Interview Questions: Types, Examples, and How to Ask and Answer Them

TL;DR

• Four families of questions. Most interviews mix open and closed questions with behavioral, situational, and competency types.
• Behavioral predicts behavior. Past actions are a stronger signal of future performance than hypothetical intentions.
• Structure drives fairness. Asking every candidate the same questions and scoring them against a rubric mitigates the impact of bias.
• Some questions are illegal. Questions about protected characteristics expose your organization to EEOC complaints and lawsuits.
• STAR makes answers comparable. Situation, Task, Action, Result responses are easier to rate against a defined standard.
• Candidates should ask, too. Thoughtful questions from a candidate signal preparation and genuine interest.

Interview questions are the prompts an interviewer uses to assess whether a candidate can do the job, and they fall into a handful of well-defined types. The right mix of questions helps hiring teams predict performance, compare applicants fairly, and stay on the right side of employment law. This guide explains each type of question, gives examples you can adapt, and shows how to evaluate answers consistently. It also covers the most common questions candidates face and the smart questions they should ask back.

VidCruiter has helped hiring teams run fair, consistent interviews for over a decade. The methods below draw on structured interviews, the most predictive interview format, and on video interviewing tools that let you record and score responses.

What Are Interview Questions?

Interview questions are structured prompts that interviewers use to gather evidence about a candidate's skills, experience, judgment, and fit for a role. The strongest questions are job-related, asked of every applicant, and scored against a clear standard.

Most questions fall into one of two formats and then into one of three evidence types.
The two formats are closed and open. Closed-ended questions can be answered with "yes" or "no" and often appear early as knockout questions during screening, such as "Are you legally allowed to work in this country?" Open-ended questions invite a fuller response and make up most of a real interview, such as "Why are you seeking this role?"

The three evidence types are behavioral, situational, and competency-based. Each gathers a different kind of proof: what a candidate has done, what they would do, and what they can do. Used together inside a structured interview, they give a well-rounded, comparable picture of every applicant.

What's the Difference Between Behavioral, Situational, and Competency-Based Questions?

Behavioral, situational, and competency-based questions all assess job suitability, but they pull evidence from different places. It is not about choosing one type. The most reliable interviews combine all three.

Behavioral questions reveal a candidate's thought process and how they have handled real challenges. Situational questions show how they reason through new problems on the spot. Competency-based questions confirm whether they hold the specific abilities the role demands. The sections below break down each type and how to score it.

How Do Behavioral Interview Questions Work?

Behavioral interview questions are open-ended prompts that ask a candidate to describe past experiences relevant to the role. Answers reveal how a person actually behaved, which is a strong predictor of how they will perform in the future.

To build them, first identify the core competencies the role requires, such as decision-making, persuasion, or problem-solving. Then write questions that surface whether the candidate has shown those traits before. They usually open with "Tell me about a time," "Describe a situation when," or "Have you ever," and close with "What was the outcome?" or "How did you handle it?"

These questions work because people often misjudge their own behavior. In one study published in the Journal of Homosexuality, nearly half of participants said they would confront someone using a homophobic slur, yet none of those who actually heard one did. Asking about real events, rather than intentions, gives a clearer read on future conduct.

What Behavioral Questions Reveal

• Future behavior. A 2019 Personnel Psychology study found that pairing behavioral evidence with cognitive ability and personality assessment improves prediction of on-the-job success.
• Soft skills. Communication, teamwork, and leadership show up in how candidates describe handling real situations. According to LinkedIn's 2019 Global Talent Trends report, 75% of talent professionals use behavioral questions to assess soft skills.
• Fit and honesty. A candidate who cannot give concrete examples may not have the experience they claim.

How to Evaluate Behavioral Answers

Use the STAR format to keep responses comparable. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result: the candidate describes the context, the objective, what they did, and what happened. A candidate who answers in STAR has usually prepared well.

Pair every question with an interview scorecard that defines in advance what a strong answer sounds like. Then listen for patterns across answers, evidence of learning from past mistakes, and the attitude traits your top performers share.

Example Behavioral Questions by Competency

How Do Situational Interview Questions Work?

Situational interview questions present a hypothetical, role-relevant scenario and ask the candidate how they would respond. Unlike behavioral questions, they assess critical thinking and judgment rather than recollection of past events.

They typically begin with "What would you do if," "How would you react if," or "How do you plan to." Because the candidate develops most of the answer in real time, the response reveals how they evaluate options, handle ambiguity, and find solutions under mild pressure.

Why Use Situational Questions

• Gauge cognitive ability. You see how a candidate processes information and works through a problem from scratch.
• Surface adaptability. Spontaneous answers show how someone thinks on their feet.
• Compare answers cleanly. Because every candidate faces the same scenario, responses are easy to rate side by side.
• Reveal strengths and gaps. Hypotheticals expose where a candidate excels and where they struggle.

Common Types of Situational Questions

Match the scenario to the competencies the role needs. Common categories and what each reveals:

How to Evaluate Situational Answers

Score responses with an interview scorecard, and look for four things: relevant experience applied to the scenario, clearly communicated ideas, realistic solutions, and signs of growth from past challenges. Candidates can still use the STAR method here by grounding a hypothetical answer in a real example. As part of interview training, teach interviewers to listen for how the person identified the issue, weighed options, and reached a solution.

How Do Competency-Based Interview Questions Work?

Competency-based interview questions assess how well a candidate displays the specific knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that drive performance in a defined role. They are tied directly to the job and to your organization's values.

Two things must exist before you write them: a shared definition of what "competency" means in your organization, and a competency model you can build questions from. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion defines competencies as "the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that contribute to individual and organizational performance.

How to Choose Which Competencies to Assess

Use a job analysis to identify the competencies a role requires. A job analysis is a systematic process for determining a job's duties and requirements and how important each one is. You can run one by distributing a questionnaire, interviewing current staff, observing the work directly, or reviewing a work log.

Common competencies employers assess include accountability, collaboration, communication, customer focus, leadership, and integrity. Build a mix of organization-wide and role-specific competencies, then write one or two questions for each.

Example Competency Questions

• Accountability: "Describe a situation where a project you owned did not go as planned. What did you do, and what did you learn?"
• Collaboration: "Share an example of a challenging team project. How did you contribute, and how did you handle conflict?"
• Communication: "Describe a time you communicated a complex strategy to someone unfamiliar with the subject. How did you confirm they understood?"

To write your own, pick a competency, define how it shows up in the role, draft a question that lets the candidate demonstrate it, and note what a strong answer looks like.

What Are Illegal Interview Questions?

Illegal interview questions are questions that ask about legally protected characteristics rather than a candidate's ability to do the job. Unless a question is job-related and necessary to the operation of the business, asking about personal attributes can put your organization on the radar of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and expose it to complaints, investigations, and lawsuits.

Avoiding these questions is not only about risk. It produces a better candidate experience, more objective hiring decisions, and stronger employer branding.

The Legal Framework

Several U.S. federal laws govern discrimination in hiring:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects equal opportunity in hiring for people with disabilities.
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects workers aged over 40.
• Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) prohibits use of genetic information in employment decisions.

Topics to Avoid

Steer clear of questions about protected characteristics, including age, race, religion, national origin, marital or family status, pregnancy, disability, and genetic information. Bias often enters unintentionally through small talk, so train interviewers to keep every question tied to job requirements.

Ask the Job-Related Version Instead

Most personal questions have a lawful, work-focused alternative:

The most reliable safeguard is a structured interview: a fixed set of job-related questions asked of every candidate that keeps the conversation lawful and consistent.

What Are the Most Common Interview Questions, and How Do You Answer Them?

The most common interview questions are broad, open prompts that nearly every candidate will face. Preparing for them in advance is the single best way to walk in confident. Below are six of the most frequent questions and how to answer each well.

"Tell Me About Yourself"

Lead with your professional story. Aim for roughly 80% professional and 20% personal, summarizing your most relevant skills, experience, and education before adding one or two personal touches. Tailor it to the role so the interviewer immediately sees your fit.

"Why Are You Interested in This Job?"

Show genuine motivation and never criticize a current or former employer. Explain what drew you to the posting, how you see yourself fitting into the company's culture.

"What Are Your Biggest Strengths?"

Sound capable without sounding arrogant. Name a concrete transferable skill and a soft skill, and back each with a brief example of how it helped at work.

"What Do You Know About Our Company?"

Demonstrate that you did your homework. Speak to the organization's products or services, where it operates, its likely competitors, and its mission or values. If something is unclear, ask a thoughtful clarifying question.

"Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?"

Show that you plan ahead. Describe realistic professional aspirations and the steps to reach them, keeping the focus on growth within roles like the one you are interviewing for.

"What Makes You the Right Person for This Position?"

Treat this as your elevator pitch. Explain what sets you apart, how your background prepares you for the role, and a specific result you delivered in a similar position.

Tips for Answering Any Interview Question

• Be honest. Starting a job on a misrepresentation rarely ends well.
• Be authentic. Practice so you sound natural rather than scripted.
• Relax. It is normal to feel interview nerves; a deep breath before answering helps.

For more, read our guide on how to ace your video interview.

What Questions Should Candidates Ask the Interviewer?

Candidates should always prepare questions to ask the interviewer, because asking none can signal a lack of preparation or interest. Research from Harvard Business School found a consistent link between asking questions, especially follow-ups, and being better liked by the other person.

Before choosing questions, research the organization, look up your interviewers, review the job description closely, and clarify your own goals. Then pick a few questions from each category below.

About the Role

• "What are the biggest challenges someone in this role will face?"
• "How is success in this role measured?"
• "What growth or development opportunities does the role offer?"

About the Team and Company

• "How are the company's core values reflected in day-to-day work?"
• "How would you describe the team's culture?"
• "Where does the company expect to be in five years?"

About the Process

• "What do you enjoy most about working here?"
• "What is a lesson that made you more successful in your role?"

About the Interviewer

• "What are the next steps, and when can I expect to hear back?"
• "Is there anything else I can do to prepare for the next stage?"

Avoid asking about anything already answered in the job description, practice your questions aloud, and watch the clock so you lead with what matters most.

How Do You Build and Evaluate a Strong Set of Interview Questions?

A strong interview question set is structured, job-related, and scored the same way for every candidate. The pieces fit together in a clear sequence.

1. Run a job analysis. Identify the competencies the role actually requires before writing a single question.
2. Build an interview guide. Document the exact questions, in order, that every interviewer will ask.
3. Mix question types. Combine behavioral, situational, and competency questions so you capture past behavior, judgment, and skill.
4. Open gently. Start with behavioral or competency questions before introducing complex hypotheticals, which can rattle candidates if asked too early.
5. Score with a rubric. Rate every answer on an interview scorecard, ideally with a panel, so judgment is consistent.

This is the core of structured interviews. Multiple studies show structured interviews improve hiring; the U.S. Office of Personnel Management notes they increase interviewers' agreement on evaluations by limiting individual discretion. Asking every candidate the same job-related questions and scoring them against the same standard is what mitigates the impact of hiring bias.

How Does VidCruiter Help You Ask Better Interview Questions?

VidCruiter turns a question set into a repeatable, scorable process. Its structured interview platform standardizes the questions every candidate receives and pairs them with digital scorecards, so interviewers rate answers against the same rubric.

How VidCruiter Compares to Unstructured Interviewing

AI That Assists Human Decisions

VidCruiter's AI Interview Scoring rates the content of recorded answers against a client-approved rubric, and human reviewers keep final authority over every decision. AI Interview Notes generate a structured summary during the interview. Used this way, AI supports interviewers and helps mitigate the impact of bias rather than replacing human judgment.

Why Hiring Teams Choose VidCruiter

• Consistency by design. Every candidate answers the same job-related questions, scored the same way.
• A defensible record. Recorded responses and rubric scores create an audit trail for interview compliance.
• Faster, fairer reviews. Panels can rewatch and rescore without rescheduling anyone.

VidCruiter is a strong fit for teams that interview at volume or in regulated sectors. Small teams running one or two informal chats a year may not need this depth, and that is a fair trade to name.

Explore the VidCruiter Platform

• Structured interviews: Standardize questions and scoring across every candidate.
• Pre-recorded video interviews: Send set questions for candidates to answer on demand.
• Live video interviews: Conduct real-time interviews from anywhere.
• Interview Management System: Organize questions, panels, and scores in one place.
• AI Interview Scoring: Rate recorded answers against a client-approved rubric.
• AI Interview Notes: Generate structured interview summaries automatically.
• Skills Testing: Verify role-specific abilities before the interview.
• Applicant Tracking System: Manage candidates from application to offer.