I know behavioral interviews can feel like an annoying lil dance.

"Tell me about a time you [insert random situation]"

How the hell do you sum up your amazing generalist experience in a 2 minute story?!

The answer: Use a framework.

I don’t like the typical STAR interview method, so I’ll give you an alternative.

As a candidate, I always found STAR too vague.

• What should “the situation” include?
• What is the “task” if I proposed the project?
• What’s actually the best way to set up my story?

It left me with more questions than answers, especially as a generalist who's proactive about tackling hairy problems.

I used the PARADE Method instead:

P - the primary Problem
​A - Anticipated consequence of not solving it
​R - your Role in solving it
​A - Actions you took to solve it
​D - Decision-making rationale you used
​E - End results (including learnings)

This comes from consulting case interview prep legend Victor Cheng, who designed it because consultants are tasked with solving organizational problems.

But ALL roles exist to solve company problems… and the candidate who shows they can solve the company’s problems better than anyone else gets the offer.

This framework highlights the problem you solved, why it was important, and your thought process — not just what you did.

The context of your stories won’t transfer into a new role, but the way you think will. Show that off, baby!

Once I wrote my 5-8 best career stories into this framework and practiced them often, I started slaying interviews.

I never got stressed by the words “Tell Me About A Time” again.

I teach my clients the same. Now, it's your turn to level up.

Follow these 6 steps to define your career stories:

1. Review common interview questions to get a feel for what’s asked. Every single question doesn’t require a story response, but situational questions are always better answered with specific stories.
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2. Read your target job description carefully. Make a list of the top skills/qualifications commonly required. Use AI if you need help analyzing it.
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3. Reflect on your past experiences — What are 5-8 of your most defining experiences? Include ones that demonstrate key skills required for your target role. Include failures & mistakes.
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4. Write out those stories in the PARADE framework. Toss them in a Google doc.
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5. Then, determine how each story can map back to common interview questions. Ensure you have each key skill from the job description covered too.
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6. Then, PRACTICE! You must practice these stories out loud, by yourself or with someone else. Record yourself. Keep in mind that your answer should only take about 1.5 - 2 minutes. As you include each of the elements, aim to be succinct.

AI is your friend. Use ChatGPT or Claude.ai to get job-specific interview questions and support with practice. One prompt example below, many more for your job search here.​

Now, go crush those interviews!!!

If you don't have at least 3 interviews on the docket right now, it's time to change that (check the P.S.)

Let's win together,