Ace the Behavioral Interview Using STAR Framework
Most tech companies are using behavioral interview questions to understand their candidates’ experience more deeply. Why? Often how you’ve performed in the past is the best indicator for how you’ll perform in the future.
Responding using a STAR framework will allow you to succinctly share ownership, actions, and impact.
This is the STAR Method:
Situation: Explain the background, what, where, when.
Task: What were you responsible for?
Action: What action did you take?
Result: What was the outcome?
Here is a personal example:
Situation: A few years ago, I was spearheading recruitment in the US for a global company and noticed in my interview debriefs with candidates that they were often let down by something in the interview. 40% of candidates gave negative feedback on their interview surveys, and 18% of high quality candidates opted out of the interview process at some point.
Task: I decided to develop a training program for cross functional stakeholders who had limited hiring experience in North America. These were either people who were hiring in the US from a different region, or who were new managers and had never been given resources to learn how to interview.
Action: I worked with one of my direct reports to design a lunch and learn style training program that we offered to mid-level managers who were hiring that year. We brainstormed a high impact curriculum, then divided and conquered in developing the content to both of our strengths. I worked with HR to get a free lunch delivered to anyone who participated, and with department heads to influence buy-in on their teams.
Result: Over three months of offering this training, 85% of target stakeholders opted in. They asked engaged questions, and gave positive feedback. Within 6 months, negative candidate feedback decreased to less than 20%, and we didn’t lose any other high quality candidates for mid- to senior-level positions during the time I was there.
When do you use STAR responses?
When your interviewer starts a questions with “Tell me about a time when…,” “Have you ever…,” or “How would you…,” that is your queue to answer like a STAR.
Pro tip: Not all interviewers will start their questions this way. It’s probably because they haven’t had interviewer training and learned how to solicit the best information, but they still want to hear the goods! You will rise above other candidate if you can find opportunities to give responses that follow the STAR framework.
Here are some sample questions that commonly come up in interviews. Consider how you would answer using the STAR method:
What are your long term career goals? How are you planning to get there?
Tell me about a mistake you made in your career, and how you dealt with it.
Tell me about a time when you performed well under stress.
How do you deal with push back?
Pro tip: Can you respond in 30-60 seconds? Let your interviewer dig deeper into specific areas they’re curious about, but try to respond as directly and concisely as possible.
Your Turn!
Here’s how you can practice before your interview:
Identify a few career highlights, and parse through those to see what skills they each demonstrate. Look for ones that demonstrate problem solving, critical thinking, accountability, leadership, thinking on your toes, and other skills that are commonly sought after in your desired job.
Imagine what questions you might be asked that could open the door for you to share that scenario.
Practice until you can say your story in a minute or less. It’s possible! You don’t have to share all the details – your interviewer will likely want to zoom in on a specific area.
