Behavioral interviews are a mainstay of the hiring process.
They’re designed to dig into how you think and operate – not in theory, but in real-world situations.
Behavioural interview questions often start with: “Tell me about a time when…” or “Give an example of…” and are based on a simple premise: past behavior is one of the best predictors of future performance.
If you’re pivoting into a new role or industry, these questions take on even more importance. You may not have taken a conventional path into the role, but behavioral interviews allow you to show how your core skills, judgment, and leadership style can translate – often more powerfully than a traditional resume alone.
Why Reconnecting With the Fundamentals Matters
As you progress in your career, into middle management or senior-level roles, it’s easy to forget the fundamentals. Not because they’re not relevant, but because they’ve become second nature. When preparing for behavioral interviews, it’s worth slowing down and re-engaging with the basics: how you lead, how you collaborate, how you respond under pressure, and how you make decisions.
But this doesn’t mean reaching back to your undergraduate days or internships. As a mid-career or experienced hire, you should be drawing from your recent experience. Think of all you have achieved in the last 3–5 years. These experiences are reflective of your current maturity, leadership style, and readiness for the role you’re targeting. Even if your pivot involves a change in industry or function, your track record in tackling ambiguity, driving outcomes, and influencing stakeholders remains highly relevant.
Start With These Five Behavioral Themes
In my previous experience, both in interviewing candidates and coaching professionals through career transitions, nearly every behavioral question falls into one of five themes.
Prepare for behavioural interviews around these themes will give you a solid foundation:
- Leadership – How you take initiative, set direction, and drive outcomes
- Resilience – How you respond to setbacks, solve complex problems, and navigate ambiguity
- Teamwork – How you collaborate, build trust, and contribute in group settings
- Influence – How you persuade others, manage stakeholders, and gain alignment
- Ethics – How you approach values-based decisions and maintain integrity under pressure
You don’t necessarily need five distinct stories. Many good examples will address multiple themes. What matters is being intentional about what each story demonstrates before you step into the interview room.
Step 1: Surface the Right Stories From Your Career
Start by conducting a structured review of your career to date. Go through roles, projects, and turning points. Thinking not only about your core job description, but also about assignments, cross-functional work, and high-stakes moments.
Ask yourself:
- When did I take ownership for something without being asked?
- When was I tested by a project, a client, or a difficult situation, and what did I learn?
- When did I help a team get unstuck or improve performance?
- When did I successfully influence others without formal authority?
- When did I make a tough call that reflected my values?
If you’re pivoting, it’s particularly important to select stories that showcase transferable skills. You may not have direct experience in the new function or industry, but your leadership, critical thinking, and stakeholder management abilities will likely be transferable. The key is drawing a clear line between what you’ve done and the role you’re moving toward.
Step 2: Use STAR to Shape the Narrative, But Keep It Natural
The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is still the gold standard for structuring behavioral responses. It helps you avoid rambling and ensures that your story has a beginning, middle, and end.
- Situation: What was the context?
- Task: What were you responsible for?
- Action: What did you do?
- Result: What happened, and what was the impact?
Used properly, STAR brings focus and clarity. That said, don’t over-script your responses. You’re not delivering a monologue, rather, you’re walking someone through a real experience with structure and intention.
Here is an example of a response that follows the STAR framework:
“In my previous role, I inherited a cross-functional project that was significantly behind schedule and suffering from low engagement across teams. My first step was to reset expectations, clarify responsibilities, and hold one-on-one conversations to rebuild trust. I also introduced a light-touch governance structure to ensure momentum without adding process overhead. The project ultimately launched four weeks behind the original target, but with full alignment and long-term sustainability. It became a reference model for similar initiatives the following year.”
This kind of clear and well-structured example, tied to outcomes, grounded in reality, says far more than generic buzzwords ever could.
Step 3: Rehearse With Purpose, Especially for the Role You Want
One common misstep I’ve seen is preparing for behavioral interviews as a retrospective exercise. Yes, your past matters, but the real goal is to position yourself for the future.
As you practice, think about the requirements of the role you’re targeting. What types of challenges will this role involve? What behaviors will be critical to succeed?
Tailor your stories to highlight elements that align with what the hiring manager is likely looking for.
A good story isn’t just a reflection of your experience. It’s a signal of your readiness for what’s ahead.
Step 4: Avoid Common Pitfalls
Even strong candidates can get tripped up on behavioral questions.
Here are a few traps to watch for:
- Over-indexing on “we” instead of “I” – Collaboration is important, but interviewers need to understand your role in driving outcomes.
- Skipping the result – Always include the impact. Even if the outcome wasn’t perfect, show what changed and what you learned.
- Over-polishing your delivery – A rehearsed answer can feel less authentic. Prioritize clarity over perfection.
- Avoiding vulnerability – A well-chosen story about a failure or difficult moment paired with reflection and growth can be one of the most powerful parts of your interview.
Step 5: Anchor in Who You Are, Not Just What You’ve Done
Behavioral interviews aren’t about checking boxes. They’re about revealing your leadership DNA. How do you think? How do you act? And how you show up when it matters?
Your goal isn’t to perform; it’s to connect. When done right, your stories offer a window into what it would be like to work with you, not just your competencies, but your mindset, values, and approach to collaboration and accountability.
The best interviews feel like conversations. The interviewer should walk away with a clear picture of what you bring, how you think through challenges, and why you’re well positioned to succeed in the role, even if your background isn’t an exact match on paper.
Final Thoughts
Career pivots take courage and clarity. You’re often trying to prove that you’re ready for a job you haven’t technically done yet. But behavioral interviews give you the space to do just that: to articulate how your experiences, skills, and judgment have prepared you to take the next step.
Start with the five core themes. Revisit the moments that shaped your leadership style. Practice your stories until they feel fluid and intentional. And most importantly, own your narrative. Doing so will help the interviewer see the future version of you that already exists.
Jason Oh is a Senior Manager at TD Bank’s Enterprise Strategy team. Previously, he was a strategy consultant at Strategy&, EYP, and Novantas, where he led and contributed to high-impact projects that delivered top- and bottom-line growth for leading financial institutions.
Image: DALL-E
🔴 Found these ideas useful?
Sharpen your thinking