January 27, 2025 • 11 mins
This episode equips listeners with powerful frameworks and strategies for effectively answering behavioral interview questions. By focusing on relevant skills and crafting memorable stories, candidates can significantly enhance their chances of success in job interviews.
It all comes down to one critical strategy you NEED to use. Listen to the end!
• Overview of behavioral interview question significance
• Insights into what hiring managers seek in candidates
• Introduction to STAR and SBO frameworks for structured responses
• Actionable steps to identify key skills and experiences
• Strategies to connect skills with past experiences during interviews
• Importance of concise and clear communication in responses
• Tips for preparing impactful and relevant examples
Don’t spend any more time searching through articles, lists, or websites.
Check out Equipped Essentials for your all-in-one, 35-page digital book that offers examples, tips, memory hooks, and easy to follow advice.
Don’t spend any more time searching through articles, lists, or websites.
Check out Equipped Essentials for your all-in-one, 35-page digital book that offers examples, tips, memory hooks, and easy to follow advice.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Hey everyone and welcome to the Equipped
Interview Podcast.
With a combined 30 plus yearsof being interviewed and
interviewing thousands of others, we're here to build your
confidence, help you stand outand get your dream job.
Your hosts are Joshua Tinkeyand Linda Kamali.
Let's get you equipped.
As a reminder, in these shortMonday episodes we bring you
some motivation to help you keepinterview prep top of mind so
(00:37):
you can always be prepping.
We share quick, hit, practicaltips, reminders and steps you
can take to start your weekstrong.
For today's topic, we'reactually going to cover the best
framework you can use toquickly answer behavioral
questions and do things thatnobody else does in your next
interview.
Also, if, after today's episode, you want to cut out the
endless time researching onlineand best ways to prep for an
(00:58):
interview, I can certainly helpout.
I spent years doing that stuffand boiled it all down to the
most important steps.
You can check the digital bookthat includes frameworks,
checklists and almost fill inthe blank type stuff for you to
just apply your situation.
So that's atequippedinterviewcom slash books
.
Or if you want to getone-on-one coaching, check out
the work with me section onequippedinterviewcom.
(01:19):
So we try to keep it to five,six minutes on these short
Monday motivation episodes.
This one might be closer to 10.
So just a fair warning,although you probably saw that
when you click to listen today.
But we'll see how it goes.
Behavioral interview questionsare a common type of question
asked by most hiring managersthat try to uncover specific
questions, right behaviors, thatyou've exhibited in the past.
(01:39):
The hope is that they'll beable to figure out if you will
act a certain way or have acertain skill, if you've, of
course, demonstrated it in thepast.
These questions typically startwith tell me about a time when,
or can you give me an exampleof when, you did X, y or Z?
Not everyone's asked thesequestions, but you certainly
want to be ready in the eventthat you do get them asked.
The purpose is a quick kind ofif you're kind of curious, why,
(02:02):
why even go down this road?
The purpose of those types ofquestions, it's really to
uncover how well you haveperformed in the past and to
determine if that's a goodindicator of how you'll perform
in the future.
So my opinion, most hiringmanagers, including myself, use
behavioral interview questionsto figure out three things.
First, do you have the relevantwork experience where you
(02:22):
gained the skills I need?
Second, do you know what skillsto highlight in your examples,
what skills you should highlight?
I mean, put another way, areyou self-aware?
And third, are you able toexplain complex concepts or even
potentially long storiesotherwise in a succinct manner
and really only share thenecessary relevant details?
(02:42):
So if you don't have structure,you will ramble and you'll
seriously decrease your chancesof getting the job offer.
So instead I recommend use oneof the two common frameworks
that are commonly used to answerbehavioral interview questions.
Option one use the STAR format.
You've probably heard of itS-T-A-R the situation or task,
the action and result or useanother one commonly used.
(03:05):
Option two is SBO situation,behavior and outcome.
The last two there, the resultin SAR and the outcome in SBO
are often overlooked.
So you want to finish yourstory.
There is one very important,key, critical item in those
stories that are often even moreso overlooked, I'd say, and
(03:27):
we'll get to that at the end ofthe few minutes here today, so
stay tuned for that.
Back to STAR and SBO.
While I recommend using STAR,since more HR professionals and
hiring managers are probablyfamiliar with it, feel free to
use either, depending on yourpreference and how your brain
works best.
Just make sure to use one as aframework for you.
Next, taking time to reallythink through the role and what
(03:49):
the hiring manager is mostlikely looking for will go a
long way.
I talk about this all the time.
You have to think specificallyand intentionally about what you
think, either know or think thehiring manager is looking for.
So there are two action stepsyou can take immediately, right
now, today.
Just think about it if you'reapplying for a job or getting
(04:09):
ready for an interview.
One list the top three to fiveskills you think the hiring
manager is in fact looking for.
We just talked about that, butwrite it down.
What are the top three to fiveskills you think they're going
to be listening for or askingyou questions about, even if
it's not evident or obvious inthe question?
Writing this down this step iscrucial for every component of
any interview prep process,definitely this one.
(04:30):
It may seem simple to you, butit's a very important part of
this type of question prep aswell.
Second, write out specificmemorable moments in your last
few at jobs or at college ifthat was prior to your jobs.
This could include things likefrustrations, disagreements,
problems or roadblocks youencountered.
How you overcame them keyinitiatives you led or key
(04:52):
performance review comments youreceived from your manager, your
best days of work, your worstdays of work, et cetera.
But you get.
You get the gist.
It's you know, memorable thingsthat you did and accomplished.
Looking look back, looking backthrough your yourend
performance reviews could behelpful for this too.
Your calendar, et cetera.
If you follow those two steps,you now have a list of skills
and another list of experiences.
(05:12):
So now what?
Now it's time to prepare alittle differently than other
candidates so you can stand outfrom the crowd.
Most people try to come up withthe examples part of things and
things that they've done, butthat's where it stops and where
their energy stops.
This is where they wish andhope and pray that the
interviewer finds some kind ofconnection between the story
(05:32):
they just told and the skillsthat they're looking for as the
hiring manager.
So my recommendation is flipthat on its head.
Connect the dots for the hiringmanager.
Don't make any assumptions.
So how do you do this?
You need to be skills oriented.
Use the list of three to fiveskills you came up with to help
you create specific examplesthat highlight at least one of
(05:55):
those skills in every singleexample that you talk about.
I'll put another way.
Come up with a solid examplefor each of the three to five
skills hopefully five that youcame up with.
Once you have your list ofexamples with an aligned skill,
at least one with each one, Irecommend organizing and
categorizing the minute chart soyou can just study that way.
Hey, here you know.
(06:15):
Here's on the left, I have myskill of persuasion On the right
.
Here is at least one example,maybe more for that, that skill
that I want to highlight, thatskill that comes out of that
example.
This will help you during yourinterviews to remember not only
your example, but to remember tohighlight an important skill
you want the hiring manager toknow you have.
And here's that critical pointI mentioned a couple minutes ago
(06:36):
.
When you try to figure out whatskills the hiring manager is
looking for, you'll be on alert.
Then, when you get a specificquestion, do this.
Then too, try to figure outwhat skill the hiring manager.
Then, when you get a specificquestion, do this.
Then too, try to figure outwhat skill the hiring manager is
looking for in the specificquestion that you're being asked
, and if you can providecommentary on that skill first
before you give your answer.
(06:56):
So let that sink in.
Try to provide commentary onthat skill before you give your
answer and tell your story.
This will really make you standout from your competition.
So I'm going to give you anexample.
What does this sound like?
What could it sound like?
Let's say you get the question,the sample question, tell me
about a time when you had a hugeproblem and didn't know what to
do.
How did you handle it?
(07:16):
Okay, so you might realize thatthe hiring manager is trying to
determine what?
Probably something likeconceptual thinking, strategic
thinking, ability to handleambiguity, something along those
lines.
So here's how your answer couldgo.
You know, that's a really greattopic.
There are so many times in mycareer I've had to deal with
ambiguity, I'm sure, like mostpeople.
(07:37):
But I love it.
I learn something new each timeand I really get energized when
I get to think outside the norm, outside the box, and use some
conceptual thinking.
For example, there was a timewhen dot dot, dot, right.
And then you dive into yourframework, right, your situation
, task, action and result, orSBO.
So you first comment on theskill keying in the hiring
(07:59):
manager that you understand whatthey're going for and tell them
that you understand what it isand that it excites you, and you
understand what it is and thatit excites you and you
understand what it takes.
And then you finish up withyour story, which you've already
done the hard part.
You've already confirmed tothem that you recognize it.
Now you just back it up with anexample.
And now maybe that sounds likethe hard part to you, but if
you've done your homework, youhave an example ready to go
(08:21):
where you say that you've used,in this case, you know
conceptual thinking, say thatout loud strategic thinking, or
you know ambiguity, like in thisexample response you did a
minute ago.
And before we wrap up, I knowit'll make this a little bit
longer, but I'm going to share acouple of rapid fire tips for
this part of your interview,just based on my years of doing
interviews and interviewingothers.
A couple things to hopefullyleave you with that that'll
(08:42):
resonate, because I want you tostand out, I want you to get
your job, and here are a fewways I think increase your
chances Be clear and be specific.
Don't ramble.
In most cases, your answershould be two minutes or less.
Think about that.
That's really hard in a lot ofcases.
So practice ahead of time, outloud and time yourself.
See how hard.
You'll see how hard two minutesis.
(09:04):
And lastly, it's better to havea good example that's slightly
off topic than no example or abad one that's right on topic,
right.
So, where possible, stick withyour examples and your plan.
Stick with the examples thatare aligned to a skill on that
list of you know five skills orso that you came up with.
So to sum it up, if you'restill with us one, use a
(09:26):
framework in your answer, staror SBO.
Two, be skills oriented.
Come up with a list of skillsyou think the hiring manager
will be looking for.
Three, attach at least one ofthose skills to every example
you prep.
And four, say those skills outloud during your responses.
Well, we hope you enjoyed thisQuick Hit Monday motivation
episode.
(09:46):
Stay tuned for our regularepisodes on Wednesdays and
another Monday motivationepisode next week.
That's all for today, but let'skeep the conversation going.
Check out equippedinterviewcom.
Be intentional, do the work andbuild your confidence to stand
out in your next job interview.
Thank you.
Hey everyone and welcome to the Equipped
Interview Podcast.
With a combined 30 plus yearsof being interviewed and
interviewing thousands of others, we're here to build your
confidence, help you stand outand get your dream job.
Your hosts are Joshua Tinkeyand Linda Kamali.
Let's get you equipped.
As a reminder, in these shortMonday episodes we bring you
some motivation to help you keepinterview prep top of mind so
(00:37):
you can always be prepping.
We share quick, hit, practicaltips, reminders and steps you
can take to start your weekstrong.
For today's topic, we'reactually going to cover the best
framework you can use toquickly answer behavioral
questions and do things thatnobody else does in your next
interview.
Also, if, after today's episode, you want to cut out the
endless time researching onlineand best ways to prep for an
(00:58):
interview, I can certainly helpout.
I spent years doing that stuffand boiled it all down to the
most important steps.
You can check the digital bookthat includes frameworks,
checklists and almost fill inthe blank type stuff for you to
just apply your situation.
So that's atequippedinterviewcom slash books
.
Or if you want to getone-on-one coaching, check out
the work with me section onequippedinterviewcom.
(01:19):
So we try to keep it to five,six minutes on these short
Monday motivation episodes.
This one might be closer to 10.
So just a fair warning,although you probably saw that
when you click to listen today.
But we'll see how it goes.
Behavioral interview questionsare a common type of question
asked by most hiring managersthat try to uncover specific
questions, right behaviors, thatyou've exhibited in the past.
(01:39):
The hope is that they'll beable to figure out if you will
act a certain way or have acertain skill, if you've, of
course, demonstrated it in thepast.
These questions typically startwith tell me about a time when,
or can you give me an exampleof when, you did X, y or Z?
Not everyone's asked thesequestions, but you certainly
want to be ready in the eventthat you do get them asked.
The purpose is a quick kind ofif you're kind of curious, why,
(02:02):
why even go down this road?
The purpose of those types ofquestions, it's really to
uncover how well you haveperformed in the past and to
determine if that's a goodindicator of how you'll perform
in the future.
So my opinion, most hiringmanagers, including myself, use
behavioral interview questionsto figure out three things.
First, do you have the relevantwork experience where you
(02:22):
gained the skills I need?
Second, do you know what skillsto highlight in your examples,
what skills you should highlight?
I mean, put another way, areyou self-aware?
And third, are you able toexplain complex concepts or even
potentially long storiesotherwise in a succinct manner
and really only share thenecessary relevant details?
(02:42):
So if you don't have structure,you will ramble and you'll
seriously decrease your chancesof getting the job offer.
So instead I recommend use oneof the two common frameworks
that are commonly used to answerbehavioral interview questions.
Option one use the STAR format.
You've probably heard of itS-T-A-R the situation or task,
the action and result or useanother one commonly used.
(03:05):
Option two is SBO situation,behavior and outcome.
The last two there, the resultin SAR and the outcome in SBO
are often overlooked.
So you want to finish yourstory.
There is one very important,key, critical item in those
stories that are often even moreso overlooked, I'd say, and
(03:27):
we'll get to that at the end ofthe few minutes here today, so
stay tuned for that.
Back to STAR and SBO.
While I recommend using STAR,since more HR professionals and
hiring managers are probablyfamiliar with it, feel free to
use either, depending on yourpreference and how your brain
works best.
Just make sure to use one as aframework for you.
Next, taking time to reallythink through the role and what
(03:49):
the hiring manager is mostlikely looking for will go a
long way.
I talk about this all the time.
You have to think specificallyand intentionally about what you
think, either know or think thehiring manager is looking for.
So there are two action stepsyou can take immediately, right
now, today.
Just think about it if you'reapplying for a job or getting
(04:09):
ready for an interview.
One list the top three to fiveskills you think the hiring
manager is in fact looking for.
We just talked about that, butwrite it down.
What are the top three to fiveskills you think they're going
to be listening for or askingyou questions about, even if
it's not evident or obvious inthe question?
Writing this down this step iscrucial for every component of
any interview prep process,definitely this one.
(04:30):
It may seem simple to you, butit's a very important part of
this type of question prep aswell.
Second, write out specificmemorable moments in your last
few at jobs or at college ifthat was prior to your jobs.
This could include things likefrustrations, disagreements,
problems or roadblocks youencountered.
How you overcame them keyinitiatives you led or key
(04:52):
performance review comments youreceived from your manager, your
best days of work, your worstdays of work, et cetera.
But you get.
You get the gist.
It's you know, memorable thingsthat you did and accomplished.
Looking look back, looking backthrough your yourend
performance reviews could behelpful for this too.
Your calendar, et cetera.
If you follow those two steps,you now have a list of skills
and another list of experiences.
(05:12):
So now what?
Now it's time to prepare alittle differently than other
candidates so you can stand outfrom the crowd.
Most people try to come up withthe examples part of things and
things that they've done, butthat's where it stops and where
their energy stops.
This is where they wish andhope and pray that the
interviewer finds some kind ofconnection between the story
(05:32):
they just told and the skillsthat they're looking for as the
hiring manager.
So my recommendation is flipthat on its head.
Connect the dots for the hiringmanager.
Don't make any assumptions.
So how do you do this?
You need to be skills oriented.
Use the list of three to fiveskills you came up with to help
you create specific examplesthat highlight at least one of
(05:55):
those skills in every singleexample that you talk about.
I'll put another way.
Come up with a solid examplefor each of the three to five
skills hopefully five that youcame up with.
Once you have your list ofexamples with an aligned skill,
at least one with each one, Irecommend organizing and
categorizing the minute chart soyou can just study that way.
Hey, here you know.
(06:15):
Here's on the left, I have myskill of persuasion On the right
.
Here is at least one example,maybe more for that, that skill
that I want to highlight, thatskill that comes out of that
example.
This will help you during yourinterviews to remember not only
your example, but to remember tohighlight an important skill
you want the hiring manager toknow you have.
And here's that critical pointI mentioned a couple minutes ago
(06:36):
.
When you try to figure out whatskills the hiring manager is
looking for, you'll be on alert.
Then, when you get a specificquestion, do this.
Then too, try to figure outwhat skill the hiring manager.
Then, when you get a specificquestion, do this.
Then too, try to figure outwhat skill the hiring manager is
looking for in the specificquestion that you're being asked
, and if you can providecommentary on that skill first
before you give your answer.
(06:56):
So let that sink in.
Try to provide commentary onthat skill before you give your
answer and tell your story.
This will really make you standout from your competition.
So I'm going to give you anexample.
What does this sound like?
What could it sound like?
Let's say you get the question,the sample question, tell me
about a time when you had a hugeproblem and didn't know what to
do.
How did you handle it?
(07:16):
Okay, so you might realize thatthe hiring manager is trying to
determine what?
Probably something likeconceptual thinking, strategic
thinking, ability to handleambiguity, something along those
lines.
So here's how your answer couldgo.
You know, that's a really greattopic.
There are so many times in mycareer I've had to deal with
ambiguity, I'm sure, like mostpeople.
(07:37):
But I love it.
I learn something new each timeand I really get energized when
I get to think outside the norm, outside the box, and use some
conceptual thinking.
For example, there was a timewhen dot dot, dot, right.
And then you dive into yourframework, right, your situation
, task, action and result, orSBO.
So you first comment on theskill keying in the hiring
(07:59):
manager that you understand whatthey're going for and tell them
that you understand what it isand that it excites you, and you
understand what it is and thatit excites you and you
understand what it takes.
And then you finish up withyour story, which you've already
done the hard part.
You've already confirmed tothem that you recognize it.
Now you just back it up with anexample.
And now maybe that sounds likethe hard part to you, but if
you've done your homework, youhave an example ready to go
(08:21):
where you say that you've used,in this case, you know
conceptual thinking, say thatout loud strategic thinking, or
you know ambiguity, like in thisexample response you did a
minute ago.
And before we wrap up, I knowit'll make this a little bit
longer, but I'm going to share acouple of rapid fire tips for
this part of your interview,just based on my years of doing
interviews and interviewingothers.
A couple things to hopefullyleave you with that that'll
(08:42):
resonate, because I want you tostand out, I want you to get
your job, and here are a fewways I think increase your
chances Be clear and be specific.
Don't ramble.
In most cases, your answershould be two minutes or less.
Think about that.
That's really hard in a lot ofcases.
So practice ahead of time, outloud and time yourself.
See how hard.
You'll see how hard two minutesis.
(09:04):
And lastly, it's better to havea good example that's slightly
off topic than no example or abad one that's right on topic,
right.
So, where possible, stick withyour examples and your plan.
Stick with the examples thatare aligned to a skill on that
list of you know five skills orso that you came up with.
So to sum it up, if you'restill with us one, use a
(09:26):
framework in your answer, staror SBO.
Two, be skills oriented.
Come up with a list of skillsyou think the hiring manager
will be looking for.
Three, attach at least one ofthose skills to every example
you prep.
And four, say those skills outloud during your responses.
Well, we hope you enjoyed thisQuick Hit Monday motivation
episode.
(09:46):
Stay tuned for our regularepisodes on Wednesdays and
another Monday motivationepisode next week.
That's all for today, but let'skeep the conversation going.
Check out equippedinterviewcom.
Be intentional, do the work andbuild your confidence to stand
out in your next job interview.
Thank you.
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