior is often the strongest predictor of future performance.
Why Traditional Interview Questions Often Fail
Most interviews still sound like this:
- Tell me about yourself.
- What are your strengths?
- Why should we hire you?
The problem?
These questions encourage rehearsed answers.
Candidates usually know exactly what employers want to hear.
Instead of measuring actual capability, interviewers often evaluate confidence, communication skills, or personality.
This increases the risk of:
- Hiring the wrong candidate
- Interviewer bias
- Inconsistent evaluations
- Poor hiring decisions
That’s why many organizations are shifting to Behavioral Event Interviewing (BEI), a structured approach that focuses on real past experiences rather than hypothetical responses.
What is Behavioral Event Interviewing (BEI)?
Behavioral Event Interviewing is a competency-based interviewing methodology where candidates are asked to describe actual situations they have experienced.
Instead of asking:
“How would you handle conflict?”
You ask:
“Tell me about a time you handled a conflict within your team.”
This allows interviewers to evaluate evidence rather than assumptions.
10 Behavioral Interview Questions Every Hiring Manager Should Ask
Leadership
1. Tell me about a time you motivated an underperforming employee.
What to evaluate
- Coaching ability
- Leadership
- Accountability
2. Describe a difficult decision you had to make.
Evaluate:
- Judgment
- Business thinking
- Decision-making
3. Tell me about a time you influenced someone without authority.
Evaluate:
- Stakeholder management
- Persuasion
- Collaboration
Teamwork
4. Tell me about a conflict within your team.
Evaluate:
- Conflict resolution
- Emotional intelligence
5. Describe a time when you helped another team succeed.
Evaluate:
- Collaboration
- Ownership
Problem Solving
6. Tell me about the biggest problem you solved.
Evaluate:
- Analytical thinking
- Initiative
7. Describe a time when your plan failed.
Evaluate:
- Learning agility
- Accountability
Adaptability
8. Tell me about a major organizational change you experienced.
Evaluate:
- Resilience
- Adaptability
Customer Focus
9. Tell me about a difficult customer you managed.
Evaluate:
- Customer orientation
- Communication
Innovation
10. Tell me about an idea that improved your organization.
Evaluate:
- Innovation
- Business impact
What Makes a Good Behavioral Interview Question?
A strong behavioral question:
✅ Focuses on real past behavior
✅ Targets one competency
✅ Encourages detailed examples
✅ Avoids leading questions
Example:
❌ Tell me about teamwork.
✅ Tell me about a project where collaboration was essential to achieving success.
How to Evaluate Behavioral Interview Answers
Many interviewers know what to ask but struggle to evaluate responses consistently.
One proven approach is to assess responses using the STAR framework:
- Situation
- Task
- Action
- Result
Additionally, structured observation methods such as ORCE (Observe, Record, Classify, Evaluate) help interviewers reduce bias and make more objective hiring decisions.
Common Mistakes Interviewers Make
- Asking hypothetical questions
- Interrupting candidates
- Not probing deeper
- Rating candidates based on first impressions
- Inconsistent interview questions
- Ignoring competency frameworks
How Leading Organizations Improve Interview Quality
Organizations that consistently hire top talent don’t rely on instinct alone.
They implement:
- Structured interview guides
- Competency frameworks
- Behavioral Event Interviewing
- Standardized evaluation criteria
- Interviewer certification and training
These practices help improve hiring quality, reduce bias, and create a more consistent candidate experience.
Learn Behavioral Event Interviewing from Aon
If your role involves interviewing candidates, mastering Behavioral Event Interviewing (BEI) can significantly improve hiring decisions.
Aon’s Certified Behavioral Event Interviewing Expert program teaches HR professionals and hiring managers how to:
- Design competency-based interview guides
- Ask high-impact behavioral questions
- Probe for evidence rather than opinions
- Apply the STAR and ORCE frameworks
- Conduct structured, bias-aware interviews
- Make objective, data-informed hiring decisions based on demonstrated competencies.
Master structured interviewing with Aon’s Certified Behavioral Event Interviewing Expert program.
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