The Behavioral Interview
How to excel in behavioral interviews and why they're so important
We've worked with a lot of candidates here at Hello Interview, and we've noticed a recurring theme: the behavioral interview is regularly overlooked.
It's easy to dismiss. You just talk about yourself, right?
Not really. Behavioral interviews carry a lot of weight in the interview process and they're shockingly easy to mess up. That said, they're also relatively easy to prepare for once you understand the fundamentals.
It shouldn't come as a surprise to you that, by default, most engineers are better technically than they are at communicating. This makes it all the more important to take behavioral interviews seriously and dedicate time to practice.
While there's a sea of resources out there for coding and system design prep, the landscape is far less clear for behavioral interviews.
In an attempt to fix this, we've created Story Builder - a free tool designed to help you craft compelling narratives for your behavioral interviews. It's our way of closing the preparation gap and giving every candidate a fair shot at showcasing their best self.
What Are Behavioral Interviews?
Behavioral interviews are designed to assess your past experiences, actions, and outcomes to predict your future performance. Different companies may call these interviews by various names – "leadership interviews," "soft skills assessments," or simply "behavioral rounds" – but they all serve the same purpose: to evaluate how well you align with the company's values and culture.
Why Are They Important?
Crudely speaking, they answer the question, "is this someone that would be a good fit for our company?"
Cultural Fit: They assess whether you'll thrive in the company's unique environment. They help determine if you're someone others would genuinely want to work with day in and day out. Technical skills can be taught, but cultural alignment is harder to change.
Predictive Power: Past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. Your responses give interviewers insight into how you'll handle real-world scenarios in their organization.
Holistic Evaluation: While your resume and technical interviews showcase your skills, behavioral interviews reveal your problem-solving approach, interpersonal skills, and professional maturity.
Career Progression: As you climb the career ladder, your ability to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics becomes increasingly important. Strong behavioral interview performance can set you apart from equally technically proficient candidates.
Senior Interviewers: At many top tech companies, including FAANG, the most senior or experienced interviewer on the loop often conducts the behavioral interview. This underscores its importance in the hiring decision
What Are Interviewers Looking For?
Although each company may have its own specific competencies, most behavioral interviews are designed to assess candidates across six core areas:
Conflict Resolution: How do you handle disagreements with team members or stakeholders? Interviewers want to see that you can navigate conflicts professionally and constructively.
Perseverance: Can you push through challenges and setbacks? Demonstrate your ability to overcome obstacles and maintain focus on long-term goals.
Adaptability: How well do you handle change? Show that you can thrive in dynamic environments and adjust your approach when necessary.
Growth Mindset: Are you committed to continuous learning and improvement? Highlight your passion for personal and professional development.
Leadership: Can you guide and inspire others? Even if you're not applying for a management role, showcase your ability to take initiative and positively influence your team.
Collaboration & Communication: How effectively do you work with others and convey ideas? Emphasize your teamwork skills and your ability to communicate complex concepts clearly.
Typically, the interviewer will have the predefined competencies in front of them and will be jotting down pros and cons for each as you speak. It's in your best interest to reverse engineer what signal the interviewer is looking for and frame your narrative accordingly.
How to Deliver a Compelling Story
There are are handful of narrative frameworks that exist, the most popular of which is the STAR framework. This is what we recommend. STAR stands for:
- Situation: Describe the context or background of the event.
- Task: Explain the specific challenge or task you faced.
- Action: Describe the actions you took to address the challenge.
- Result: Explain the outcome and your role in it.
There is no need to over index on this framework, but the overarching goal is to provide the interviewer with a clear narrative that they can easily follow.
Not sure where your gaps are?
Mock interview with an interviewer from your target company. Learn exactly what's standing in between you and your dream job.
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