How to Use LESSON to Ace Your Behavioral Interviews
In the world of job interviews, it's not what you say, it's how you make them feel.
Ever wondered why we cheer for movie heroes? It’s their struggles, their journeys. It taps into something primal – our emotions. And this is crucial in decision-making, especially in interviews.
You've been using the STAR method to structure your interview responses. It's a solid framework, no doubt, but it's just the skeleton.
Where's the pulse? The warmth? The essence that makes your story breathe?
That's where LESSON comes in, my unique twist on the Hero's Journey framework.
Let me take you through a journey, a post I wrote on LinkedIn using LESSON that skyrocketed to 57,616 impressions from a mere 6K follower base. This very story was my ticket into the halls of Microsoft, SAP, and Walmart Labs.
When asked, “Tell me about a time when you received negative feedback”, I recount this pivotal experience:
Launch
It's crucial for establishing your initial state, where you were before the change:
The Launch sets your story's backdrop. It's about setting the emotional stage, making your audience understand your starting point.
Encounter
The Encounter introduces the challenge:
It's here where the pulse begins. It's the moment your story starts beating, highlighting the first signs of conflict or change that disrupt your world.
Support
Here comes the flesh, the emotional layer:
Support is about the relationships that shape you, the mentors who guide you toward self-awareness and growth.
It's where your story starts to breathe.
Struggle
The Struggle is the heart of your story. It's raw, it's emotional.
It's where you faced your biggest challenge, and it's what makes you relatable, human.
Overcome
Overcoming is the climax. It's where you showcase your growth and transformation. It's the part of the story that shows your resilience and ability to adapt, an essential trait in any professional setting.
It's where your story's heart beats the loudest.
Narrate
The Narrate is the soul of your story.
It's where you tie everything together, illustrating what you've learned and how this experience has shaped you into a better professional and person.
In Conclusion
LESSON is storytelling with a heartbeat.
It adds flesh, blood, and soul to the bare bones of STAR, making your stories resonate emotionally. It fits seamlessly within STAR but elevates your story to a more personal and impactful narrative.
In your next interview, when they ask, “Tell me about a time when...,” don’t just recount events. Use LESSON. Let them feel your story's pulse.
Because remember, people listen with their ears but they decide with their hearts.
P.S. Did you catch my big announcement?
The insights I've shared here are just a taste of what's in store in my upcoming course, "Mastering Behavioral Interviews for Software Engineers." Scheduled for January 23rd and 25th, this course is designed for the current, brutal job market. It encompasses techniques that have successfully guided 22 software engineers and managers to land their dream jobs in 2023 at top companies including Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, Google, Cars.com, Netflix, Riot Games, Intuit, and more.
Enroll now and transform the way you approach interviews – and your career.
Click here to enroll in "Mastering Behavioral Interviews for Software Engineers.
Loved the story telling :)