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Nurse’s Guide to Behavioral Interviewing, Part 1

/ Nursing Non-Clinical / By / August 20, 2025
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Why Behavioral Interviewing Is Used—and What Interviewers Are Looking For

Whether it’s been a few years or well over a decade, interviewing for a new position can feel stressful. In the nursing world, behavioral interviewing has become the standard approach.

According to Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., the premise behind behavioral interviewing is that the best predictor of future performance is past performance in similar situations. Research suggests that behavioral interviewing is 55% predictive of future on-the-job behavior, compared with only 10% predictive for traditional interviewing.

As a graduate nurse, you’ve likely already encountered behavioral interviewing, but with an advanced degree comes higher expectations—and stronger competition.

Traditional vs. Behavioral Interviewing

Traditional interviews typically focus on selling yourself—your strengths, weaknesses, career aspirations, and interest in the job.

Behavioral interviewing goes deeper. It focuses on how you’ve behaved in specific situations to assess how you will perform in the future. While elements of traditional interviews may still be present, behavioral interviews place greater emphasis on the functional skills needed for the role.

For example, if you were applying for a leadership position, you might be asked questions about:

  • Effective communication

  • Problem solving

  • Change management

  • Professionalism

  • Employee management

  • Conflict resolution

  • Organizational skills

Understanding the Questions

Behavioral interview questions are often general in wording, but they seek nursing-specific examples. Whenever possible, draw from your clinical experiences to illustrate your answers.

For instance, consider the question:

“Tell me about a time when you experienced conflict in the work setting. How did you resolve the issue?”

At first, this sounds broad—but notice the emphasis on conflict in a work setting. The interviewer wants to know how you resolved it, which signals that the underlying category is conflict resolution.

See also  How to Interview for a Nursing Job with Little Direct Experience

These categories are often provided during the interview itself, so you don’t need to label them in advance—but recognizing the type of competency being assessed helps you respond effectively.

Understanding the Answer

Once you understand the question, the next step is to shape your response. Interviewers are looking for specific elements in your answer. One easy way to structure your response is by using the SHARE model:

  • Situation – Describe the scenario.

  • Hindrances – Identify obstacles you faced.

  • Action – Explain what you did.

  • Results – Share the outcome.

  • Evaluate – Reflect on what you learned.

Providing all five elements (in order, if possible) helps ensure your answer is complete and demonstrates clear problem-solving.

Why Specificity Matters

Interviewers don’t want to hear what you would do or what you could do—they want to know what you actually did. They assume your past experience is the best predictor of your future behavior.

That’s why vague answers often fail. For example, simply saying “I always try to communicate openly to avoid conflict” won’t satisfy the interviewer. Instead, they want a real example that demonstrates your ability to handle a situation effectively.

A strong response should:

  • Address each aspect of the SHARE model

  • Focus on a successful outcome (or, if not successful, show what you learned)

  • Prove that you have managed situations relevant to the role you’re applying for

This gives interviewers confidence that you can handle similar challenges in the future.

Key Takeaway

Behavioral interviewing is almost universally practiced in nursing today. To succeed, you must be prepared to give specific, detailed examples that show your skills in action.

See also  Nurse's Guide to Behavioral Interviewing, Part 2

Understanding what interviewers are looking for—and tailoring your answers with models like SHARE—will give you the best chance of standing out and earning the job offer.

👉 Up next: Part 2 of Nurse’s Guide to Behavioral Interviewing—A Deep Dive Into the SHARE Model. Read here

Springer Publishing Editorial Staff
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