70 Interview Question Types and Examples

As a future manager, you’ll need to choose the right types of questions to ask during an employment interview. The goal is to gather relevant information that helps you assess each candidate’s experience, skills, and potential fit for the role.

Most structured interviews include a mix of the following question types.

Icebreaker Questions

Icebreaker questions are typically asked at the beginning of an interview to help the candidate feel more at ease. These questions help reduce tension, encourage natural conversation, and allow the interviewer to learn more about the candidate’s personality and communication style.

Examples:

• “Can you walk me through your resume?”

• “What drew you to apply for this position?”

• “How did you get into your current field?”

• “What kind of work environment helps you do your best work?”

• “What do you enjoy most about your current (or last) job?”

• “What’s a professional accomplishment you’re especially proud of?”

Behavioural Questions

Behavioural questions focus on how the candidate has acted in specific past situations. The idea is that past behaviour is one of the best predictors of future performance. These questions often begin with “Tell me about a time when…” or “Describe a situation where…”

Encourage candidates to use the STAR method to answer:

• Situation: What was the context?

• Task: What was the challenge or objective?

• Action: What action did they take?

• Result: What was the outcome?

Examples:

• “Tell me about a time when you had to meet a tight deadline. How did you manage your time?”

• “Describe a time when you faced a conflict with a colleague. What did you do?”

• “Give an example of a goal you set for yourself and how you achieved it.”

• “Tell me about a time you made a mistake at work. What did you learn from it?”

• “Describe a situation where you had to learn something quickly to complete a task.”

• “Give an example of a time you went above and beyond your job responsibilities.”

Situational (Hypothetical) Questions

Situational or hypothetical questions present a future scenario and ask how the candidate would handle it. This helps you assess the candidate’s judgment, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in real-time.

Examples:

• “What would you do if you disagreed with your supervisor about how to complete a project?”

• “Imagine a team member is not pulling their weight. How would you handle it?”

• “How would you respond if a customer asked for a service your company doesn’t offer?”

• “You’re given a task with little direction and a short deadline. What steps would you take?”

• “What would you do if you realized you made a mistake on an important report after submitting it?”

Technical Questions

Technical questions assess whether the candidate has the required knowledge or skills to perform the job. These may involve theoretical knowledge, practical application, or even mini performance tasks depending on the role.

Examples:

• “What programming languages are you proficient in?”

• “How would you debug a system error that only appears under certain conditions?”

• “How do you ensure accuracy when handling financial records?”

Occupation-Specific Questions

These questions are tailored to the responsibilities and context of the specific job. They give you insight into whether the candidate understands the role’s requirements.

Examples:

• (For a teacher)”How do you approach lesson planning to meet diverse student needs?”

• (For a customer service role)”How do you manage a difficult customer while maintaining company policy?”

• (For a marketing role)”How do you decide which platform to prioritize in a new campaign?”

Follow-Up or Probing Questions

Follow-up or probing questions clarify or expand on a candidate’s initial response. They help uncover deeper insights into a candidate’s experience, motivation, or behaviour.

Examples:

• “Can you tell me more about the challenges you faced in that situation?”

• “What was the result of that project, and how did you measure its success?”

• “Why did you take that particular approach?”

• “Looking back, would you have done anything differently?”

Tip: Using a mix of question types—and preparing them in advance—helps ensure a fair, consistent, and effective interview process. This gives candidates the best opportunity to show their qualifications and helps you make informed hiring decisions.

Sample Interview Script

Here’s a brief sample interview script for someone in construction management hiring for a site supervisor or foreperson role. It includes icebreakers, technical, situational, behavioural, and follow-up questions to guide the conversation and assess key competencies.

1. Welcome and Introduction (1–2 minutes)
“Thanks for coming in today. I look forward to learning more about your experience and seeing how you fit with our team. I’ll start with a few general questions, then move into more specific examples from your past work.”

2. Icebreaker Questions (2–3 minutes)

• “Can you walk me through your résumé and highlight the projects you’re most proud of?”

• “What attracted you to this position with our company?”

• “How did you get into construction management?”

3. Technical Knowledge (5–7 minutes)

• “How do you ensure a project stays on schedule and within budget?”

• “What experience do you have with reading and interpreting blueprints and specifications?”

• “Which project management tools or software are you familiar with?”

• “What safety certifications do you hold, and how do you enforce safety on site?”

4. Situational Questions (5–7 minutes)

• “What would you do if a subcontractor didn’t attend a critical task on a busy project day?”

• “How would you handle a situation where a client requests a last-minute change that affects the schedule?”

• “You’re managing a team that’s falling behind schedule. What steps would you take to get back on track?”

5. Behavioural Questions (5–7 minutes)

• “Tell me about a time you dealt with a conflict between crew members. How did you handle it?”

• “Describe a situation where you had to manage multiple priorities at once. What was your approach?”

• “Give an example of a project that didn’t go as planned. What happened, and what did you learn?”

6. Follow-Up / Probing Questions (as needed)

• “What was the outcome of that project?”

• “What made that approach effective, in your opinion?”

• “Looking back, would you have done anything differently?”

7. Closing (2–3 minutes)

• “Do you have any questions about the role, our team, or the projects we typically handle?”

• “We’ll complete interviews this week and make decisions by [insert timeframe]. Thanks again for your time today.”

Tip: You can customize this script and the time spent on each type of question based on the role, experience level required, or specific project needs (e.g., residential vs. commercial, union vs. non-union environments).

Attribution

This section was adapted from Chapter 20 “Employment Interview” in Human Resources Management – Canadian Edition and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.

References

References are at the end of this chapter.