4 types of UX/user research interview questions you should prepare for
No two UX Research interviews are the same. But after going through quite a few of them, I started noticing patterns and realising I could’ve been way more prepared early on.
Here’s a breakdown of the question types I’ve encountered, and what actually helped me handle them.
1 | Behavioral and Situational Questions
These are the “get to know you” questions that dig into who you are as a researcher.
- Tell me about yourself. I like the Present-Past-Future structure: who you are now, a bit of your background, and why this company. Depending on the vibe of the conversation, I’d spend at least two minutes on this — enough to give a real answer, not a rehearsed speech. Your story matters here. Interviewers aren’t just trying to fill in a timeline; they want to understand what drives you.
- Why do you want to work here? Actually research the company. Pick one or two things that genuinely resonate with you and connect them to what you bring. Vague enthusiasm doesn’t land — specificity does.
- Strengths and weaknesses? For strengths, keep it grounded in your actual day-to-day work. For weaknesses, just be honest. And please don’t say you’re “a bit of a perfectionist.” Yawn.
- Tell me about a time you faced X… Use STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result. The part researchers most often skip is the Result, because we get excited talking about the complexity of the project. Don’t skip it.
Top tip: Your best prep material is the job description. Read it carefully and build your stories around what they’re actually asking for.
Have at least three ready covering things like critical thinking, collaboration, and leading work, so you’re not scrambling mid-interview.
2 | Portfolio Review
Most companies will ask you to walk through a past project. One thing I’d push back on though: don’t rely on a single case study. Researchers are often assessed on range, i.e. the variety of methods they’ve used and the types of problems they’ve tackled.
Top tip: Having one deck ready to walk through a project end-to-end is genuinely useful.
And even if a portfolio isn’t asked for upfront, having something prepared before you start applying saves a lot of last-minute stress.
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3 | Take-Home Case Studies
In my experience, these almost always involve writing a research plan. A few things worth keeping in mind:
- The brief will probably be vague , and that’s intentional. Show that you can interrogate it, not just execute it.
- Justify your method choices against the objectives and timeline. “I chose this because…” is table stakes. “I chose this over X because…” is what stands out.
- Know the product. The more you understand what the company actually makes, the more grounded your case study will feel.
- Don’t over-prepare your presentation. Leave room for the Q&A. That’s often where the real conversation happens.
One thing that tripped me up early on: I once gave a very detailed, technical answer about why I chose a particular statistical method. The feedback was that I’d focused “too much on technicalities and not enough on business impact.” I disagreed with how the question was framed, honestly. But it taught me to always hold both threads at once: the rigour and the so-what.
4 | On-the-Spot Rigour Test
Here the interviewer gives you a hypothetical scenario — often from their own product or a familiar company — and asks you to choose a method and defend it. It sounds simple. It rarely feels simple in the moment.
Top tip: The biggest mistake is rushing straight to an answer. Instead, ask questions first. It buys you time, yes, but more importantly, it’s actually what a good researcher does. You’d never choose a method without understanding the context, so don’t pretend to in an interview either.
After your initial answer, expect follow-up curveballs. New constraints, shifting timelines, stakeholder conflicts. Your job is to adapt, not to defend your first instinct at all costs.
A few last things
If you don’t know something, just say so. I once asked an interviewer to explain the method they were referencing, and it turned out they didn’t know what it was either. Asking questions shows curiosity, not weakness.
And if your gut tells you mid-answer that you’ve gone the wrong direction, it’s okay to course-correct out loud. “Actually, let me give you a better example” beats pushing through a story that doesn’t fit.
If you don’t get the job, that’s rarely just about you. There are so many factors at play. You’ll be okay.
Carin is a UX Researcher currently based in the UK, where she first arrived as a master’s student in behavioral economics. Prior to moving, she built over 5 years of experience as a Digital Researcher and User Researcher in Indonesia, working at several tech companies and supporting clients across various agencies through her insights and research expertise.
