- PPF Points
- 2,888
Behavioral interviews in tech can really throw you for a loop. They’re not grilling you on algorithms—they’re basically trying to figure out if you’re someone they actually want to work with on a Monday morning. From what I’ve seen (and yeah, lived through), the big thing is just being real. I know, sounds cheesy, but it’s true. You can spot a canned answer from a mile away, and so can they. Honestly, the times I’ve just owned up to messing something up—like, “Hey, this project totally tanked, here’s what I learned”—those moments actually built more trust than any “Look how perfect I am!” speech.
One time, I straight up told them about a failed project where my communication was, uh, less than stellar. Admitting that and talking through how I fixed it? That led to a way better conversation than if I’d tried to spin it into some shiny “success.” People appreciate the honesty. Makes you look like a real person, not some weird interview robot.
Oh, and about storytelling: yeah, the STAR thing (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is super helpful. Does it feel a little stiff sometimes? Sure. But you gotta give your story some bones or you’ll ramble all over the place. I usually pick out a few stories that hit the biggies—like showing I can lead, handle drama, bounce back from a screw-up—and just practice talking through them in a way that doesn’t sound like I’m reading notes off my hand. Don’t just regurgitate whatever’s on their company site either. Tie your stories to what matters to them, but keep it in your own words, otherwise, you just sound like another LinkedIn clone.
And listen, these interviews aren’t just about talking at the wall. Half the game is actually listening. If the interviewer pushes back or digs deeper, don’t get defensive. Be curious. Sometimes I’ll even pause, think for a sec, or ask them to clarify. Shows you can actually have a conversation, not just recite a script.
But honestly, I keep coming back to this—how do you walk the line between prepping those stories and not sounding like a podcast on repeat? Like, how do you keep it fresh and actually connect, instead of just checking boxes? That’s the trick, isn’t it?
One time, I straight up told them about a failed project where my communication was, uh, less than stellar. Admitting that and talking through how I fixed it? That led to a way better conversation than if I’d tried to spin it into some shiny “success.” People appreciate the honesty. Makes you look like a real person, not some weird interview robot.
Oh, and about storytelling: yeah, the STAR thing (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is super helpful. Does it feel a little stiff sometimes? Sure. But you gotta give your story some bones or you’ll ramble all over the place. I usually pick out a few stories that hit the biggies—like showing I can lead, handle drama, bounce back from a screw-up—and just practice talking through them in a way that doesn’t sound like I’m reading notes off my hand. Don’t just regurgitate whatever’s on their company site either. Tie your stories to what matters to them, but keep it in your own words, otherwise, you just sound like another LinkedIn clone.
And listen, these interviews aren’t just about talking at the wall. Half the game is actually listening. If the interviewer pushes back or digs deeper, don’t get defensive. Be curious. Sometimes I’ll even pause, think for a sec, or ask them to clarify. Shows you can actually have a conversation, not just recite a script.
But honestly, I keep coming back to this—how do you walk the line between prepping those stories and not sounding like a podcast on repeat? Like, how do you keep it fresh and actually connect, instead of just checking boxes? That’s the trick, isn’t it?
