| Give me a specific example when you had to resolve | | | | structured and easy to follow. Interviewers are seeking |
| a difficult team situation? | | | | a detailed and interesting story about your past. |
| Behavioral Event Interview (BEI) questions have been | | | | Interviewers want to know what you did, obstacles |
| used for over 20 years and are widely used by skilled | | | | overcome and results achieved. They what to learn |
| interviewers. In today's job market, you're likely to | | | | what you did versus what the team did, hence you'll |
| encounter an interviewer asking this type of question. | | | | want to balance your description of what we (the |
| The following article describes how to recognize and | | | | team) did versus what I did. |
| handle skilled interviewers who ask BEI type interview | | | | Response StrategyIt is suggested that you structure |
| questions. | | | | your response using the STAR technique. |
| Overview | | | | The STAR response technique is as follows: |
| During the interview, you may be asked to describe | | | | S T - Describe the Situation or Task |
| how you dealt with a specific situation in the past. | | | | A - Describe your Actions and Approach |
| Asking you about the past indicates this is a most likely | | | | R - Describe the Results |
| a behavioral-event interview (BEI) question. Responding | | | | What You've Learned |
| requires you to recall an example when you dealt | | | | After you respond, it's effective to describe what you |
| successfully with a specific situation. BEIs have been | | | | learned from an event and what you may do |
| used for over 20 years and is widely used by skilled | | | | differently in the future. Describing what you learned |
| interviewers. | | | | communicates that you reflect on past events and |
| BEI questions focus on the past while theoretical | | | | seek to identify areas of improvement. The STAR |
| questions focus on the future. The response strategy | | | | structured response, coupled with what you learned, |
| for a theoretical interview question is similar is structure | | | | demonstrates your focus on constant learning and |
| but different in content. | | | | performance improvement. |
| Behavioral-Event Interview QuestionThe purpose of | | | | Immediate Feedback |
| BEI questions is to solicit evidence or examples of a | | | | You may also want to complete your response by |
| specific competency or skill you process. | | | | asking a question to ensure you have answered the |
| BEI is based on the premise that a person's past | | | | interviewer's question effectively. To solicit immediate |
| behavior is the best predictor of their future | | | | feedback you can ask questions like: |
| performance. Interviewers are tasked with predicting | | | | - Was that the level of detail you were looking for? |
| your likelihood of success in a given position and use | | | | - Was that the kind of example you were looking for? |
| your past behavior as one indicator of your future | | | | Interviewer Follow-up Questions |
| performance. | | | | Interviewers are likely to ask follow-up questions to get |
| BEI questions have two parts, the introduction and the | | | | more details. For example, interviewer might ask the |
| focus. The first part of a BEI question (introduction) are | | | | following questions: |
| phrases like the following: | | | | - What did you do? - What did you say? |
| - Tell me about a time when you... | | | | - What were you thinking? - What was your role? |
| - Describe a situation when you... | | | | - Who else was involved? - What challenges did you |
| - Walk me through a situation where you... | | | | face? |
| - Give me an example of a specific situation when | | | | - What do you feel this event indicates about you? |
| you... | | | | Sample Response |
| The second half of the question focuses on the | | | | The following STAR structured response |
| situation with which the interviewer is interested. For | | | | demonstrates how to handle the question covered in |
| example, if the interviewer was seeking information | | | | this module, when describing an academic project. |
| about your analytical skills they might ask the following | | | | Interviewer: |
| question. Give me an example of a specific situation | | | | Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a |
| when you had to formulate a detailed analysis of a | | | | difficult team situation? |
| new product, new project or new market. | | | | Your Response: |
| If the interviewer was seeking information about your | | | | Situation or Task: (ST)The situation was that our |
| ability to collaborate on a cross-functional team under | | | | four-person team was tasked with developing models |
| tight deadlines they might ask you the following | | | | for field operation of our company. The task was to |
| question. | | | | identify initiatives to improve efficiencies using different |
| Tell me about a time when you participated on a cross | | | | methods. Two team members focused on one |
| functional team that had to deliver project outcomes | | | | analysis approach while the other two members |
| within a tight deadline. | | | | worked on another method. We had to formulate |
| Interviewers asking BEI questions want to hear about | | | | three initiatives to improve operations. |
| actual events in your past, rather than how you might | | | | One team members wasn't showing up for meetings, |
| handle a situation in the future. | | | | despite constant reminders and encouragement. His |
| Relevant Experiences | | | | lack of participation was affecting team efforts and |
| You have many experiences that you can discuss to | | | | needed to be resolved quickly. |
| demonstrate different dimensions of your | | | | Action and Approach: (A) |
| competencies and skills. Work experience is just one | | | | My approach was to meet with the problem team |
| form of experience. However, if you don't have work | | | | member in private and explain the team's frustration |
| related experience, you can highlight other experiences | | | | and how his actions were affecting the project. I |
| to demonstrate the skills the interviewer is seeking. | | | | asked if there was anything I could do to help. Before |
| Evidence of your talents can come in many forms. | | | | taking this action I discussed my intentions with the |
| Projects done in an academic setting, volunteer work, | | | | other team members to get their consensus. |
| professional associations and other life experiences | | | | The problem team member told me he was burdened |
| each may provide relevant evidence of your abilities. | | | | with another difficult project. I proposed we find |
| Whether you got paid or not is of secondary | | | | resources to help him with the other project. He |
| importance to the content and context of your actions | | | | agreed. I also asked him to commit to specific actions |
| in a specific situation. For example, you may have | | | | toward our project and to attend team meetings. |
| experience building and leading a six-person volunteer | | | | Results: (R)The results were: after I found other |
| team that analyzed how a local community funds | | | | resources and employees to assist him with his other |
| recreational projects. During this summer project, this | | | | project, he was able to invest more time on our team's |
| team may have also formulated and presented | | | | project and focus on specific milestones. The final |
| recommendations to local government officials on how | | | | team result was that we finished our project on time, |
| to improve funding allocations. This team experience is | | | | and presented our recommendations to the |
| just as meaningful as any business-grounded team | | | | company's operations leadership team. |
| situation. | | | | Best of luck on your next interview. |
| Your response to BEI questions needs to be | | | | |