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Acing Behavioral Job Interviews - The Complete Guide

4.6 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Half star
Based on 29 ratings
see reviews
David Fraser

Job interviews are scary. But the right tools, frameworks, and mindset can help you overcome your fear of interviewing and more consistently land the jobs you’re looking for.

I’m a Canadian financial professional ( I’ve had jobs in Big 4 Accounting, Asset Management, Private Equity, and Venture Capital.

I grew up in a small town and didn’t have any special connections or networks growing up. Getting all of these jobs came down to strong, relatable, and persuasive behavioral interviewing skills. And I can teach you the very same skills to accelerate your own career.

Read more

Job interviews are scary. But the right tools, frameworks, and mindset can help you overcome your fear of interviewing and more consistently land the jobs you’re looking for.

I’m a Canadian financial professional ( I’ve had jobs in Big 4 Accounting, Asset Management, Private Equity, and Venture Capital.

I grew up in a small town and didn’t have any special connections or networks growing up. Getting all of these jobs came down to strong, relatable, and persuasive behavioral interviewing skills. And I can teach you the very same skills to accelerate your own career.

In this class, you’ll learn the techniques that I use to prepare for every single behavioral interview. It doesn’t matter what job or industry you’re looking for—the core techniques are the same.

We’ll cover:

  • Why behavioral interviews are important and the rationale behind them

  • How to identify the critical skills and traits that are relevant for the job or industry you’re applying to

  • How to prepare your story in a cohesive way

  • What questions you must know

  • How to structure your answer for a top-notch response

  • How to prepare for the interview using a staged approach

  • And a few tips and tricks for when you’re actually in the interview chair

You’ll also get the chance to practice telling your story as part of our class project.

Even if you’re new to behavioral interviewing, you’ll find these simple and easy-to-remember techniques make a big difference when it comes to landing your next job.

So, are you ready to ace your next behavioral job interview?

Great, then let’s get started.

Credits:

  • Music: http://www.bensound DOT com

  • Sound effects: https://www.zapsplat DOT com

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Why behavioral interviews are important and the rationale behind them
  • How to identify critical skills & traits that are relevant for the job you’re applying to
  • How to prepare your story in a way that’s persuasive and cohesive
  • Which questions you should definitely have mastered
  • How to structure your answer to deliver a top-notch response
  • How to prepare for the behavioral interview and the stages of preparation
  • How to maximize your chances of success when you're in the interview chair

Syllabus

Introduction
Trailer
Preparation

Here we talk about the fundamentals and rationale behind behavioral interviews, and why they're so important. Having a solid understanding of behavioral interviewing not only improves your interviewing skills, but it even helps when you're on the other side of the table interviewing someone else!

Read more

The first step in interview preparation is to identify what traits and skills are necessary in your desired job – i.e. what is your target company going to be looking for when interviewing you? In this lecture, we go over some real-life examples of how to do just that.

The Matrix is an extremely powerful practice technique for diving deep on your own experiences and how they reflect the skills and traits your future employer is looking for. Spending a good amount of time on Matrix preparation helps you develop a flexible interview mindset to field any "how did you demonstrate _SKILL_?" questions that an interviewer can come up with.

Crafting your story is crucial - it should be persuasive, interesting, and cover both your key experiences and skills. In this lecture, we go over how to make every interview get off to a great start.

In this lecture, I walk through the key questions that I have been asked, time and time again, over 100+ interviews in accounting, asset management, private equity, and venture capital. I've also provided a convenient list of questions to give you a starting point for your own practice.

The best answer to an interview question is tailored to your experiences and reflects competency in the areas you know the recruiter is looking for. Here I provide some simple techniques and frameworks to to make sure you deliver a top-notch answer every time.

A staged approach to preparation ensures solid memory retention of the key messages you're trying to convey, but keeps you flexible since no interview is exactly the same.

In this lecture, I emphasize why it's so important to know the company you're interviewing with as well as your interviewers inside-and-out.

Here we go over a mix of tips & tricks to round out your preparation and add that final layer of polish!

Your best friend when it comes to interviews is your preparation. Next, however, is mindset, and here we'll talk about how you should (and should NOT) express yourself to really impress your interviewer.

This section covers other execution-related tips that might just make the difference in getting to the next round of interviews!

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Teaches techniques applicable across various industries, which makes it useful for anyone seeking roles in accounting, asset management, or venture capital
Provides a structured approach to answering questions, which helps learners deliver compelling responses during interviews
Explores the rationale behind behavioral interviews, which helps learners understand the interviewer's perspective
Emphasizes the importance of knowing the company and interviewers, which helps learners demonstrate genuine interest and preparedness
Requires learners to identify the skills and traits needed for their desired job, which may require additional research and self-assessment
Includes tips and tricks to add a final layer of polish, which helps learners stand out from other candidates

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Reviews summary

Acing behavioral job interviews

According to learners, this course is a highly effective and practical guide for anyone preparing for behavioral job interviews. Students praise the course for its clear frameworks, such as the STAR method, and the actionable tips and strategies provided. Many reviewers found the content highly relevant across various industries and reported a significant boost in confidence after completing the material. The instructor is described as knowledgeable and engaging. While some felt parts might be basic or common sense, the overall consensus is that it offers effective techniques for structuring answers and preparing effectively. The unique "The Matrix" technique was also noted as particularly helpful for preparation.
Unique preparation tool was very useful.
"The Matrix technique was new to me and a fantastic way to organize my experiences."
"Spending time on 'The Matrix' was probably the most impactful part of my preparation."
"I found the method for structuring and cataloging my past experiences really effective."
Expert instructor provides valuable insights.
"The instructor is clearly very experienced and shared great insights from his own career."
"I appreciated the instructor's practical experience and how he related it to the techniques taught."
"He explains concepts very clearly and his background adds a lot of credibility."
Helped build confidence for job interviews.
"After going through this course, I feel much more confident tackling behavioral questions."
"It really helped calm my nerves by giving me a solid preparation strategy."
"I used the techniques and felt significantly more prepared and confident in my recent interview."
Provides clear, actionable methods like STAR.
"The STAR method explanation and application was incredibly helpful and easy to understand."
"I loved the clear frameworks provided for structuring answers. It made preparing so much less daunting."
"Learning the STAR technique gave me a concrete way to organize my thoughts during the interview."
Parts may seem basic for experienced learners.
"For someone new to interviewing, this is gold. For others, some sections might feel like a review."
"While mostly useful, a few early sections covered ground that felt like common sense."
"I have some interview experience, so parts of the course felt a bit basic to me."
Could benefit from more practice scenarios.
"The course gives you the tools, but practicing them outside the course is crucial."
"I wish there were more example scenarios or role-playing exercises."
"It provides the framework but relying solely on the project might not be enough practice for some."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Acing Behavioral Job Interviews - The Complete Guide with these activities:
Review Common Behavioral Interview Questions
Refresh your memory of common behavioral interview questions to prepare for the course material.
Browse courses on Behavioral Interview Questions
Show steps
  • Find a list of common behavioral interview questions online.
  • Review each question and consider potential answers based on your past experiences.
  • Identify areas where you need to develop stronger stories or examples.
Read 'The 2-Hour Job Search'
Review a book on job searching to gain additional insights and strategies for acing behavioral interviews.
View The Job Closer: Time-Saving Techniques for... on Amazon
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'The 2-Hour Job Search'.
  • Read the sections on networking and interview preparation.
  • Apply the techniques and strategies to your own job search.
Read 'Cracking the Coding Interview'
Review a book on interview techniques to gain additional insights and strategies for acing behavioral interviews.
View Cracking the Coding Interview on Amazon
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Cracking the Coding Interview'.
  • Read the sections on behavioral interview questions and the STAR method.
  • Practice applying the techniques and frameworks to your own experiences.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Create a STAR Method Story Bank
Start a project to build a story bank using the STAR method to prepare for answering behavioral questions.
Show steps
  • Identify 5-7 key skills or traits employers value (e.g., teamwork, leadership, problem-solving).
  • For each skill, brainstorm 2-3 specific situations where you demonstrated that skill.
  • Write out each situation using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
  • Refine your stories for clarity and impact.
Record Mock Interview Answers
Create audio or video recordings of yourself answering common behavioral interview questions to improve your delivery and confidence.
Show steps
  • Select 3-5 common behavioral interview questions.
  • Prepare your answers using the STAR method.
  • Record yourself answering each question.
  • Review your recordings and identify areas for improvement in your delivery, content, and body language.
Conduct Mock Interviews with a Peer
Participate in mock interview sessions with a peer to practice answering questions and receive feedback.
Show steps
  • Find a peer who is also preparing for job interviews.
  • Take turns interviewing each other, asking behavioral questions.
  • Provide constructive feedback on each other's answers, delivery, and overall performance.
  • Focus on clarity, conciseness, and impact.
Connect with Professionals in Your Field
Seek out mentors or professionals in your desired field to gain insights into industry-specific behavioral interview expectations.
Show steps
  • Identify professionals in your field through LinkedIn or networking events.
  • Reach out to them and request an informational interview.
  • Ask them about their experiences with behavioral interviews and what they look for in candidates.

Career center

Learners who complete Acing Behavioral Job Interviews - The Complete Guide will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Recruiter
A recruiter identifies, interviews, and selects candidates to fill job openings. This role requires a keen understanding of behavioral interviewing techniques, and this course provides a framework for developing these skills by teaching how to identify critical skills and traits relevant to a job. Recruiters also need to know how to structure interview questions and assess candidate responses, which you will learn in this course. The course teaches you how to prepare effectively for interviews, which is essential for a recruiter who must lead and evaluate interview sessions. By learning to craft persuasive stories and deliver top-notch answers from the course, you can better assess a job candidate.
See salaries and explore the career path for Recruiter
Human Resources Specialist
Human Resources specialists handle various tasks related to employee relations, including interviewing and onboarding new hires. This course is useful because it covers the importance of behavioral interviews and the rationale behind them. A human resources specialist can use the course's framework to identify critical skills and traits for different roles, which helps when crafting effective interview questions. This course teaches how to prepare a structured and comprehensive interview, which makes it easier to assess candidates and helps in selecting the best fit for a role. The course's focus on structuring answers and understanding interview rationale directly informs how a human resources specialist can lead and manage interviews.
See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Specialist
Career Counselor
Career counselors guide individuals in their job search and career development. They often prepare their clients for interviews, and this course can be particularly useful. As a career counselor, you will need to understand the importance of behavioral interviews and the rationale behind them, which is a key topic of this course. You can guide your clients using the course materials, teaching them how to craft their stories and deliver top notch responses in interviews. By understanding the techniques of the matrix method, you are better able to give advice on how to explore and prepare stories that demonstrate the necessary skills sought by an employer. The course also discusses a multi-stage approach to preparing for interviews, which you can teach to clients. Therefore, a career counselor can use the techniques taught in this course to better help their clients.
See salaries and explore the career path for Career Counselor
Talent Acquisition Manager
A talent acquisition manager is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to attract, recruit, and hire qualified candidates. This course can help a talent acquisition manager refine their approaches to behavioral interviews by emphasizing why they are important and how to prepare for them. The course's focus on identifying critical skills and traits helps the manager tailor their interview process to specific roles. Further, the methodology of how to structure and deliver top-notch answers taught in this course will enable the talent acquisition manager to better structure interviews and assess candidates. By mastering the course's multi-staged approach to interview preparation, you can guide your recruiting team to conduct more effective and informative interviews.
See salaries and explore the career path for Talent Acquisition Manager
Training and Development Specialist
Training and development specialists design and conduct training programs for employees, which can include interview skills for employees moving into management roles. This course provides a firm foundation when teaching behavioral interviewing techniques. By learning the course's approach to identifying necessary skills and traits for a job, you can help train others on how to target their training to the requirements of a position. The course’s emphasis on structuring answers and preparing for interviews also helps train employees to be effective interviewers. The tips and tricks taught in this course can be used in training programs, equipping employees with skills to conduct or participate in better interviews.
See salaries and explore the career path for Training and Development Specialist
Management Consultant
Management consultants analyze and solve business problems, often requiring strong interviewing skills to gather information and understand client needs. This course may be useful in developing the ability to conduct effective behavioral interviews. The course teaches how to identify critical skills and traits, which aids in understanding client requirements and how their employees fulfill those requirements. The technique of structuring answers and preparing for an interview as discussed in this course helps a management consultant approach client engagement in a structured way. The skills to prepare persuasive stories will help management consultants communicate complex ideas to clients more effectively.
See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant
Corporate Trainer
Corporate trainers are responsible for creating and delivering training programs to improve employee skills and performance, and sometimes, they must assist with interviewing techniques. A corporate trainer may find this course useful, as the material helps trainees refine their approach to behavioral interviews. The course can be used in training to familiarize new hires and existing employees, since the course emphasizes how to identify relevant skills when preparing for an interview. The techniques of structuring answers and how to prepare for an interview, taught in this course, can be conveyed in training sessions. Corporate trainers can use the tips and tricks from the course to improve the outcomes of their interview training programs.
See salaries and explore the career path for Corporate Trainer
Project Manager
Project managers oversee projects from initiation to completion, often managing teams and stakeholders. This course may be useful since a project manager needs to assess individual strengths and weaknesses. The course’s emphasis on identifying critical skills and traits can be applied when evaluating team members. The ability to structure answers and prepare a cohesive story from the course may also improve communication with team members and stakeholders. Project managers may enhance their interviewing skills by understanding techniques discussed in this course, which helps in resource allocation and project staffing.
See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager
Team Lead
Team leads guide and supervise a team, often participating in the hiring process. This course may be useful to a team lead given the need for effective interviewing skills. The course’s emphasis on the rationale behind behavioral interviewing and identification of critical skills helps a team lead interview and assess potential team members. The techniques for structuring answers and preparing for interviews are directly applicable when interviewing candidates, which helps in selecting the best fit candidates for a team. Team leads can utilize the tips and tricks discussed in this course to improve their team's recruiting process.
See salaries and explore the career path for Team Lead
Business Analyst
Business analysts examine an organization and its processes to identify problems and propose solutions; an ability to gather requirements is essential for this role. This course may be useful because it teaches how to identify critical skills and traits. This is a helpful technique for understanding stakeholders and their needs. The course's emphasis on structuring a cohesive story will enhance a business analyst's ability to clearly present their findings and recommendations. Although the course focuses on job interviews, skills learned might be useful in obtaining information from stakeholders and other subject matter experts.
See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst
Public Relations Specialist
Public relations specialists manage the public image of a company or organization, which requires very developed communication and interviewing skills. This course is useful as it teaches how to prepare your story in a cohesive way and deliver a top-notch response, which helps in media engagements. The course focuses on identifying critical skills and traits, which can be applied to understanding the audience and what they wish to learn. Public relations specialists might find the course useful when preparing for interviews with journalists or key stakeholders. The ability to structure answers effectively, as taught in the course, will improve their ability to communicate a message.
See salaries and explore the career path for Public Relations Specialist
Sales Representative
Sales representatives are responsible for selling products or services to clients, which means they need to be persuasive communicators. This course may be useful due to the course’s focus on preparing your story in a cohesive way and structuring your answer for a top-notch response. The ability to identify critical skills and traits, as taught in this course, can be applied to understanding clients' needs and presenting solutions. Sales representatives may find the course useful in honing their ability to sell and clearly and persuasively describe the value they bring to a client.
See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Representative
Financial Advisor
Financial advisors provide guidance to clients on investment and financial planning, and must be very effective communicators. This course may be useful as it focuses on preparing persuasive stories and delivering top-notch answers. Skills taught in this course, such as identifying critical skills and traits, can help a financial advisor understand their clients better, enabling them to create more personalized and effective plans. Financial advisors will be able to structure their responses by using the techniques taught, which helps them better communicate with their clients.
See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Advisor
Research Analyst
Research analysts collect and interpret data to inform decisions, often requiring interviewing skills to gather information. This course may be helpful as it focuses on preparing a cohesive story and structuring answers for a top-notch response. The techniques of this course such as identifying critical skills and traits may be adapted to understanding the information sought when conducting interviews for research. The ability to approach interviews in a structured way, as taught, helps research analysts obtain valuable insights from interview subjects.
See salaries and explore the career path for Research Analyst
Market Research Analyst
Market research analysts study market conditions to examine potential sales of a product or service, and interviewing is sometimes a large part of their work. This course may be helpful due to its focus on preparing a cohesive story and structuring answers for a top-notch response. The techniques of this course, such as identifying critical skills and traits, may be adapted to understanding customer needs and requirements. The ability to approach interviews in a structured way as taught in the course may help market research analysts gather accurate data from subject matter experts and research participants.
See salaries and explore the career path for Market Research Analyst

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Acing Behavioral Job Interviews - The Complete Guide.
Cover image
The Job Closer
Save
Provides a structured approach to job searching, including networking and interview preparation. It offers practical advice on identifying target companies and preparing for behavioral interviews. The book emphasizes efficiency and effectiveness in the job search process. It is particularly helpful for those who are new to the job market or are looking to streamline their search.
The Job Closer: Time-Saving Techniques for Acing...
Paperback
$
The Job Closer: Time-Saving Techniques for Acing...
Kindle Edition
$
Cracking the Coding Interview
Save
While primarily focused on technical interviews, this book contains a valuable section on behavioral questions. It provides frameworks and examples for answering common behavioral questions, particularly those related to problem-solving and teamwork. useful reference for understanding the interviewer's perspective and crafting effective responses. It is commonly used by software engineers preparing for interviews.
Cracking the Coding Interview
Paperback
Check
Cracking the Coding Interview
Kindle Edition
Check

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4.6 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Half star
Effort
1 total hour
Via
Udemy
Instructor
David Fraser
Language
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Teaches techniques applicable across various industries, which makes it useful for anyone seeking roles in accounting, asset management, or venture capital
Provides a structured approach to answering questions, which helps learners deliver compelling responses during interviews
Explores the rationale behind behavioral interviews, which helps learners understand the interviewer's perspective
Emphasizes the importance of knowing the company and interviewers, which helps learners demonstrate genuine interest and preparedness
Requires learners to identify the skills and traits needed for their desired job, which may require additional research and self-assessment
Includes tips and tricks to add a final layer of polish, which helps learners stand out from other candidates
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