What are examples of structured interview questions?

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Structured interview questions are often designed to test specific skills. For example, the interviewer may ask “Describe your level of skill using Microsoft Excel.” Most structured interview questions ask candidates to select an answer on a numeric scale. In this example, it could read:

• 1 – Never used Excel
• 2 – Familiar with the program but have rarely used
• 3 – Used frequently but novice level
• 4 – Experienced as an advanced user
• 5 – Expert-level user

To successfully answer this type of question, be as honest as possible about your knowledge and abilities. After all, you will eventually have to demonstrate these hard skills if you are chosen for the role.

Company knowledge questions

Before hiring a new employee, the company may want to assess your level of familiarity with their business. Common structural interview questions for this purpose include: “What is our business mission?” and “How do your personal values align with our core values?”

A sample scoring rubric for these questions could read:

• 1 – No information, or only incorrect information, about the business mission or values
• 2 – Limited information about the business mission or values
• 3 – Some information about the business mission or values
• 4 – Demonstrated knowledge of the business mission or values
• 5 – Demonstrated exceptional knowledge of the business mission or values

You should always come to an interview with detailed knowledge about the company, its business model, its values, its mission, and its products or services. You should also understand how the role for which you’re applying will help the company meet its objectives. Doing your research before an interview is the best way to successfully answer a structural company knowledge question.

Behavioral structural interview questions

With this type of structural interview question, the interviewer will ask you to share an experience from your past that offers insight into your ability to fill the position. For example, he or she may say: “Tell me about a time when you were able to fix a serious problem with a client and retain their business.”

Because this is an open-ended structural question, the interviewer would likely judge your response based on a 1-to-5 scale of acceptability, with 5 for candidates who provided a detailed, impressive, appropriate response, 3 for those who answered but could have provided more detail, and 1 for those who answered only briefly or inappropriately.

To successfully answer behavioral questions, come to the interview prepared to discuss a few different scenarios from your work history in detail. Look at common questions employers ask and practice how you would answer them. Provide as much insight as possible without exceeding the scope of the question or straying from the topic at hand.

Leadership style preference questions

The employer may ask a structural interview question about your preferred leadership style. For example, “What manager in your job history have you worked best with and why?” or “Describe a time when a supervisor successfully motivated you to complete a challenge or goal.”

As with the open-ended behavioral structural interview question, the interviewer will rate your question from 1 to 5 based on the acceptability of your answer. Prepare for this type of question by reflecting on the qualities you liked and disliked in previous supervisors. Think about actions that helped motivate you and behaviors that caused you to clash with or misunderstand your manager. Practice makes perfect with these types of questions. You want to come off as candid and relaxed, rather than rehearsed.

Integrity-related questions

Most employers would say they value workers who perform their roles with honesty and integrity. If the interviewer wants to test your integrity in a structural interview, he or she may ask a question such as: “What steps do you take if you think you will miss a deadline, and why?” or “What would you do if you find out a colleague has acted unethically in the workplace?” Grading for this type of question depends on the forthrightness of your answer and your ability to gauge appropriate actions and accept responsibility for errors (ranked on a numerical scale, of course).

Questions that require you to think about and discuss mistakes you made can be challenging to answer, especially in a setting where you want to make the best possible impression. To succeed with this type of question, avoid trite answers such as “I rarely make mistakes at work, so I don’t have anything to add.” Instead, use a real example of an error or misjudgment and discuss it as honestly as possible. However, you should also be brief. Don’t spend precious minutes of your interview talking about your downfalls. Instead, quickly switch gears to discuss how you recovered from the mistake and what you learned. Have a few of these stories in your back pocket before you come to an interview.

Attention to detail questions

This type of question is designed to tell how well you juggle the little things at work. If your employer values keen attention to detail for your desired role, he or she may ask a structural interview question such as “Tell me about a system you have implemented to keep track of multiple projects.”

To score closer to a 5 than a 1 on the structural interview scale for an attention to detail question, provide plenty of detail (pun intended) about the system you developed, what types of projects you have had to manage and multitask, and why the method you described worked for you. Whatever you do, don’t say that you don’t have a system and you just figure it out on the fly.

Structured hypothetical questions

This type of interview question asks you to talk about the course of action you would take in an imaginary proposed scenario. For example, if you are interviewing for a management role, the interviewer might ask “What would you do if you had to reprimand an employee with whom you have a friendly relationship?”

No matter what the scenario, you can give a great answer to this type of question by following the STAR model. Remember: Situation, Tasks, Action, Results. Structure your answer by first painting a picture of your role in the situation. Then, describe the tasks you would take on in the scenario and the intended action that would occur when you perform these tasks. Finally, wrap up your answer by explaining the expected results of your actions.

Communication questions

If communication will be a core competency of the job, your employer will likely ask you a question designed to assess your communication abilities. For example, “What strategies do you use to communicate with a challenging colleague, client, or manager?”

When answering this and other types of structured interview questions, remember that your interviewer wants to get to know you. The more detail you can provide about your approach to sticky work situations, the better he or she will be able to picture you performing the role in question.

Leadership ability questions

Whether or not you have applied for a management role, leadership ability can help you succeed at your job. A sample question for this competency could be “Describe a time when you successfully delegated a project to others and your strategy for doing so.”

A successful answer should indicate that you display the qualities of a good leader. For example, you may want to highlight your accountability, initiative, and project vision when coming up with an answer to this type of question.

By studying these structured interview questions and preparing appropriate, detailed responses, you’ll be ready to handle this objective interviewing method. The quantitative approach is quickly gaining popularity among employers, so expect to encounter a structured interview while you’re on the job market if you haven’t already. Glassdoor can help prepare you with our research on common interview questions and other useful topics.

The choice of questions during a structured interview can be tough. The question should be open-ended enough to elicit responses of good length yet particular enough to elicit quality responses. It takes time and thought to arrive at questions that get responses that help you find the best candidate for the job.

Start with, “Tell me about yourself.” You want a short, concise answer that provides highlights of education and experience. Every candidate should be ready for this question. Follow with, “What brings you here today? Is it promotional opportunities, a change in work responsibilities or simply a job after being out of work?” The only answer that could be considered “wrong” is the one that bashes a previous employer.

Question No. 3 can be, “How do you handle stressful situations?” Again, there is no right answer; you are simply hoping to hear about coping situations. Every company has its stressful moments and you need to know what to expect. Follow with, “Tell me about an obstacle you were able to overcome in the past.” This gives the candidate a chance to show how she can meet a tough goal. It would be bad if the candidate couldn’t even think of one.

Kick off the experience questions with, “Tell me about your worst boss or co-worker.” This question puts the candidate on the spot and shows whether he can be tactful and professional even during an uncomfortable situation. Question No. 6 can ask, “What type of work environment suits you best?” Every company has a different personality, so to speak. This allows you to see how well the candidate’s personality meshes with the company’s personality.

For question No. 7, try, “What separates you from other candidates?” This allows the candidate to shine a spotlight onto what he perceives as his best strengths. You can then determine if those strengths are the traits you are seeking in the ideal candidate. Next: “What tools do you use to get the job done?” You are hoping to see the resourcefulness of your candidate.

“What are your expectations from this opportunity?” can be your ninth question. Find out what the candidate expects from you. And finally, “What else would you like us to know?” This question allows the candidate to address points that may not have been addressed.

Beware of pat answers. These are answers that the candidate gives because she thinks they are what you want. Instead, look for a well-prepared candidate who will answer the questions based upon his own life and personal experiences. It’s easy to tell the difference: the former candidate says a lot without giving any information, and the real candidate provides substantive, thoughtful answers.

After structured interviews are complete, compare answers from among the candidates. By reviewing each candidate and comparing how well each answer fits with what you are searching for, you can find the right candidate to pursue.