Preparing for Behavioural Interviews: What You Need to Know

Interviews can be painful, particularly in-depth ones where the interviewer goes deep into how you would handle real-world problems. That is what a behavioural interview is all about; rather than just looking at your CV, it’s about Inferring how you think, act and solve problems.

If you’ve got one coming up, don’t worry. It’s not about memorising answers or being perfect; it’s about being prepared to tell your story clearly and honestly. This guide will show you how to use the STAR method, handle tricky questions, and make sure your skills and experiences leave a lasting impression.?

1. The STAR Method: A Simple Way to Tell Your Story

Have you struggled to answer a question like: “Can you tell me about a time you handled conflict?” This is a common scenario, but with the STAR method, you can stay organised and confident while you tell your story.?

Here’s how it works:

• Situation: Start with the background. What was happening?
• Task: What was your role, or what problem were you solving?
• Action: What steps did you take to tackle the situation?
• Result: What happened as a result? Did you achieve your goal, or learn something valuable?

Example Question: Can you describe a time when you lead a project with a short deadline?

• Situation: I was in my last job and had a team working on a product launch. "We only had three weeks to get this done."
• Task: "I was responsible for the team and I was responsible for delivering the deadline without compromising the quality."
• Action: I began with daily check-ins to see how we were making progress, re-assigned tasks to be more efficient and kept the client in the loop daily.
• Result: "We finished two days early and gave the client an extra two days to test." "The client, impressed with our work, renewed our contract for another year."

The STAR method is like a roadmap—it keeps your answers on track while highlighting what you bring to the table.

2. Common Questions and How to Approach Them

There are some questions you’ll hear in almost every behavioural interview. Having a few examples ready can make all the difference:

• Tell me about a time you worked with a difficult colleague.

Focus on how you resolved the issue, not the problem itself. For example, “We had different approaches to deadlines, so I adjusted my communication style to ensure we stayed on the same page.”

• Describe some mistakes you made at work.

Employers are not looking for perfection, they want to see how you learn and grow. Then share what you’ve learned, and how you’ve applied it since.

• Tell me an example of you taking the initiative

Use an example of problem-solving and leadership. For example, “I noticed that we were spending too much time doing manual data entry, so I then said an automated system will reduce your workload by half.”

• Tell me about a time you had to juggle multiple priorities.

Show how you stayed organised and focused under pressure. “I made a detailed plan, delegated tasks, and kept communication open to ensure we hit all our deadlines.”

The key is to be honest and specific. Generic answers won’t make an impact, but real stories will.

3. How to Highlight Your Soft Skills Without Overselling

You’ve probably heard the advice about ‘selling yourself’ during an interview. But that doesn’t mean bragging—it means showing how your skills and experiences match what the company is looking for.

Here’s how to do it:

• Tell Stories, Don’t Just List Skills: Instead of saying, “I’m a good leader,” talk about a time when you guided a team through a tough situation.
• Quantify Your Achievements: Words are not as powerful as numbers. This can be something like: “For instance, I improved customer retention by 15% by creating better onboarding processes”, rather than “ I do better at building relationships.”
• Show You Understand the Company’s Needs: Research the company before your interview

Employers want to see how you’ll fit into their team—not just what you can do, but how you’ll do it.

Why It Matters

At Swan Global, we’ve seen how behavioural interviews can reveal so much more than a CV ever could. They’re a way for employers to uncover potential (if it exists). For candidates, they’re a chance to show how they can make a difference.

If you’re preparing for an interview, remember: it’s not about being perfect. It’s about being real, and ready to tell your story. Using the STAR method, a few useful examples, and some confidence, you’ll be able to walk in prepared to make a big impression.

Good luck—you’ve got this.