What is a situational interview? Definition and examples
A situational interview asks hypothetical questions about what you would do in a situation the job is likely to bring, such as "What would you do if a customer demanded a refund you couldn't give?" It tests your judgement and priorities. Behavioral questions ask what you did in the past; situational questions ask what you would do.
Definition
In a situational interview, the interviewer describes a realistic scenario from the job and asks how you would handle it. They are especially useful when candidates may not have done the job before, such as graduates or career changers.
Example questions
| Role | Example situational question |
|---|---|
| Customer service | What would you do if a customer shouted at you over a mistake you didn't make? |
| Nurse | What would you do if two patients needed you at the same moment? |
| Project manager | Your key developer quits two weeks before launch. What do you do? |
| Teacher | A student refuses to start the task and others start copying. How do you respond? |
| Any office job | Two managers give you urgent tasks due at the same time. What do you do? |
Situational vs behavioral
| Situational | Behavioral | |
|---|---|---|
| Asks about | The future: what you would do | The past: what you did |
| Typical opening | "What would you do if…" | "Tell me about a time when…" |
| Tests | Judgement, priorities, knowledge of the job | Track record |
How to answer
- Name the goal: what matters most in this situation.
- Walk through your first two or three steps, in order.
- Say why, briefly.
- If you can, add "I did something similar when…" with a real example.
Example answer for the two-managers question: "First I'd tell both managers about the clash, because they may not know. I'd ask which deadline has the bigger impact, and meanwhile start on whichever is quickest to unblock. In my last job this happened during month-end, and a two-line message to both managers sorted it in ten minutes."
See the full answer guide for conflicting tasks from two managers.
Questions people ask
Is there a right answer to a situational question?
Not one exact answer, but there are better ones: those that protect the customer, the team and the organisation, and follow sensible order.
Can I use STAR for situational questions?
Not directly, since nothing has happened yet. Answer with steps and reasons, then back it with a short real example if you have one.
How long should my answer be?
About 45 to 90 seconds. Long enough to show your steps, short enough for a follow-up.
What if I've never faced the situation?
Say so briefly, then reason it through out loud. Interviewers want to hear your judgement.