The Behavioral Interview Playbook: Tactics and Techniques for Success

We have talked extensively in this column about interview preparation and practice, but we are not done! This week, I wanted to spend some time on behavioral interview questions, which are designed to reveal underlying behaviors. They require self-reflection, storytelling ability, and, of course, interview practice.?

It’s all about specific examples:

• The best answer to a behavioral question is an example. This requires recalling small pieces of your background during an interview (on the fly) ,and building an answer that addresses the question from a fuzzy memory.?
• This can be tough in a pressure setting and I don’t recommend it.?You must discover behavioral questions if you have not already done so, and practice answering them.?

Behavioral questions require specific answers:

• Interviewers are looking for concrete examples that demonstrate your abilities. This means you need to provide specific details about the situation, your actions, and the outcome. ??

Your answers must be authentic:

• Interviewers want to know how you handle conflict, problems, pressure, and teamwork. Your answers need to demonstrate the desired behaviors. ??

Preparation is crucial:

• Since behavioral questions require you to demonstrate your skills through real-life examples, if you have not prepared answers that demonstrate your abilities in story form, how do you think you will respond when confronted with a need to describe an event that happened three years ago?

Tips, Lists, and an Example:

• The best advice I can give you is to consider the most common behavioral questions and how you would answer them in advance of any interview. Here is a short list of common behavioral questions. If you Google “behavioral interview questions” you will get quite a long list.?
• Describe a time when you had to adapt to a significant change in the workplace.
• What is your greatest accomplishment?
• Give me an example of a time you had to persuade someone to see things your way.
• Tell me about a time you had to prioritize multiple tasks with competing deadlines.
• Describe a situation where you had to go above and beyond to meet a customer's needs.

Here is an example.??

1. "Tell me about a time you faced a challenging problem and how you solved it."

"In my previous role as a project coordinator at [Company Name], we were tasked with launching a new software update within a tight three-month deadline. The situation became challenging when, two months in, our lead developer unexpectedly resigned. My task was to ensure the project stayed on track despite this significant setback, preventing delays that would impact our client's rollout.?

Recognizing the urgency, I immediately scheduled a meeting with the remaining development team to reassess our progress and identify potential bottlenecks. I then took the initiative to learn the basics of the departing developer’s work, allowing me to bridge the knowledge gap and provide temporary support. I also presented a plan to hire a contract developer to fill the immediate vacancy. To streamline communication, I implemented daily stand-up meetings and used project management software to identify potential issues. I also contacted the client, and gave them an honest assessment of the situation, and assured them we were doing everything possible to meet the deadline.

As a result of these actions, we successfully launched the software update on time and within budget. We also received positive feedback from the client, who appreciated our transparency and commitment. I learned the importance of proactive communication and the ability to adapt quickly to unforeseen challenges.?

Practice makes perfect! SP

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