Your four stories

Panels have dozens of ways to ask a behavioural question: “a time you showed initiative”, “a time you led”, “a time you had to persuade someone”, “a time things did not go to plan”. You cannot prepare a new story for each. You do not need to. Behind the different words are the same few competencies, and four well-prepared stories, each told with STAR, cover about 80 percent of the questions you will meet. The rest you can adapt on the spot.

• An achievement: something you delivered, improved or built. Covers questions on results, initiative, leadership, learning fast and going beyond your role.
• A problem you solved: a shortage, a broken process, an angry customer, a system that failed. Covers problem-solving, pressure, deadlines, creativity and adapting to change.
• A conflict: a disagreement with a colleague, a manager or a community member that you settled. Covers teamwork, communication, persuasion and respect.
• A mistake: something you got wrong, fixed and learned from. Covers honesty, responsibility, weaknesses and feedback.

Where do the stories come from? Paid work first, but volunteering, an internship, a university project, a family business or a community committee all count, especially for your first job. Choose events from the last three years where you can name the place, the month and a number. Then read the advert: if it asks for “working with communities”, make sure one of your four stories happens in a village or a camp, not only in an office. Write each story as one headline, the way a newspaper would, so you can find it in your head under pressure.