Part 3/3 - Templates to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions
Templates for Leadership Story and Time Management Story.
Hey, Prasad here 👋 I'm the voice behind the weekly newsletter "Big Tech Careers."
In this article series, I share templates to answer the most common behavioral interview questions. This is Part 3 of the series.
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As you know, I categorize the behavioral questions in 8 key themes. In this article series, I’m providing the structure you can use as a template for each different behavioral category theme.
In part 1 of the series, I covered templates for the first 3 categories - Customer Focus Story, Success Story and Failure Story.
In part 2 of the series, I covered templates for the next 3 categories - Conflict Story, Problem-Solving Story, and Learning/Growth Mindset Story.
In this part 3 of the series, I will cover templates for last 2 categories - Leadership Story and Time Management Story.
For each category, we examine a common question, provide a high-level structure to respond, and offer a detailed template based on the STAR format, along with important considerations.
Use these structures and templates as frameworks to craft your own compelling stories based on your personal experiences.
Let’s get started.
Leadership Story
Question
"Tell me about a time when you had to lead without formal authority."
High Level Structure to Respond
Our team faced [specific challenge/situation]
I noticed [opportunity for leadership]
I influenced others by [specific approach]
I overcame resistance by [method]
We achieved [specific outcome]
This experience taught me [leadership principle]
Important Considerations
Showcase how you inspired and empowered others to achieve collective goals. Highlight your ability to provide clear direction while also trusting your team members with meaningful autonomy.
Emphasize specific ways you developed others through coaching, mentoring, or creating growth opportunities. Quantify the results of your leadership through team achievements, improved performance metrics, or positive cultural changes.
This story should showcase your ability to build high-performing teams, navigate challenges with integrity, and create an environment where others can excel.
Detailed STAR based template
Situation:
Our team faced [specific challenge/situation]
The context was [relevant background]
The formal leadership was [description of authority structure]
Task:
The team needed someone to [necessary leadership]
I recognized an opportunity to [your insight]
Success required [specific objective]
Action:
I stepped up by [initial leadership action]
I influenced others by [specific approach]
I built consensus around [key decision/direction]
I overcame resistance by [method]
Result:
We achieved [specific outcome]
The team dynamics improved through [specific change]
My peers responded by [their reaction]
This experience taught me [leadership principle]
Time Management Story
Question
"How do you handle competing priorities with tight deadlines?"
High Level Structure to Respond
I recently juggled [specific competing priorities]
I evaluated importance by [prioritization method]
I communicated with stakeholders about [specific topics]
I made tough decisions about [trade-offs]
I executed by [specific action plan]
The result was [outcome of prioritization]
Important Considerations
Demonstrate your ability to prioritize effectively and make strategic decisions under pressure. Highlight your systematic approach to organizing competing demands and how you distinguished between urgent and important tasks.
Describe the specific techniques or tools you used to maximize productivity and maintain quality. Emphasize how you communicated priorities and expectations with stakeholders when resources or time were limited. Include examples of how you maintained composure during high-pressure situations and still delivered results.
This story should showcase your efficiency, reliability, and ability to execute successfully even when faced with tight deadlines, shifting priorities, or unexpected challenges.
Detailed STAR based template
Situation:
I recently juggled [specific competing priorities]
This occurred during [timeframe/context]
The challenge was [specific time pressure]
Task:
I needed to deliver [specific deliverables]
The constraints included [specific limitations]
Success required [specific objective]
Action:
I evaluated importance by [prioritization method]
I communicated with stakeholders about [specific topics]
I made tough decisions about [trade-offs]
I executed by [specific action plan]
I adjusted by [flexibility approach]
Result:
The result was [outcome of prioritization]
I delivered [specific achievements]
Stakeholders were [their reaction]
I learned [insight about time management]
This approach now helps me [ongoing benefit]
That concludes the templates for all 8 categories of behavioral scenarios and the three part series. Use these templates to create your personal narratives that showcase your unique experiences and strengths. I’ll end the series with few tips for you to prepare for your upcoming behavioral interview.
Preparing Effectively for Behavioral Interviews
Identify your strongest examples: Before the interview, reflect on your career and identify 2-3 strong examples for each category.
Practice the STAR format: Ensure your stories have a clear Situation, Task, Action, and Result component.
Quantify results: Whenever possible, include specific metrics and numbers that demonstrate your impact.
Be authentic: While structure is important, authenticity matters more. Choose stories that genuinely reflect your experiences.
Prepare for follow-ups: Interviewers often dig deeper into your examples, so be ready to provide additional details.
Remember that behavioral interviews are designed to reveal how you actually operate in real-world situations. By preparing thoughtful, structured responses with specific examples, you'll demonstrate your capabilities effectively and increase your chances of success at big tech companies.