8 tell me about a time when interview questions

“Tell me about a time when” interview questions ask candidates to describe previous experiences related to specific situations or job skills. You can use them with a range of interview types.

The following list of tell me about a time interview questions can be applied to many open positions. Consider using them as a starting point when planning your next interview.

1. Tell me about a time when you reached a goal at work

This is a positive interview question to start with because you’re asking the candidate to reflect on their accomplishments. It lets them speak highly about themselves, allowing you to see their strengths.

When listening to the interviewee’s response to this question, you may want to look for:

• What they view as success, indicating their values
• What kind of goals they set for themselves
• Whether they actively work to achieve those goals
• Their level of confidence in discussing their successes
• The positive attributes they possess that allowed them to reach the goal

2. Tell me about a time when you were the team leader

This question encourages interviewees to demonstrate their leadership qualities by discussing previous experience leading a team. It can be beneficial to ask this question if your open position requires the person to manage direct reports. 

However, even in an entry-level position, it’s valuable to hire people who exhibit leadership qualities because they may be more likely to qualify for future promotions.

When candidates answer this question, pay attention to:

• How they felt about managing a team
• Whether they understand collaboration and communication
• The size of the team they managed
• The duration of the leadership position and its outcome

3. Tell me about a time when you had a miscommunication with a coworker

Asking about a time when a candidate experienced a miscommunication with a coworker can be an excellent way to assess interpersonal skills. Be sure to ask about the medium used for the communication. A misunderstanding via email differs from an in-person conversation and may require a different solution.

A candidate’s answer to this question can tell you:

• Whether they’re capable of admitting potential fault
• Their preferred method of communicating with other employees
• How they approach conflict resolution

4. Tell me about a time when you had to solve a challenging problem

Problem-solving capabilities are essential to many jobs, and you may want to ensure your potential new hire has the critical thinking skills to tackle problems head-on. Asking about a time they had to solve a challenging problem forces the candidate to think about their past challenges and feel proud for overcoming them.

An interviewee’s response to this question can give you insight into:

• What they view as a problem
• Whether they can remain calm in the face of adversity
• If they appear to think critically or outside the box
• How successful they were at resolving the issue

5. Tell me about a time when you made a mistake at work

Human error is unavoidable, and sometimes, mistakes in the workplace happen. However, it’s crucial to admit your mistakes and learn from them so they don’t reoccur. You might phrase the question as, “Tell me about a time when you made a mistake at work. What did you do about it?”

When listening to the interviewee’s response to this question, you should look for:

• Honesty about past errors
• A desire to correct the mistake rather than cover it up
• What they learned from the experience

6. Tell me about a time when making the right decision didn’t benefit you

Having workers on your team who care about the company’s greater good can be essential to the long-term success of your business. Asking this question can help you narrow down which candidates could make responsible choices, even when it’s not the most convenient or easy thing to do.

Pay attention to a candidate’s answer to this question and see if they exhibit:

• Company loyalty
• A good sense of right and wrong
• Accountability
• Compassion

7. Tell me about a time when you had to multitask at work

Today’s workplaces are predominantly digital and tend to be fast-paced. Employees often need to multitask efficiently to complete the job on time while still delivering high-quality work. Phrase the question, “Tell me about a time when you had to multitask at work. What was the outcome, and how did you feel about it?”

The answer to this question may tell you whether a candidate has: 

• The ability to understand multitasking
• A desire to provide high-quality results under a tight deadline
• Examples proving they can do this successfully

8. Tell me about a time when you took initiative at your job

Even if you manage employees closely, hiring someone who can show initiative and start tasks with minimal instructions can improve efficiency. Asking the interviewee to provide an example of a time they took initiative allows you to evaluate this ability.

When listening to the interviewee’s response, consider looking for:

• An understanding of what it means to be a self-starter
• A desire to be proactive
• Someone who asks questions and looks for opportunities without being told what to do
• An understanding of how their actions impact the company or team as a whole

Tips for creating your own “tell me about a time when” questions

Whether you’re preparing for a face-to-face or virtual interview, creating tell me about a time interview questions tailored to your specific position can be beneficial. Following these tips may help you write effective questions.

1. Focus on key job skills and qualifications

Use your job descriptions as a guide when crafting tell me about a time interview questions. Review the skills and qualifications list and develop specific situations where your new hire may rely on those characteristics. 

For example, if a bookkeeper position requires extensive familiarity with Quickbooks, you might ask, “Tell me about a time when you had a technical issue with your accounting software. What did you do to resolve it?” 

2. Strive for brevity and clarity

Keep your tell me about a time interview questions brief and to the point. Describe scenarios in as few words as possible while still making your question clear to the candidate.

3. Use inclusive language

Be mindful when choosing the wording of your tell me about a time interview questions. Select words that don’t accidentally exclude specific individuals. For example, “observe” or “notice” may be preferable to the verb “see.”  

4. Seek input from your team

After you’ve created your list of tell me about a time interview questions, consider showing them to other members of the management team, your HR representative and your employees. Getting feedback from others can help you spot potential issues with your questions.

Why should you use tell me about a time when interview questions when hiring?

Tell me about a time interview questions allow you to pose questions in a way that inspires conversation.

Classic interview questions, such as “What are your strengths?” or “Are you a good collaborator?” allow interviewees to provide short yes or no answers. 

Tell me about a time when interview questions are open-ended, inviting the interviewee to give you a detailed reply by relaying a story from their past. It also requires them to think critically about past experiences and behaviors in certain situations. This gives you insight into how they view themselves and their prior work performance.

FAQs about tell me about a time interview questions

How can I rephrase “tell me about a time” to make my interview questions less repetitive?

If you’re asking several tell me about a time interview questions, you may want to vary the lead-ins to add more variety to the conversation. You can phrase it as “describe a time when” or “think about a time when…, and tell me how you handled it?”

How are tell me about a time interview questions different from situational interview questions?

Tell me about a time interview questions ask candidates to discuss actual events from their lives. Situational interview questions introduce a hypothetical scenario and require candidates to describe how they would respond. An interview may include both question types to explore a candidate’s skills and qualifications.