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Decision making Interview Questions

Edited by Indeed Employer Content Team
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Decision making interview questions and answers.

  1. Can you define critical thinking? See answer
  2. If you were tasked with recruiting employees, how would you decide between two good candidates? See answer
  3. Are you comfortable asking for help? See answer
  4. How would you help your team meet a deadline if you noticed they were falling behind? See answer
  5. Have you ever made an unpopular decision on behalf of your team? See answer
  6. How do you prioritise multiple tasks? See answer
  7. Describe how you make decisions when information is limited. See answer
  8. Do you ever make decisions based on your gut instinct? See answer
  9. What types of decisions were you required to make at your previous job? 
  10. How do you react in situations where you’re required to make immediate decisions?
  11. Describe an instance where you delayed making a decision. 
  12. How would you handle conflict between two team members?
  13. How do you approach making decisions when you have multiple options to consider?
  14. Do you have a specific process you follow when making decisions?
  15. Have you ever made an informed decision that turned out to be wrong?
  16. Define collaborative learning
  17. Do you make better decisions within a group or on your own?
  18. Provide an example of an effective decision you made at your last job
  19. Do you always analyse the pros and cons before making final decisions?
  20. How do you adapt to difficult situations?
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

10 Decision making Interview Questions and Answers

Have you ever made an unpopular decision on behalf of your team?

This is a good question for candidates interviewing for managerial or supervisory positions. How an interviewee answers can help employers gain a better understanding of how they would make decisions based on facts and what's right for the company, even if certain team members didn't agree. Here's what to look for in an answer:

  • Strong decision-making skills
  • Critical thinking skills
  • Strong ethics and morals
Example:

'I was team manager at my last job, and we collectively underestimated how long a certain project would take. I had already given the client the time estimate, but we were running behind. It was a Friday, and the due date was the following Monday, so I decided on behalf of my team that we were going to work over the weekend to get the work done. My team was not happy with me at first, but the client was glad to receive the project on the promised d

How do you prioritise multiple tasks?

How an applicant answers this interview question gives an employer insight into how they utilise their decision-making skills to determine whether certain tasks should take priority over others. This is a good question for managerial candidates who may be responsible for delegating work to team members. Here's what to look for in an answer:

  • Critical thinking skills
  • Willingness to work as a team player
  • Ability to multitask
Example:

'I typically prioritise multiple tasks by order of importance or due dates. If all tasks are equally important or have the same due date, I may try to multitask by working on one project for an hour, moving to the next project for an hour and so on. Essentially, I divide my time equally on all projects.'

Do you ever make decisions based on your gut instinct?

How a potential employee answers this question can help an employer understand whether they're someone who can think on their feet when decisions need to be made quickly. This doesn't take away from the fact that some decisions must be carefully weighed up, but it can show that the applicant trusts their instincts as well. Here's what to look for in an answer:

  • Decision-making confidence
  • Critical thinking skills
  • Good communication techniques
Example:

'I believe that it's best to analyse all available information before making a work-related decision, but I know that's not always possible. I definitely make decisions based on my gut instinct in daily life, and I'm willing to do so in the workplace whenever necessary.'

How would you help your team meet a deadline if you noticed they were falling behind?

This question is essential when interviewing management or supervisor candidates. How they answer can provide insight into their leadership process and help employers gauge if they are willing to jump in and help with pressing issues. Here's what to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to shift focus when necessary
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Positive leadership qualities
Example:

'Even when I'm working as a manager, I consider myself equal to my team members, and I am not above jumping in and helping out. Missed deadlines reflect on the entire company. To help my team, I would ask each member what they needed, and then I would work with them to get the job done correctly and on time.'

What types of decisions were you required to make at your previous job?

This is a good question for all types of positions that require sound decision-making skills. How a candidate answers can help employers determine whether their decision-making process works well with the position they're interviewing for. Here's what to look for in an answer:

  • Openness to new ideas
  • Good critical thinking skills
  • Team player mentality
Example:

'At my previous job, I managed a team of five employees at a grocery shop. I made scheduling decisions each week when I planned the employee schedules, and I was required to decide which specific tasks those employees were to complete during each shift.'

Are you comfortable asking for help?

While leadership skills and the ability to make decisions without the input of others are essential for many positions, it's also important for employees to be comfortable asking for assistance when necessary. How a candidate answers this question can help show whether they're open to collaboration and comfortable working with others. Here's what to look for in an answer:

  • Willingness to ask for help when necessary
  • Open to learning new things
  • Good communication skills
Example:

'I will admit that I am kind of stubborn and don't usually ask for help unless there's no way I can come up with a solution on my own. However, I understand that this position requires collaboration with others, and I am willing to compromise when at work. I won't let my personal traits interfere with my ability to do a good job.'

Can you define critical thinking?

Critical thinking requires individuals to carefully assess issues before reaching a conclusion. The ability to utilise critical thinking skills is important in many different positions, so a good candidate should have a basic understanding of how this type of thinking applies to both work and daily life. Here's what to look for in an answer:

  • Clear understanding of critical thinking
  • Strong decision-making skills
  • Demonstration that they're an independent thinker
Example:

'Critical thinking is basically evaluating all of the information and facts in any issue or problem to form a logical conclusion. I believe that people use critical thinking skills in all aspects of life from deciding what groceries to buy to making decisions for Fortune 500 companies.'

If you were tasked with recruiting employees, how would you decide between two good candidates?

While this question is geared toward managerial candidates, it's also a good question for employees at all levels as the answers provided can give employers an idea of an applicant's overall decision-making and critical thinking skills. Here's what to look for in an answer:

  • Strong critical thinking skills
  • Ability to think outside the box
  • Willingness to be fair and impartial
Example:

'That's a tough question because I think it would be difficult to determine the better choice of two equally qualified candidates. I would most likely choose the candidate with more experience in relation to the job, but if both candidates were equally experienced, I would have to go with my instincts to make my final decision.'

Describe an instance where you delayed making a decision.

How an applicant responds to this question can provide insight into their process of weighing the pros and cons before making a decision. It can also help an employer determine whether the candidate is analytical or tends to go with their instincts when drawing a conclusion. Here's what to look for in an answer:

  • Reflective thinking skills
  • Strong analytical thinking skills
  • Desire to do what's best for the company
Example:

'I was planning on purchasing a plane ticket. I like to plan my travel a month in advance to ensure everything is in order, but a friend let me know that the airline I was planning to use offered discounted rates once a month. The next date to purchase the discounted tickets was only two weeks before my desired travel dates, but I made the decision to hold off on my purchase until I could get the discount.'

Describe how you make decisions when information is limited.

In certain situations in both work and daily life, people must make decisions even when they don't have all the facts. While an applicant's specific thought process can vary depending on the situation, someone with good decision-making skills would be willing to get creative and think outside the box to obtain as much information as possible. Here's what to look for in an answer:

  • Candidate demonstrates flexibility
  • Good problem-solving skills
  • Strong communication skills
Example:

'I usually try to gather as much information as possible when making a decision. If facts are limited, I may ask my colleagues for more information or conduct additional research on my own. If the only information available isn't enough to make an informed decision, my only other option is to trust my instincts. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes I make the wrong decision.'

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