How do you balance honesty and professionalism when answering behavioral questions?

2 Be specific and concise

One of the mistakes that many candidates make when answering behavioral questions is being too vague or general. This can make your answers sound unconvincing, boring, or irrelevant. Instead, you should provide specific and concise examples that demonstrate your skills and abilities. Use numbers, facts, or figures to quantify your results or impact, and avoid using filler words, jargon, or clichés. However, don't go into too much detail or ramble on for too long. Your answers should be clear, concise, and relevant to the question and the job.

3 Show your learning and growth

Another way to balance honesty and professionalism when answering behavioral questions is to show your learning and growth. This means that you should not only focus on the positive outcomes of your actions, but also acknowledge the challenges, difficulties, or mistakes you faced along the way. However, instead of dwelling on them or blaming others, you should explain how you overcame them, what you learned from them, and how you improved your skills or performance as a result. This can show your interviewer that you are self-aware, resilient, and adaptable.

4 Choose your examples wisely

Not all examples are equally suitable for answering behavioral questions. You should choose your examples wisely, based on the job description, the company culture, and the skills and qualities they are looking for. You should avoid using examples that are too old, too personal, too controversial, or too negative. You should also avoid using the same example for multiple questions, as this can make your answers sound repetitive or unoriginal. Instead, you should prepare a variety of examples that showcase your strengths, achievements, and potential.

5 Practice and prepare

The best way to balance honesty and professionalism when answering behavioral questions is to practice and prepare. You should research the company, the role, and the common behavioral questions they might ask. You should also review your resume, your portfolio, and your career history, and identify the most relevant and impressive examples that match the job requirements. You should then practice using the STAR method, being specific and concise, showing your learning and growth, and choosing your examples wisely. You can practice with a friend, a mentor, or a coach, and ask for feedback and suggestions.

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?