Sample PBI Questions
PBI questions focus on past behaviors or hypothetical situations that allow candidates to demonstrate their job-relevant competencies. When responding to questions, remember the STAR, PAR, SOAR, and CCAR methods. Your responses should describe a specific work or performance situation, the task you were required to perform, the actions taken on your part, and the result of your actions.
To illustrate the PBI process, we provide an example behavioral and situational interview question with good and poor responses using the STAR method.
Behavioral Interview
Question: Give a specific example of a time you had to deal with an upset co-worker, patient, or other customer. What was the person upset about, and how did you handle it? What was the outcome?
Competency: Interpersonal Skills – Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
| Good Response | Poor Response |
| Situation: While working on a group project, a co-worker became visibly upset due to miscommunication and differing expectations about a project deadline. This happened at a critical time in our project and had the potential to jeopardize our team’s progress. | Situation: A co-worker that I was assigned to work with one day was upset about something that happened at work the day before. |
| Task: As a member of the team, I wanted to address the situation in a timely manner, so we could continue working effectively and positively as a group. | Task: My task was to calm them down so that we could work together. |
| Action: I approached the upset co-worker in a private setting and acknowledged the concerns that they had expressed earlier. I allowed them time to vent their frustrations and listened to their concerns. I summarized their concerns and proposed a potential solution to address the miscommunication and get everyone back on the same page. | Action: I approached my co-worker and asked them what was wrong. I tried to explain things calmly in hopes that it would make them feel better. I asked my boss to help as well. |
| Result: The co-worker appreciated that I listened to and validated their feelings. We addressed the differences in expectations and established a better way for communicating in the future so miscommunications would not happen again. By addressing the issue directly we were able to resolve the difference promptly, so it did not jeopardize the project. The solutions we implemented improved our team’s working relationship. | Result: Eventually, they seemed to calm down, and we continued working together for the rest of the day. It was a difficult situation, but I tried my best. |
Situational Interview
Question: A family member approaches you and has questions about the care their loved one received. How would you approach the situation to address their concerns and ensure they feel heard and reassured about the care of their family member
Competency: Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
| Good Response | Poor Response |
| Situation: A family member approaches me with concerns about the quality of care their loved one received. | Situation: An upset family member approaches you about an issue concerning their loved one. |
| Task: I want to make sure the family member feels heard, address their concerns, and ensure them that their loved one is receiving exceptional care. | Task: I want to reassure the family member and resolve the issue as quickly as possible. |
| Action: I would actively listen to their concerns and give them time to express their feelings without interruption. I would validate their emotions and express my understanding for their feelings of concern. I would let them know that we take their concerns seriously and explain relevant protocols regarding care. I would also let them know that we are committed to providing the best care for their family member. I would share their concerns with relevant colleagues and providers, so others are aware. I would follow-up after the conversation to ensure their concerns had been addressed. | Action: I would reassure them that everything is fine and that they should not worry because we provide great care. I would try to redirect the conversation so others would not hear what they are saying. |
| Result: With this approach, I would hope to gain a good understanding of their needs, build trust, and let them know that our goal is to provide their family member with exceptional care. I would know my actions were successful by confirming that the issue was resolved, and their expectations were satisfied. | Result: I would hope to resolve the issue as fast as I could so it did not become a big deal. |
PBI Questions -Microsoft Excel Version
PBI Questions- Microsoft Word Version
