#32: Why you aren't converting interviews into offers.
You're not following the STAR.
For once the inspiration for my missive is coming first and foremost from an idea I had to help you improve your job seeking ability, rather than some music lyric.
I’m going to be focusing on revolutionising your approach to behavioural interviews.
But don’t worry, I’m still thinking while I type.
You see, sometimes when we tell stories we don’t always know where to start, what it’s going to be about, or how to conclude it.
That’s known as the story arc.
You see it in movies, songs, TED Talks…. and really good interview answers.
It’s the narrative that holds the anecdote together, with a strong, engaging start, plenty of action in the middle, and an ending that leaves you fulfilled.
Think of a movie you’ve watched. One where you thought….
Well, that’s two hours I’m not getting back
Sure. You probably can’t remember the title of the film, who was in it, or what it was about. You just know you’ve sat through something:
That bored you rigid
Confused you
Had lifeless characters
Featured wooden acting
and
Left you wondering where the ending went.
Yep.
Well imagine sitting in an interview room for 6 hours interviewing candidate after candidate who has done next to no preparation.
It’s a very similar experience.
Just longer and even more frustrating.
This is another reason why I detest most pop music.
I’m probably going to sound like an old fool here, but the stuff my youngest listens to compared to my oldest - well the difference is in the stories and they way they’re told.
It’s like comparing almost anything from Stock Aitken and Waterman’s Hit Factory (nearly no story, infantile lyrics) with, well, Sweet Child O’ Mine.
I should get to the point.
What are behavioural interviews?
These are the kinds of interviews where you get asked questions like “Tell me about a time when….” or “Give me an example of…”
They require you to delve into your Anecdote Bank and pull out an example of when you’ve been in a certain situation. The interviewer wants to know how you handled it.
You’ll most likely be assessed on whether or not you hit some key behavioural or competency-driven criteria in the way you dealt with the situation.
A common way of answering these interviews is by remembering the STAR nemonic:
Situation
Tasks
Actions
Results
… and using the framework to talk through the anecdote. It also helps the interviewer keep track of what’s going on in the story.
What people do wrong in behavioural interviews:
1 - Focus too much on the situation
2 - Try to tell the whole story and lose the point
3 - Forget to cover the actions they took
4 - Jump straight to the results.
This usually ends up with a meandering answer, that lacks focus, confuses the interviewer, and doesn’t get you through to the next round - because we still have no idea what you’ve actually done, or how you actually did it.
How to get it right:
1 - Get through the Situation and Tasks quickly. These are here to set the scene only.
Provide:
When it was (give the year)
What the main problem was, give a sense of scale with numbers
How you became responsible for it (very briefly)
Who else was involved (ie key stakeholders).
What the main task or tasks were that needed to be accomplished.
2 - Get into the Action.
Bring to life:
Your thinking process (what options did you have, pros/cons)
The steps you were going to take (“Three main things I had to do - 1…xxxx, 2…xxxx and 3…xxxx” - short and punchy)
These elements are showing your working - a bit like in a maths exam. You get points for it and it helps the interviewer picture what’s going on in your head.
Then:
Go through the actual steps you took, and why.
Who/why you needed to influence and how you did it?
What specific actions you took - like meetings you arranged, plans you made.
Why were they going to solve the problem?
3 - Talk Results.
Explain:
The impact those decisions/actions had
Give numbers where you can - this gives further scale
Any key learnings
Here’s a video I made on it:
Clearly, there’s a lot more to nailing behavioural interviews than this. I can coach you if you want.
But focus on getting this bit right and it’ll help you define your story and the arc, and spend that valuable interview time in the right places.
So what’s the lyric that ties all this together? you may ask.
<Googles songs with “Star” in the title>
Well, this advice might just be your Lucky Star.
Thanks, Madonna.
Phil
In the socials…
Here’s a delve into this time last year with a post about giving things time.
Here’s one about sorting the 1 thing out that’s holding you back
And here’s one about being you, and not being afraid of it
What’s coming next?
Well, there’s gonna be some changes around these parts as I’m going to be shifting my subscription model. You’ll barely notice though. More soon…