How to Pass a STAR Behavioral Job Interview

STAR interviews employe a story-based approach.

Behavioral job interviewing is a technique that is gaining popularity with employers. The goal is to assess an interviewee's skill sets and personality traits through stories he tells about his work life or private life. Your goal, as the interviewee, is to come up with stories that highlight your abilities to accomplish tasks and goals, and highlight the benefits you have brought to your previous employers and coworkers through your work.

Things You'll Need

• Job History

Instructions

1. Think of 10 stories from your past work experience that show you accomplishing something positive. (For example, how you negotiated with a supplier for a lower price, or how you mentored a coworker on a difficult subject). The stories should cover a broad range of your abilities.

2. Write the stories down in the STAR format (which stands for Situation/Task, Action, Result). STAR formats are commonly used in behavioral interviews. For example, one story might read as follows:

   Situation/Task: My coworker Bill needed to make a presentation to a potential customer about Widgets3000, a new product. Bill was unfamiliar with the product and came to me for advice since I was considered an expert on Widgets3000.
   Action: Over the course of five days, I trained Bill on Widgets3000. At the end of the five days, I asked Bill to do a dry run of his presentation to me to make sure that he had mastered what I taught him.
   Result: Bill presented to the potential customer and was able to answer all of their questions about Widgets3000. The customer decided to buy the product and is now very pleased with their relationship with our company.

3. Review the stories and list the effects (positive or negative) each one had on the following:

   Yourself
   Your co-workers
   Your boss
   Your customers
   Your company
   Any other business partner

4. When you are on a behavioral interview you will be asked to give specific examples of how you demonstrated certain traits. For example, a question might be "tell me about a time when you worked under pressure to meet a deadline" or "tell me about a time when you had to communicate something difficult to a coworker".

   Each of your 10 stories can potentially be the answer to many behavioral questions. Based on the information you prepared in steps 1, 2 and 3 you need to be able to think on your feet and use any of your stories to answer a behavioral question.

   Set up a mock interview with a friend -- have them ask you 20 behavioral questions like the examples I've given above and see how well you can use your stories to answer them.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to tell your stories in the STAR format.

• Remember that the same story can potentially be used to answer many different behavioral questions, but don't rely on the same story too much.

• After the interviewer asks you a question, it's OK to take 15 to 20 seconds to compose your thoughts before answering.

• Your 10 stories should reflect positively on you. Avoid choosing stories that don't show you working at your best.

References

• Quintessential Careers: STAR Interviewing Response Technique for Success in Behavioral Job Interviews