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Interview questions

Situational interview questions, and how to answer them

A situational question gives you a problem from the job and asks what you would do. Walk through what you'd check, what you'd do first and next, and who you'd tell, with a reason for each. If you've handled something like it before, say so in a sentence.

A young woman with short dark hair and a burgundy sweater at her kitchen table in the evening, thinking through a problem out loud to her laptop, a pen resting on a blank notepad

How situational and behavioral questions differ

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) draws the line in its guide to structured interviews. Behavioral questions ask about your past behavior. Situational questions give you realistic job scenarios or dilemmas and ask how you would respond. OPM notes that the two measure different parts of job performance, and an employer can use both.

  1. Behavioral asks what you did

    “Tell me about a time a client was angry with you.” You answer with one real story.

  2. Situational asks what you would do

    “An angry client says a check your office sent never arrived. How would you handle it?” You answer with your plan.

  3. Why they ask both

    Stories show what you've done. GitLab's interviewer handbook says situational questions show your approach even if you haven't had the chance to do that work before.

If the question is about the past, tell a story. If it asks what you would do, give your plan.

Behavioral interview questions, by theme, and how to answer them →

What the interviewer is checking

WGU's career center says these questions show interviewers your thought process. OPM's example follow-ups for a situational question go after the same thing.

  1. Your first move

    What you'd do first, and why. “What is the first thing you would do?” is one of OPM's example follow-ups.

  2. What you'd check

    The fact you'd confirm before acting. OPM's examples also ask what you consider the most critical issue.

  3. Who you'd bring in

    When you'd tell your manager, ask for help or hand it off, and what you'd handle yourself.

  4. How far your plan goes

    In OPM's sample rating scale, a suspect offers an investigator a car far below market value. Taking it is unsatisfactory, and saying no and writing it up is satisfactory. The superior answer also looks into how the price was possible and who else was involved.

How to answer a situational question

  1. 1

    Check what you need to know

    Ask one clarifying question if a key fact is missing, or say what you'd confirm first. WGU's career center tells students to ask when they need to.

  2. 2

    Give your plan in order

    Your first move, then the next, with the reason for each. Say who you'd tell and when.

  3. 3

    Say what you'd do if it fails

    Name your backup. Example follow-ups from OPM and WGU both ask what you'd do if your first move didn't work.

If you've handled something similar, say so in a sentence and say how it went. WGU's career center suggests drawing on related experience even when it isn't the same situation. Then come back to your plan, since the question is about this job.

Common situational interview questions

These fit most jobs. Each one lists what a strong answer covers.

  1. “What would you do if you made a mistake no one noticed?”

    CoverFixing it, telling whoever it affects, and how you'd stop it from happening again.

    Avoid“It depends how big it is.”

  2. “What would you do if two urgent deadlines landed on the same day?”

    CoverHow you'd decide which comes first, and who you'd ask to move the other.

    Avoid“I'd work late and get both done.” It skips the decision they asked about.

  3. “What would you do if your manager asked for something you've never done?”

    CoverHow you'd learn it, and when you'd check in with your manager.

    Avoid“I'd figure it out.”

  4. “What would you do if you disagreed with your manager's decision?”

    CoverRaising it once, in private, with your reasons. Then committing if the decision stands.

    AvoidGoing along without a word, or going over their head.

  5. “What would you do if you were asked to do something you thought was wrong?”

    CoverSaying no, saying why, and who you'd raise it with if the pressure kept up.

    Avoid“It depends who's asking.”

  6. “What would you do if a teammate kept missing their part?”

    CoverTalking to them first and asking what's in the way, then going to your manager if it keeps happening.

    Avoid“I'd just do it myself.”

If they ask about a real disagreement, see how to answer conflict questions →

Situational questions by job

OPM's guide says questions should reflect the job's responsibilities, and its method turns real incidents from the work into hypothetical ones. These examples show the kind of problem each job brings.

  1. SOFTWARE ENGINEER

    “An hour before a release, errors on the service you own jump from 0.1% to 4%. What do you do first?”

    A strong answer covers: What changed, whether to pause or roll back, and who you'd tell before you hunt for the cause.

  2. SALES

    “A deal you've forecast for this quarter goes quiet two weeks before it's due to close. What do you do?”

    A strong answer covers: Who you'd call, and when you'd update your forecast.

  3. CUSTOMER SERVICE OR RETAIL

    “A customer wants a refund your policy doesn't allow, and they're getting louder. What do you do?”

    A strong answer covers: What you'd say first, what you can offer, and when you'd bring in a manager.

  4. FINANCE OR ACCOUNTING

    “A report due to leadership tomorrow is off by $40,000, and you can't find why. What do you do first?”

    A strong answer covers: How you'd trace it, and who you'd warn before the deadline if you can't find it.

  5. OPERATIONS OR PROJECT MANAGEMENT

    “A supplier says a shipment will be two weeks late, and the launch date can't move. What do you do?”

    A strong answer covers: Your options, such as another supplier, a smaller launch or a new date, and who decides between them.

  6. TEACHER

    “Halfway through a unit, a third of your class is failing the weekly quizzes. What do you do?”

    A strong answer covers: How you'd find out why, and what you'd change in the next lesson.

Hiring manager interview questions, with what to say →

Practice a situational question out loud

Type a job title or paste the posting. An AI hiring manager asks the kind of questions real hiring managers ask. One is a realistic problem from that job, set up with a few facts, that asks what you'd do first, and it follows up on what your answer leaves out. Your scorecard rates Judgment and Problem-Solving, which covers what you check first, when you escalate or ask for help, and why.

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More to practice: Phone screen questions · Tell me about yourself · Reasons for leaving a job · Why do you want to work here? · Why are you interested in this position? · Where do you see yourself in 5 years? · Salary expectations · Questions to ask the interviewer · Hiring manager interview questions · Internal interview questions · Explaining an employment gap · Behavioral interview questions · How do you handle conflict? · What is your greatest accomplishment? · What are your weaknesses? · What are your strengths? · What not to say in an interview · How to answer interview questions · Why should we hire you? · Second interview questions