You’re interviewing for an accounting position. How can you answer behavioral questions with confidence?

1 Understand the purpose

The first step to answering behavioral questions is to understand what the interviewer is looking for. They want to see how you applied your accounting knowledge, skills, and abilities to solve problems, achieve goals, or overcome obstacles in real-life scenarios. They also want to evaluate your fit with the company culture, values, and expectations. Therefore, you need to align your answers with the specific requirements and expectations of the accounting role and the organization.

2 Use the STAR method

The second step to answering behavioral questions is to use a structured and clear approach to organize your answers. A popular and effective method for this is the STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. This approach helps you provide relevant and specific details, show your actions and behaviors, and illustrate the outcomes and impacts of your work. When using the STAR method, you should begin by describing the context and background of the situation or challenge you faced. Then explain your goal or responsibility in that situation. After that, describe what steps you took to complete the task or address the situation - focus on your own actions and behaviors, not those of others - while also explaining why you chose those actions and how they demonstrate your skills or competencies. Finally, summarize the outcome or impact of your actions, including any quantifiable results with numbers, percentages, or other metrics. Be sure to highlight what you learned or achieved from this experience and how it benefited the organization or stakeholders.

3 Prepare examples

The third step to answering behavioral questions is to prepare some examples in advance that showcase your accounting skills and achievements. Think of situations or challenges you faced that required you to use or demonstrate key skills or competencies, such as attention to detail, analytical thinking, communication, teamwork, ethics, time management, or problem-solving. Utilize the job description, the company website, or your own research to identify the relevant skills. Then, use the STAR method to write down or practice your answer. When crafting your response, be concise and specific while avoiding vague or generic statements. You can use bullet points or notes to help you remember the main points, but don't memorize them word for word.

4 Practice and review

The fourth step to answering behavioral questions is to practice and review your answers before the interview. You can practice with a friend, a colleague, a mentor, or a coach, and ask for feedback on your content, delivery, and body language. You can also record yourself and watch or listen to your answers, and identify areas for improvement. You can use online resources, such as sample behavioral questions and answers, to get some inspiration and guidance. However, do not copy or use someone else's answers, as they may not reflect your own experience or personality.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?