Behavioral Interviewing and the STAR Technique

What is behavioral interviewing? Behavioral interviewing is based on the premise that a person's recent, relevant past performance is the best predictor of future performance. Instead of asking how you would behave in a particular situation, a behavioral interviewer will ask how you did behave. You will be asked to provide a specific example of a past situation or task to demonstrate the way you performed in that specific situation or task.

How do I answer a behavioral question? First of all, prepare for an interview by recalling recent situations that show favorable behaviors or actions involving coursework, work experience, leadership, teamwork, or customer service. Be sure that each story has a beginning, middle, and end. Be specific. Don't generalize about several events; give a detailed account of one event. Use the STAR technique described below to structure your answer. Expect the interviewer to question and probe; for example, What did you say? What were you thinking? What was your role?

Sample Question: A behavioral interviewer might ask:

Tell me about a time when you were on a team, and one of the members wasn't carrying his or her weight.

 

S T	Situation or Task: Describe a specific situation or task you have encountered that will make a point about one of your skills or strengths. Be ready to describe details, if asked.
	Example: I was assigned to on a team to create an employee orientation program at a local company for my Organizational Behavior class. One of our team members wasn't showing up for our meetings, despite constant reminders of their importance. His behavior was affecting the performance and morale of the entire group.
A	Action: Describe the specific action you took to remedy the task or situation.
	Example: I decided to meet with the student in private, and explained the frustration of the rest of the team, and asked him if there was anything I could do to help. He told me that he was preoccupied with another class that he wasn't passing, so I found someone to help him with the other course.
R	Result: Explain the result of your action. Make sure that the outcome reflects positively on you (even if the result itself was not favorable).
	Example: After I found someone to help the student with his other course, he was not only able to spend more time on our project, but he was also grateful to me for helping him out. We finished our project on time, and got a "B" on it.

The STAR technique can be utilized effectively to discuss a wide range of experiences, including classroom projects, work situations, extracurricular activities, and leadership experiences.