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Behavioral interviewing is commonly used by most employers today. They can be difficult to answer if you
haven’t prepared yourself for them.
So what are behavioral questions?
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They are questions that usually start with “Tell me about a time when… or describe a situation… or how
would you handle…?”
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You have the opportunity to share in an interview the skills you have used in the past to be successful in
various situations.
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The premise behind “Behavioral Interviewing” is that past experiences, behavior and success can help
predict future behavior and success.
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A good way to answer these types of questions is to remember the STAR method:
S
ituation:
Describe the situation that you were in or the task that you needed to accomplish. You
must describe a specific event or situation.
T
ask:
Be sure to give enough detail for the interviewer to understand. This situation can be from
a previous job, a volunteer experience, or any relevant event.
A
ction:
Describe the action you took and be sure to keep the focus on you. Even if you are
discussing a group project or effort, describe what you did to contribute to the project.
Don’t tell what you might do, tell what you did.
R
esults:
What happened? How did the event end? What did you accomplish? What did you
achieve and/or learn?
So get your stories ready and practice telling what makes you a ‘
STAR
’ candidate for the position.
Past Behavior
Future Behavior
Past Successes
Future Successes