To create a little more clarity around behavioral interviews, we will break down the different parts of one to help you get started with prepping for your next interview.

Part #1 Introduction (10-15 minutes)

This part of the interview is focused on having the interviewer get to know a little more about you, your career goals, the skills you have, and how that aligns with the company’s mission. You should answer these questions by highlighting your skillsets, researching the company mission, and drawing similarities between you and the company.The questions that will be asked include the following:

• Tell me about yourself
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
• What interests you most about this company?

Part #2 Situational Questions (15-30 minutes)

This part of the interview is focused on your past experiences (both technical and behavioral) and how they could contribute to you working well at the company. You should answer these questions by using the STAR method, being detailed on your impact, and tying your result back to how it would benefit the company. The questions that will be asked include the following:

• Tell me about a time you failed
• Tell me about a time you succeeded
• Tell me about a time you faced a conflict
• Tell me about your collaboration style

Part #3 Closing (5- 10 minutes)

This part of the interview is focused on wrapping up the interview and reminding the interviewer that you would be a great fit for the company. In this section you want to say how much you’ve enjoyed the interview and ask the interviewer questions to get insight on the company.

The questions that you SHOULD ASK include the following types of questions:

• Questions that show you’ve done research on the company or interviewer
• Questions that show curiosity about your interviewer and their work interests
• Allow you to gain insight to be used in future interview rounds
• Take into account the goals of your interviewer