Prepare for an Interview

It’s hard to know exactly what questions you will be asked in an interview. However, there are a lot of very common questions that you can PREDICT may come your way. The following article will walk you through some of these common questions, and also provide strategies for effective responses: https://www.themuse.com/advice/interview-questions-and-answers

Behavioral questions focus on past experiences and require specific examples from these experiences when answering questions. It’s best to NOT answer behavioral questions hypothetically.

How to answer behavioral questions:

1. Give the complete story of an event first (include any key points and results).
2. Give specific examples about what you did, said, felt, and thought.
3. Separate your actions from the actions of others.
4. Use “I” examples more than “we” examples.
5. Ask for clarification if you are unsure of the question.
6. Watch and listen for interviewer clues.
7. Do not make vague proclamations of your skills.
8. Answer negatively-phrased questions (“Tell me about a failure…”) as you would a question about a weakness. Show that you have acknowledged the weakness and are proactively making progress to make it a strength.

The STAR Method is a great strategy to use when answering behavioral questions during an interview. This method allows you to organize your thoughts and present effective supportive details:

“S”ituation, “T”ask, “A”ction, “R”esult….”STAR”!

Here’s a link with more in-depth information and examples: https://www.joinleland.com/library/a/tell-me-about-a-time-interview-question-guide