How to prepare for behaviorial Interview questions and their answers

Mastering behavioral interview answers is difficult. Behavioral interview questions are supposed to make you squirm. They don't have a correct answer, and in fact, they make ask you to describe a situation where something went wrong and how you handled it. The premise behind a behavioral interview is that your actions in a given situation are great predictors of your actions in a similar future situation In this hub, I will give some examples of behavioral interview questions, and examples of how to answer them using the STAR method.

The STAR Method

STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. You can't memorize your answers for these questions. In fact, most interviewers have heard all those "standard answers" before. Using the STAR method, you will "show", not tell, give facts, figures, and tell stories that demonstrate specifically what you did or accomplished in a given situation. The more specific, the better. Click here, for more on preparing for behavioral interviews.

1. Tell me about a time when something didn't go the way you planned it (in the classroom)? How did you handle it? What did you learn? Ok now you know I'm an instructor. I have actually been asked this one. It took me by surprise. Why would I want to tell the interviewers that something didn't work out, I thought? But then, I did answer about one particular lesson that didn't work out once. I described to the interviewers what happened, and that I learned how important it was to focus my instruction specifically to my learners! They were satisfied with my answer! (They all had had times where things went wrong in the class).

2.Describe a time when you had to face work situations that tested your coping
skills. How did you manage that? What, who me? I never get stressed out. In fact, we all do. Come clean to the interviewer about that. The best thing you can do is demonstrate that you were cool under pressure, that you could manage your time, think quickly, problem solve, and meet all the challenges.

3.Tell us about a time where you had to contend with a situation over which you had no control? Employers like people who can adjust to change, especially since things are changing at a rapid rate these days. Technology changes, funding conditions change, and sometimes your role within a company may change. Demonstrate that you embrace change. I've been assigned to teach in different departments on short notice. I have switched roles, and even careers. I've had to step in for absent employees and oversee changes at times when staff were changing frequently. What's your story? What's your STAR?