Behavioral interviewing has become the norm for many employers who believe that the best way to predict the future is to examine past behavior. “Tell me about a time when…” is a popular refrain in a behavioral interview. It’s not enough to merely list the qualities you will bring to the job – you’ll need to give life to those qualities in the form of action stories.
How does it work?
The interviewer will have determined several skills or characteristics that an ideal candidate would need to have to be successful in the position. The interview questions will be based on these identified characteristics and you will be asked to share details of specific situations in which you may (or may not) have exhibited these traits. This allows the interviewer to compare a potential employee’s actions with his/her self-proclaimed attributes.
How do I prepare for behavioral interview questions? Think S.T.A.R.! 
Employers tend to like asking behavioral questions as candidates cannot prepare for the exact questions in advance. This may be true to a point; however, you can anticipate what characteristics would be important for the position by analyzing the job requirements. Make a list of at least five of the most important characteristics and think of situations from your professional experience that highlight these traits. Prepare short stories using the following method:
S – Describe the Situation
T – What Task (s) did you identify that needed to be completed?
A – What Action did you take?
R – What was the Result of your action?
• Don’t exaggerate – be honest!
• Be specific. Don’t generalize events; give a detailed account of one event.
• Stay focused – do not ramble!