Government Behavioral Interview Questions: A Guide for Job Seekers

Applying for a government job is a highly competitive process, and it requires a thorough understanding of the hiring process to succeed. Most government agencies utilize a behavioral interview approach when hiring employees. 

Behavioral interview questions are designed to assess your past behavior and performance in certain situations, to predict how you will behave in the future. 

In this article, we will explore the most common government behavioral interview questions and provide tips on how to prepare for the interview.

What Are Behavioral Interview Questions?

Behavioral interview questions are open-ended questions that seek specific examples of how a candidate has behaved in the past. They are designed to assess a candidate’s ability to handle situations in the workplace, analyze the candidate’s decision-making skills, and evaluate their problem-solving abilities. The interviewer will ask questions related to specific competencies or skills that are important for the role.

For example, if the job requires working in a team, the interviewer may ask questions like, “Can you tell us about a time when you worked with a difficult team member? How did you handle the situation?” or “Can you describe a time when you had to resolve a conflict within your team?”

Most Common Government Jobs

There are tons of jobs that fall within government agencies. If you’re curious about government jobs or aim to have one in the future, there are tons of places to explore. 

Here are the most common government jobs worth looking into and what they do:

• Records clerk, who’s responsible for keeping track of government records
• Librarian, someone who keeps track of library resources and provides relevant information to patrons
• Firefighter, a trained professional who extinguishes fires and assists in emergency circumstances
• Civil engineer, a type of engineer who improves and works on public systems and infrastructure projects
• Policy analyst, someone who conducts research and designs public policies
• Mail carrier, a person who delivers packages and mail to businesses and residences through the U.S. Postal Service
• Surveyor, someone who maps and measures various properties and land
• Compliance officer, a person who makes sure that businesses and other entities comply with the law
• Park ranger, someone in charge of protecting and preserving parks, which could include local, regional, state, or national parks
• Air traffic controller, a person in charge of assistant and directing aircraft like planes in a specific section of controlled airspace

Common Government Behavioral Interview Questions

Although government job interviews can vary pretty wildly, you can identify some frequently asked questions to best prepare. Here are some common government behavioral interview questions you should know:

1. Can you tell us about a time when you had to work under pressure to meet a deadline?

The interviewer wants to know how you handle pressure and prioritize tasks to meet deadlines. They also want to assess your time-management skills.

2. Can you describe a situation where you had to resolve a conflict with a coworker?

The interviewer wants to assess your ability to communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, and work collaboratively.

3. Can you tell us about a time when you had to make a difficult decision?

The interviewer wants to assess your decision-making skills, as well as your ability to weigh options and make the best choice.

4. Can you describe a time when you had to work with a difficult team member?

The interviewer wants to assess your ability to work with diverse personalities and resolve conflicts within a team.

5. Can you tell us about a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer?

The interviewer wants to assess your ability to remain calm under pressure, communicate effectively, and resolve conflicts.

6. Can you describe a project you worked on that required leadership skills?

The interviewer wants to assess your leadership skills, including your ability to motivate and manage a team, and make strategic decisions.

More Common Government Behavioral Interview Questions

In addition to those above top six questions, here are a few more common government behavioral interview questions to prepare for before your next interview:

• When did you first realize you wanted to work in a government agency?
• Describe your first time working in government. 
• Explain the role this organization plays within the sphere of government in plain language, as if you were talking to the general public.
• How would you interact with a worried citizen? 
• If you could change one thing about our current government, why would you implement this change and what would it be?

How to Prepare for a Government Job Interview

Preparing for a government job interview requires careful research and planning. Here are some tips to help you prepare:

1. Research the agency and the job.

Before the interview, research the agency and the job thoroughly. Understand the agency’s mission, objectives, and values. Review the job posting and identify the competencies and skills required for the role.

2. Review your resume and cover letter.

Review your resume and cover letter and identify your skills, experiences, and accomplishments that are relevant to the job. Be prepared to discuss these in detail during the interview.

3. Practice your responses to behavioral questions.

Practice responding to common behavioral questions with specific examples from your past experiences. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses.

4. Dress professionally.

Dress professionally and arrive at least 15 minutes early for the interview. Bring a copy of your resume, cover letter, and any other relevant documents.

5. Follow up after the interview.

After the interview, send a thank-you email or letter to the interviewer, reiterating your interest in the position.

Improve Your Interviewing Skills using Yoodli

To improve your interviewing skills, use Yoodli, an AI-powered interview coach that provides feedback on your key talking points, filler words, rambling, body language, and more. 

Yoodli can help you refine your responses and improve your confidence before the interview. In fact, this AI speech coach can even give you real-time tips and nudges during your actual government behavioral interview (that only you can see) to make sure you hit all your most important points. 

The best part? Yoodli is totally free, unlike most other speech coach apps.

The Key Takeaway

No matter what, it’s essential to practice government behavioral interview questions before your upcoming interview. 

You can always practice in front of a mirror, but with Yoodli, you’ll actually get actionable feedback to improve your interview. You can even take advantage of the real-time tips and nudges that only you can see during your interview. 

Sign up today to skip the guesswork and improve your chances of acing that government behavioral interview.