What Makes a Good Behavioral Interview Story?

May 1
  
</div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" data-border-radii="&#123;&quot;topLeft&quot;:&#123;&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:0.0&#125;,&quot;topRight&quot;:&#123;&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:0.0&#125;,&quot;bottomLeft&quot;:&#123;&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:0.0&#125;,&quot;bottomRight&quot;:&#123;&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:0.0&#125;&#125;" data-sqsp-block="text" id="block-ed2f8ab1b57a71d3676c"><div class="sqs-block-content">

<div class="sqs-html-content" data-sqsp-text-block-content>
  <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">The most popular category of podcasts on The Exclusive Career Coach were those about interviewing, so I thought it time to drop an interviewing episode into this podcast. </p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Let’s do a deep dive into what makes a good behavioral interview story. Often times when I’m doing interview coaching with clients, they proceed to tell me a story that either they, I, or both of us agree doesn’t quite hit the mark. In other situations, the story is good enough – but then they think of a better story.</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">So what makes a story “good?”</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Front-door method vs. Back-door method</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It needs to have a shape.</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">C: Challenge</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">A: Action</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">R: Result</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">L: Lessons Learned or “What I think this story illustrates…”’</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It needs to have relevance.</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">If you are applying for a position in a manufacturing facility, do you have some stories about your experience in that type of facility? If the question is about your ability to turn around underperforming teams, when have you done that? </p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Of course, sometimes you don’t have a story that perfectly matches the question they’ve asked – just make sure you narrate the pivot you are making. </p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Objects in the rearview mirror get smaller as time goes by. </p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">You can use older stories – if they are major. </p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Variety is the spice of life…except when it isn’t.</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">It’s okay to reuse stories – it doesn’t have to be one-and-done. </p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide enough color to make it memorable. </p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">This is where it is incredibly helpful to work with someone like me – who can give you feedback on whether your stories are too detailed, or not detailed enough. </p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Not every story has to be a raving success.</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Sometimes the best stories are when you missed the mark – particularly if you use the L: Lessons Learned. Particularly when they specifically ask about a time when you failed. </p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice makes perfect…just don’t sound like a robot.</p><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Practice enough that your main points come across, but not so much that you sound like you are on autopilot. </p>
</div>

</div></div></div></div></div></div>

            <div class="blog-meta-item blog-meta-item--tags" data-content-field="tags">
              <span class="blog-item-tag-wrapper"><a href="/tec-podcast/tag/interview+coaching" class="blog-item-tag blog-item-tag--interview-coaching" rel="tag">interview coaching</a></span><span class="blog-item-tag-wrapper"><a href="/tec-podcast/tag/behavioral+interviews" class="blog-item-tag blog-item-tag--behavioral-interviews" rel="tag">behavioral interviews</a></span><span class="blog-item-tag-wrapper"><a href="/tec-podcast/tag/interview+preparation" class="blog-item-tag blog-item-tag--interview-preparation" rel="tag">interview preparation</a></span>
            </div>
          
            <div class="blog-item-author-profile-wrapper" data-content-field="author">
              <a href="/tec-podcast?author=617ae7024d577d7cd7e6f36a">
  
  <span class="author-name">Lesa Edwards</span>
</a>

            </div>
          
        </div>

        <section class="blog-item-comments">
          <div class="blog-item-comments-toggle-wrapper">
            <div id="blogItemCommentsContent" class="blog-item-comments-content" data-content-field="comments">
              
            </div>
          </div>
        </section>
      
    </div>
  
</article>

</div>
    </div>
  
  </div>
  
</section>

</article>

              <section
  id="itemPagination"
  class="item-pagination item-pagination--prev-next"
  data-collection-type="blog-side-by-side"
>
  
    <a href="/tec-podcast/blog-post-strategic-decision-making" class="item-pagination-link item-pagination-link--prev">
      <div class="item-pagination-icon icon icon--stroke">
        <svg class="caret-left-icon--small" viewBox="0 0 9 16">
          <polyline fill="none" stroke-miterlimit="10" points="7.3,14.7 2.5,8 7.3,1.2"/>
        </svg>
      </div>
      <span class="pagination-title-wrapper">
        
        <div class="visually-hidden">Previous</div>
        <div class="item-pagination-prev-next">Previous</div>
        
        <h2 class="item-pagination-title">How to Improve Your Strategic Decision-Making</h2>
      </span>
    </a>
  
    <a href="/tec-podcast/blog-post-recruiters-and-headhunters" class="item-pagination-link item-pagination-link--next">
      <div class="pagination-title-wrapper">
        
        <div class="visually-hidden">Next</div>
        <div class="item-pagination-prev-next">Next</div>
        
        <h2 class="item-pagination-title">The Role of Recruiters and Headhunters in an Executive Job Search</h2>
      </div>
      <div class="item-pagination-icon icon icon--stroke">
        <svg class="caret-right-icon--small" viewBox="0 0 9 16">
          <polyline fill="none" stroke-miterlimit="10" points="1.6,1.2 6.5,7.9 1.6,14.7"/>
        </svg>
      </div>
    </a>
  
</section>

      </main>
      
        <footer class="sections" id="footer-sections" data-footer-sections>
  
<section
  data-test="page-section"
  
  data-section-theme=""
  class='page-section 
    
      full-bleed-section
      layout-engine-section
    
    background-width--full-bleed
    
      section-height--small
    
      content-width--wide
    
    horizontal-alignment--center
    vertical-alignment--middle
    
    '
  
  data-section-id="68228c5ac280b87b4026bbc9"
  
  data-controller="SectionWrapperController"
  data-current-styles="{
&quot;imageOverlayOpacity&quot;: 0.15,
&quot;backgroundWidth&quot;: &quot;background-width--full-bleed&quot;,
&quot;sectionHeight&quot;: &quot;section-height--small&quot;,
&quot;customSectionHeight&quot;: 10,
&quot;horizontalAlignment&quot;: &quot;horizontal-alignment--center&quot;,
&quot;verticalAlignment&quot;: &quot;vertical-alignment--middle&quot;,
&quot;contentWidth&quot;: &quot;content-width--wide&quot;,
&quot;customContentWidth&quot;: 50,
&quot;sectionTheme&quot;: &quot;&quot;,
&quot;sectionAnimation&quot;: &quot;none&quot;,
&quot;backgroundMode&quot;: &quot;image&quot;
}"
  data-current-context="{
&quot;video&quot;: {
  &quot;playbackSpeed&quot;: 0.5,
  &quot;filter&quot;: 1,
  &quot;filterStrength&quot;: 0,
  &quot;zoom&quot;: 0,
  &quot;videoSourceProvider&quot;: &quot;none&quot;
},
&quot;backgroundImageId&quot;: null,
&quot;backgroundMediaEffect&quot;: {
  &quot;type&quot;: &quot;none&quot;
},
&quot;divider&quot;: {
  &quot;enabled&quot;: false
},
&quot;typeName&quot;: &quot;blog-side-by-side&quot;
}"
  data-animation="none"
  data-fluid-engine-section
   
>
  <div
    class="section-border"
    
  >
    <div class="section-background">
    
    </div>
  </div>
  <div
    class='content-wrapper'
    style='
      
    '
  >
    <div
      class="content"
      
    >
      
      <div data-fluid-engine="true"><style>

.fe-68228c5ac280b87b4026bbc8 {
  --grid-gutter: calc(var(--sqs-mobile-site-gutter, 6vw) - 11.0px);
  --cell-max-width: calc( ( var(--sqs-site-max-width, 1500px) - (11.0px * (8 - 1)) ) / 8 );

  display: grid;
  position: relative;
  grid-area: 1/1/-1/-1;
  grid-template-rows: repeat(21,minmax(24px, auto));
  grid-template-columns:
    minmax(var(--grid-gutter), 1fr)
    repeat(8, minmax(0, var(--cell-max-width)))
    minmax(var(--grid-gutter), 1fr);
  row-gap: 11.0px;
  column-gap: 11.0px;
  overflow-x: hidden;
  overflow-x: clip;
}

@media (min-width: 768px) {
  .background-width--inset .fe-68228c5ac280b87b4026bbc8 {
    --inset-padding: calc(var(--sqs-site-gutter) * 2);
  }

  .fe-68228c5ac280b87b4026bbc8 {
    --grid-gutter: calc(var(--sqs-site-gutter, 4vw) - 11.0px);
    --cell-max-width: calc( ( var(--sqs-site-max-width, 1500px) - (11.0px * (24 - 1)) ) / 24 );
    --inset-padding: 0vw;

    --row-height-scaling-factor: 0.0215;
    --container-width: min(var(--sqs-site-max-width, 1500px), calc(100vw - var(--sqs-site-gutter, 4vw) * 2 - var(--inset-padding) ));

    grid-template-rows: repeat(6,minmax(calc(var(--container-width) * var(--row-height-scaling-factor)), auto));
    grid-template-columns:
      minmax(var(--grid-gutter), 1fr)
      repeat(24, minmax(0, var(--cell-max-width)))
      minmax(var(--grid-gutter), 1fr);
  }
}

  .fe-block-d7d94367fafe0eaf62a8 {
    grid-area: 2/2/12/10;
    z-index: 0;

    @media (max-width: 767px) {
      
    }
  }

  .fe-block-d7d94367fafe0eaf62a8 .sqs-block {
    justify-content: flex-start;
  }

  .fe-block-d7d94367fafe0eaf62a8 .sqs-block-alignment-wrapper {
    align-items: flex-start;
  }

  @media (min-width: 768px) {
    .fe-block-d7d94367fafe0eaf62a8 {
      grid-area: 1/2/7/16;
      z-index: 0;

    }

    .fe-block-d7d94367fafe0eaf62a8 .sqs-block {
      justify-content: flex-start;
    }

    .fe-block-d7d94367fafe0eaf62a8 .sqs-block-alignment-wrapper {
      align-items: flex-start;
    }
  }

  .fe-block-80cddb921898fa46c825 {
    grid-area: 12/2/18/10;
    z-index: 1;

    @media (max-width: 767px) {
      
    }
  }

  .fe-block-80cddb921898fa46c825 .sqs-block {
    justify-content: flex-start;
  }

  .fe-block-80cddb921898fa46c825 .sqs-block-alignment-wrapper {
    align-items: flex-start;
  }

  @media (min-width: 768px) {
    .fe-block-80cddb921898fa46c825 {
      grid-area: 1/20/4/26;
      z-index: 1;

    }

    .fe-block-80cddb921898fa46c825 .sqs-block {
      justify-content: flex-start;
    }

    .fe-block-80cddb921898fa46c825 .sqs-block-alignment-wrapper {
      align-items: flex-start;
    }
  }

  .fe-block-yui_3_17_2_1_1747757683634_3270 {
    grid-area: 18/2/20/10;
    z-index: 2;

    @media (max-width: 767px) {
      
    }
  }

  .fe-block-yui_3_17_2_1_1747757683634_3270 .sqs-block {
    justify-content: flex-start;
  }

  .fe-block-yui_3_17_2_1_1747757683634_3270 .sqs-block-alignment-wrapper {
    align-items: flex-start;
  }

  @media (min-width: 768px) {
    .fe-block-yui_3_17_2_1_1747757683634_3270 {
      grid-area: 4/20/5/24;
      z-index: 2;

    }

    .fe-block-yui_3_17_2_1_1747757683634_3270 .sqs-block {
      justify-content: center;
    }

    .fe-block-yui_3_17_2_1_1747757683634_3270 .sqs-block-alignment-wrapper {
      align-items: center;
    }
  }

</style><div class="fluid-engine fe-68228c5ac280b87b4026bbc8"><div class="fe-block fe-block-d7d94367fafe0eaf62a8"><div class="sqs-block newsletter-block sqs-block-newsletter" data-blend-mode="NORMAL" data-block-type="51" data-border-radii="&#123;&quot;topLeft&quot;:&#123;&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:0.0&#125;,&quot;topRight&quot;:&#123;&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:0.0&#125;,&quot;bottomLeft&quot;:&#123;&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:0.0&#125;,&quot;bottomRight&quot;:&#123;&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:0.0&#125;&#125;" id="block-d7d94367fafe0eaf62a8"><div class="sqs-block-content">

<div class="newsletter-form-wrapper
  
  newsletter-form-wrapper--layoutFloat
  newsletter-form-wrapper--alignLeft
  
  "
  >
  <form
     class="newsletter-form"
     data-form-id="68228c5ac280b87b4026bbc6"
     
     autocomplete="on"
     method="POST"
     novalidate
     onsubmit="return (function (form) {
    Y.use('squarespace-form-submit', 'node', function usingFormSubmit(Y) {
      (new Y.Squarespace.FormSubmit(form)).submit({
        formId: '68228c5ac280b87b4026bbc6',
        collectionId: '67a65b4ec46496632ef4a43c',
        objectName: 'd7d94367fafe0eaf62a8'
      });
    });
    return false;
  })(this);">
    <header class="newsletter-form-header">
      <h2 class="newsletter-form-header-title">Enhance and Expand Your Career!</h2>
      <div class="newsletter-form-header-description"><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Sign up for weekly emails from Lesa with job search and career management tips.</p></div>
    </header>
    <div class="newsletter-form-body">
      <div class="newsletter-form-fields-wrapper form-fields" style="vertical-align: middle;">
        
            <div id="email-yui_3_17_2_1_1561059871607_37975" class="newsletter-form-field-wrapper form-item field email required" style="vertical-align: bottom;">
              <label class="newsletter-form-field-label title" for="email-yui_3_17_2_1_1561059871607_37975-field">Email Address</label>
              <input id="email-yui_3_17_2_1_1561059871607_37975-field" class="newsletter-form-field-element field-element" name="email" x-autocompletetype="email" autocomplete="email" type="email" spellcheck="false" placeholder="Email Address" />
            </div>
          
      </div>
      <div data-animation-role="button" class="newsletter-form-button-wrapper submit-wrapper" style="vertical-align: middle;">
        <button
          class="
            newsletter-form-button
            sqs-system-button
            sqs-editable-button-layout
            sqs-editable-button-style
            sqs-editable-button-shape
            sqs-button-element--primary
          "
          type="submit"
          value="Sign Up"
        >
          <span class="newsletter-form-spinner sqs-spin light large"></span>
          <span class="newsletter-form-button-label">Sign Up</span>
          <span class="newsletter-form-button-icon"></span>
        </button>
      </div>
      
        <div class="captcha-container sqs-form-rendered
          align-left
          
          "
          data-theme="light"
        ></div>
        
    </div>
    <div class="newsletter-form-footnote"></div>
    <div class="hidden form-submission-text"><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Thank you! Keep an eye on your email inbox for Lesa’s weekly email.</p></div>
    <div class="hidden form-submission-html" data-submission-html=""></div>
  </form>
</div>
</div></div></div><div class="fe-block fe-block-80cddb921898fa46c825"><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-blend-mode="NORMAL" data-block-type="2" data-border-radii="&#123;&quot;topLeft&quot;:&#123;&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:0.0&#125;,&quot;topRight&quot;:&#123;&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:0.0&#125;,&quot;bottomLeft&quot;:&#123;&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:0.0&#125;,&quot;bottomRight&quot;:&#123;&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:0.0&#125;&#125;" data-sqsp-block="text" id="block-80cddb921898fa46c825"><div class="sqs-block-content">

<div class="sqs-html-content" data-sqsp-text-block-content>
  <h4 style="white-space:pre-wrap;">The Exclusive Career</h4><p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">© 2005-2025 The Exclusive Career and Lesa Edwards - All Rights Reserved</p>
</div>

</div></div></div><div class="fe-block fe-block-yui_3_17_2_1_1747757683634_3270"><div class="sqs-block socialaccountlinks-v2-block sqs-block-socialaccountlinks-v2" data-block-type="54" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1747757683634_3270"><div class="sqs-block-content">

<div class="sqs-svg-icon--outer social-icon-alignment-center social-icons-color- social-icons-size-small social-icons-shape-rounded social-icons-style-solid" >
  <style>
    #block-yui_3_17_2_1_1747757683634_3270 .social-icons-style-border .sqs-svg-icon--wrapper {
      
        box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px inset;
      
      border: none; 
    }
  </style>
  <nav class="sqs-svg-icon--list">
    <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/LesaCareerCoach/" target="_blank" class="sqs-svg-icon--wrapper linkedin-unauth" aria-label="LinkedIn">
      <div>
        <svg class="sqs-svg-icon--social" viewBox="0 0 64 64">
          <use class="sqs-use--icon" xlink:href="#linkedin-unauth-icon"></use>
          <use class="sqs-use--mask" xlink:href="#linkedin-unauth-mask"></use>
        </svg>
      </div>
    </a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/theexclusivecareer" target="_blank" class="sqs-svg-icon--wrapper facebook-unauth" aria-label="Facebook">
      <div>
        <svg class="sqs-svg-icon--social" viewBox="0 0 64 64">
          <use class="sqs-use--icon" xlink:href="#facebook-unauth-icon"></use>
          <use class="sqs-use--mask" xlink:href="#facebook-unauth-mask"></use>
        </svg>
      </div>
    </a>
  </nav>
</div>
</div></div></div></div></div>
    </div>
  
  </div>
  
</section>

</footer>

    </div>

    <script defer="true" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/vta/5c5a519771c10ba3470d8101/scripts/site-bundle.5034b49dc9657e6dff57a43925f3aeab.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
    <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1" style="display:none" data-usage="social-icons-svg"><symbol id="linkedin-unauth-icon" viewBox="0 0 64 64"><path d="M20.4,44h5.4V26.6h-5.4V44z M23.1,18c-1.7,0-3.1,1.4-3.1,3.1c0,1.7,1.4,3.1,3.1,3.1 c1.7,0,3.1-1.4,3.1-3.1C26.2,19.4,24.8,18,23.1,18z M39.5,26.2c-2.6,0-4.4,1.4-5.1,2.8h-0.1v-2.4h-5.2V44h5.4v-8.6 c0-2.3,0.4-4.5,3.2-4.5c2.8,0,2.8,2.6,2.8,4.6V44H46v-9.5C46,29.8,45,26.2,39.5,26.2z"/></symbol><symbol id="linkedin-unauth-mask" viewBox="0 0 64 64"><path d="M0,0v64h64V0H0z M25.8,44h-5.4V26.6h5.4V44z M23.1,24.3c-1.7,0-3.1-1.4-3.1-3.1c0-1.7,1.4-3.1,3.1-3.1 c1.7,0,3.1,1.4,3.1,3.1C26.2,22.9,24.8,24.3,23.1,24.3z M46,44h-5.4v-8.4c0-2,0-4.6-2.8-4.6c-2.8,0-3.2,2.2-3.2,4.5V44h-5.4V26.6 h5.2V29h0.1c0.7-1.4,2.5-2.8,5.1-2.8c5.5,0,6.5,3.6,6.5,8.3V44z"/></symbol><symbol id="facebook-unauth-icon" viewBox="0 0 64 64"><path d="M34.1,47V33.3h4.6l0.7-5.3h-5.3v-3.4c0-1.5,0.4-2.6,2.6-2.6l2.8,0v-4.8c-0.5-0.1-2.2-0.2-4.1-0.2 c-4.1,0-6.9,2.5-6.9,7V28H24v5.3h4.6V47H34.1z"/></symbol><symbol id="facebook-unauth-mask" viewBox="0 0 64 64"><path d="M0,0v64h64V0H0z M39.6,22l-2.8,0c-2.2,0-2.6,1.1-2.6,2.6V28h5.3l-0.7,5.3h-4.6V47h-5.5V33.3H24V28h4.6V24 c0-4.6,2.8-7,6.9-7c2,0,3.6,0.1,4.1,0.2V22z"/></symbol></svg>

  </body>
</html>