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Last Updated on December 20, 2024
Behavioral interviewing is a highly effective approach designed to uncover the skills and experiences that make a candidate a strong fit for a role. By focusing on past behaviors and performance, this method helps employers predict how you’ll handle similar situations in the future.
Whether you’re new to this style of interviewing or looking to refine your responses, understanding the principles and preparing thoughtful examples can make all the difference. In this article, you’ll learn how to identify key skills, craft impactful answers using the STAR method, and avoid common pitfalls to stand out as a top candidate.
What This Article Covers
- Understand what behavioral interviewing is and how it focuses on past performance to predict future success.
- Learn how to prepare for behavioral interviews by identifying key skills required for the role.
- Discover commonly assessed skills such as
collaboration ,time management , and adaptability. - Explore sample behavioral
interview questions and what they aim to assess. - Master the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers effectively.
- Gain tips for avoiding common mistakes during behavioral interviews, such as rambling or lacking professional examples.
- Find strategies to buy time for thoughtful responses and highlight your contributions.
- Learn how to present yourself confidently while maintaining honesty and professionalism in your answers.
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What is Behavioral Interviewing?
A popular interviewing style is the behavioral interview approach. This is a research-based process that allows a
When you arrive at an interview that utilizes the behavioral method, the interviewer will go over
what to expect and explain that they’re looking for specific work-related experiences that demonstrate particular skills.
Ace your next interview with confidence. Learn how to master behavioral questions, craft impactful STAR method answers, and avoid common pitfalls. Turn your experiences into success stories. #JobInterviews #CareerTipsClick To TweetBefore meeting the interviewers, identify what skills you think are most important to be successful in the job. List specific examples of how you’ve demonstrated proficiency in each of these areas.
There are a few commonly assessed skills:
- Collaboration and Teamwork
- Time Management
- Adaptability (i.e., problem-solving)
- Client-facing skills (e.g., difficult customers)
- Initiative and Enthusiasm
- Communication
- Motivation and Values (i.e., work ethic and ethos)
- Conflict Resolution
What Do Behavioral Interviewing Questions Sound Like?
Questions and prompts often begin with a phrase like “Tell me about a time…” or “Give me an example of…” Here are a few sample questions with the skill they assess:
- Can you give me an example of a goal reached and how it was achieved?
- Tell me about a time you had to work with a
team to complete a project on time. What was your input?
(Collaboration and Teamwork)
- Give me an example of a time you demonstrated initiative.
(Initiative)
- Give me an example of a time you were able to be creative with your work. What was exciting or difficult about it?
(Motivation and Values)
- Give me an example of a time when you had to think on your feet in order to remove yourself from a difficult or awkward situation.
(Ability to Adapt)
No Mistakes Interviews…
...will teach you how to:
- Prepare for the interview.
- Identify the company’s primary need.
- Assess your skills as they relate to that need.
- Sell yourself as the solution.
How Should You Answer Behavioral Interviewing Questions?
One of Gene’s past clients, DDI (Developmental Dimensions International), is credited with a technique called the STAR Method, which helps you craft your responses. This technique assists you in staying focused, concise, and specific.
STAR stands for:
Situation
Task
Action
Result
When answering an interview question, overview each of these parts in a response that is no longer than two minutes. DDI groups S and T together, but we separate them in our explanation.
Situation – What is the situation you were in? Set the stage for the story. Keep it short and simple.
Task – Describe the goal at hand. Keep it concise and extremely specific.
Action – Explain the actions you took to overcome the challenge; focus on your individual contribution. This should be the most in-depth portion of the response.
Result – Describe the outcome of your efforts. For impact, quantify the results. You can also share how you grew because of the situation. Be brief and focused.
The STAR method is a structured manner of responding to interview questions by discussing the specific Situation, Task, Action, and Result of the situation you are describing. This technique helps you create an easy-to-follow story with a clear conflict and resolution.
Common Mistakes
- Problem: You can’t think of a good example, so you wing it.
Solution: To avoid rambling about random work experiences (and score poorly), buy yourself more time to reflect. Say, “Great question. Can we come back to it? I want to think about it to ensure I respond thoughtfully.”
- Problem: You talk about the
team more than yourself.
Solution: Don’t be modest! To avoid this, use “me” and “I” statements instead of “us” and “we.” The interviewers want to know about your specific role in a collaborative project.
- Problem: You share more examples from
college or your personal life than your career.
Solution: Focus on professional examples. Stick with your work experience, although at times, academic situations or volunteer work could apply.
- Problem: You lie.
Solution: Do not create stories. It will undermine your credibility, which will come back to hurt you if hired. It can also make you appear disingenuous.
Good luck! Be sure to prepare and share your experience thoughtfully, and all else will fall into place.
Grad to Grown-Up: 68 Tips to Excel in Your Personal and Professional Life is a unique self-help book that offers a roadmap to kickstart your future. Rags-to-riches author and CEO Gene Rice and his high school English teacher daughter Courtney Bejgrowicz demystify adulthood by sharing critical information alongside professional and personal successes and failures.
