What are the most important things to remember when preparing for a behavioral interview?

2 Review the STAR method

The STAR method is a widely used framework for answering behavioral interview questions. It stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. When you use the STAR method, you describe a specific situation or task that you faced, the action that you took to address it, and the result that you achieved or learned from it. The STAR method helps you structure your answers in a clear and concise way, and highlight your operational planning skills and other relevant qualities. To prepare, review some common behavioral interview questions and practice using the STAR method to answer them.

3 Choose relevant examples

One of the most important things to remember when preparing for a behavioral interview is to choose examples that are relevant to the role and the employer. You want to showcase your operational planning skills and how they helped you achieve positive outcomes in different situations. For example, you can talk about how you planned and executed a project, how you managed your time and resources, how you coordinated with others, how you dealt with uncertainty or change, or how you improved a process or system. Avoid examples that are too vague, too personal, or too negative.

4 Be specific and honest

Another key thing to remember when preparing for a behavioral interview is to be specific and honest in your answers. You want to provide enough details to illustrate your operational planning skills and how they made a difference in the situation. However, you also want to be concise and avoid rambling or irrelevant information. Use numbers, facts, and figures to quantify your results and show your impact. Moreover, be honest and authentic in your answers. Don't exaggerate or lie about your accomplishments or challenges. If you don't have an example for a question, admit it and try to relate it to a similar situation.

5 Prepare questions to ask

Finally, remember to prepare some questions to ask the interviewer at the end of the behavioral interview. This shows that you are interested in the role and the employer, and that you have done your research. It also gives you a chance to learn more about the expectations, challenges, and opportunities of the position. You can ask questions about the operational planning process, the team structure, the goals and metrics, the culture and values, or the next steps in the hiring process. Avoid questions that are too personal, too general, or too negative.