Using The STAR Method To Answer Behavioral Interview Questions

Original article appeared on WilsonCTS blog.

Preparing for an interview, you've likely felt ready to tell the interviewer about yourself and professional experience. Yet, when asked to recount a time when you felt challenged, or better yet, what you learned from a failure, did you find yourself nervously repeating the question, while desperately scanning your mind for a good example? Or worse, did your mind go completely blank?

The interview tips in this blog will explain the purpose of behavioral interview questions from the employer’s perspective, give examples of common questions and present an action plan for you to nail them in your next interview.

WHAT ARE BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS?

Behavioral interviewing aims to learn about a candidate’s past behaviors in a specific work situation. This interviewing technique is gaining popularity among employers, based on the premise that past performance is the most precise predictor of future performance. Employers observe your answers to assess not only your competency needed for the job, but also cultural fit.

Examples of behavioral-based job interview questions are:

• Give me an example of a time you faced a conflict while working on a team. How did you handle that?
• Tell me about a time you were under a lot of pressure. What was going on, and how did you get through it?
• What do you worry about, and why?
• What motivates you?

And there are some fun questions too:

• You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why? (Glassdoor)
• Teach me something I don’t know in the next five minutes. (Quora)
• What song best describes your work ethic? (Dell)
• Jeff Bezos walks into your office and says you can have a million dollars to launch your best entrepreneurial idea. What is it? (Amazon)
• How many cows are in Canada? (Google)
• You’ve been given an elephant. You can’t give it away or sell it. What would you do with the elephant? (FlexJobs)

STAR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Most behavioral interview questions revolve around several common themes, such as conflict management, teamwork, adaptability, pressure/time management, problem solving, interpersonal skills and leadership. As job seekers, you want to be in the employer’s shoes to picture the ideal candidate’s traits, predict the questions the recruiter will ask, then develop your answers accordingly.

For a well-articulated answer, structure your story using the STAR method! Here’s how it works:  

Situation – Start your story by setting a context. Where, when and what was the situation? Who did it involve?

Task – Explain what was expected of you in such situation. What were you required to do?

Action – Now describe what happened. What did you actually do?

Result – Then close it with the outcome. How did it turn out? How did you feel about it? What did you learn?

For each of the topics listed above, think of a success or failure story that best fits. Use the STAR method to construct your answer. Now that you have six to eight of them well-polished, be ready to tailor them to fit the specific job you are interviewing for and the employer’s needs.

WHAT YOU NEED TO AVOID

Your story MUST be specific. Don’t give general or vague answers to behavioral interview questions! Following the STAR method ensures that you’ve got all the details the employer is looking for: particular situation, your past behaviors, and the outcome. Don’t talk about what others did or what you would do, but what you actually did. Don’t make things up on the fly either. You may display inconsistency, lack convincing justification, and miss the actual point. If you did not encounter the situation presented, don’t be afraid to ask if you could use a related situation that is applicable. And don’t restrict yourself on work-related experiences only. Ask if you may use an example from your volunteer experiences, social interactions and school activities — especially if you're a recent grad, as your work history isn’t extensive enough to fulfill all behavioral interview questions. As long as your story is relevant and eloquent, you’re good to go.

Behavioral job interviews can be nerve wracking only when you go in unprepared. Start building a Word document now of sample questions and your answers in the STAR format. Practice them with an experienced friend for feedback. Recite them before an interview and tailor to fit. Set yourself apart with a powerful elevator pitch.