The experience of having to be interviewed for a job is such a stressful thing. It’s not always easy to get jobs, even though there may be more of them than people think. Most people can’t relate to the experience of sitting across from an interviewer with little preparation. The questions usually seem to come out of nowhere, so warming up may not be any good. Still, what if all of these issues could be fixed by a simple method known as the STAR method?
In the job selection space, many interviewers and potential employers implore the use of behavioral interviewing. This is essentially an assessment of past experiences to see if a candidate is fit for a position. The idea is that most people do not change their behaviors. In this case, a company would rather hire someone who has dealt with tight deadlines before than someone who is willing to learn. This is regardless of the candidate’s potential.
Even with this knowledge, the STAR method may not be mastered in a moment. However, thanks to this comprehensive guide, anyone can learn and understand the STAR format. If you want to get your dream job, you need to be able to understand and answer interview questions. You can learn this and everything else you need to know about the STAR interview method from a digital coach.
Coachhub is a fast-growing digital coaching platform empowering individuals and organizations to reach their full potential. With operations across over 100 countries, Coachhub is disrupting the coaching industry with its innovative on-demand model.
Given the company’s rapid expansion, competition for roles at Coachhub can be intense Performing well on the interview is key to showcasing your abilities and fit for the Coachhub team
In this article, I’ll cover 15 of the most common Coachhub interview questions along with examples of strong responses to help you land your dream role.
1. Why are you interested in a coaching role at Coachhub?
With this question, the interviewer aims to gauge your motivation for joining Coachhub and your commitment to the company’s core purpose. Convey your genuine passion for empowering people to succeed.
In your response, touch on:
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Your belief in Coachhub’s mission of democratizing coaching
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How the role aligns with your values, interests, and long-term goals
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Key strengths you possess that make you well-suited to being an effective coach
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Your appreciation for Coachhub’s innovative technology-powered approach
For example: “I’m excited by the opportunity to democratize access to professional coaching through Coachhub’s platform. Seeing individuals and organizations accomplish their goals is extremely rewarding for me. With my background in psychology and passion for personal development, I know I have the empathy, listening skills, and growth mindset required to help clients maximize their potential.”
2. How would you handle coaching a client who is not progressing as quickly as expected?
Coachhub wants to ensure you can adapt your approach to the unique needs of each client. In your response, summarize how you would:
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Probe to understand why the client is facing challenges with progress
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Explore modifications to your coaching style/strategies that may be more effective
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Work collaboratively with the client to get alignment on incremental changes and next steps
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Leverage Coachhub resources and your mentor coach for guidance
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Remain encouraging and focused on the client’s long-term growth
For example: “First, I would have an open discussion with the client to better understand their perspective on what’s hindering their progress. I’d ask probing questions and actively listen to gain insight into any blockers. I would work with the client to brainstorm modifications to our approach that may be more effective for them. If I need guidance, I would leverage coaches from the Coachhub team for advice as well. My focus throughout would be working collaboratively with the client to get momentum while keeping them motivated.”
3. How would you respond if a client shares sensitive information that makes you uncomfortable?
Ethics and professional boundaries are crucial in coaching. This question evaluates your judgment and ability to navigate tricky situations. In your response, discuss how you would:
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Listen with empathy and acknowledge the client’s disclosure
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Sensitively redirect the conversation to maintain appropriate boundaries
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Remind the client of the coaching relationship’s professional context
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Suggest resources better suited to support the client’s needs
For example: “While I aim to cultivate an environment of trust with clients, clear professional boundaries are important. If a client shares overly sensitive information that crosses a line, I would respond with empathy and care while redirecting back to our coaching relationship. I’d remind them that I want to provide the best support possible within appropriate boundaries and suggest more suitable resources if relevant, such as referrals to counseling or therapy for deeper personal challenges.”
4. How would you go about establishing rapport and trust with new clients?
Developing strong coach-client relationships is vital. This question evaluates your interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence. Highlight tactics like:
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Actively listening and asking thoughtful questions to understand their needs
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Validating their perspectives and experiences
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Sharing just enough about yourself to find common ground
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Conveying genuine interest in their growth and wellbeing
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Maintaining confidence by only committing to what you can deliver
For example: “Building trust starts with deep listening to fully understand a client’s needs and motivations. I demonstrate genuine interest in their journey while also sharing a bit about my relevant background to establish common ground. Checking my understanding regularly shows I’m actively listening. I’m also careful about making only realistic commitments to avoid letting clients down. This mindful approach allows me to establish rapport naturally over time through consistent support.”
5. Tell me about a time you successfully adapted your communication approach to motivate someone.
Adapting your style to connect with different personalities is an essential coaching skillset. Use an example that highlights your ability to:
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Recognize when your communication approach wasn’t working effectively
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Adjust your language, tone, format etc. to be more motivational
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Draw on different motivating techniques like encouragement, accountability, progress tracking etc. based on the person’s needs
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Achieve the desired mindset shift and outcomes through your adapted approach
For example: “When coaching a client who had ambitious career goals, I noticed my rational, logical communication style wasn’t resonating and motivating her progress. After feedback discussions, I realized she was much more motivated by interactive, engaging activities like vision boards. So I incorporated more visuals and reflections into our sessions rather than just data-driven approaches. This allowed her to connect more emotionally to her aspirations which boosted her motivation significantly.”
6. How do you stay up-to-date on developments in coaching best practices?
Coachhub wants coaches committed to honing their craft. Discuss:
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Reading coaching books/publications
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Attending conferences and workshops
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Leveraging Coachhub’s extensive training resources
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Participating in mentor coaching and peer discussions
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Actively reflecting on and fine-tuning your own methods
For example: “I make learning a daily habit through resources like the Harvard Business Review’s coaching articles, coaching podcasts, and growth-focused newsletters. I also take advantage of Coachhub’s mentor coaching and community of peers to constantly improve. Reflecting on my own sessions and client feedback helps me refine my skills. I believe investing time each week in building my capabilities makes me a more effective coach.”
7. What is your experience with and view of remote work?
As Coachhub operates a remote model, interviewers want to assess your comfort level and work style. Share that you:
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Have experience effectively collaborating remotely
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Are disciplined and able to manage your schedule
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Value the flexibility and work-life balance remote work enables
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Leverage productivity tools and communication best practices
For example: “With over two years of experience working remotely, I’m very comfortable collaborating in distributed teams through tools like Slack and Zoom. While remote work requires discipline, I find I can be extremely productive with the right structure. The flexibility enables me to coach clients from across the globe. I utilize productivity tools to stay organized and am vigilant about communication. I would be excited to learn any best practices Coachhub has developed as a fully remote company.”
8. How do you typically prepare for initial coaching sessions with new clients?
Thorough preparation is key to effective coaching, so interviewers want to understand your process. Highlight best practices like:
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Reviewing client background, goals, challenges in intake forms
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Researching client industry, company, role to contextualize goals
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Brainstorming a discussion outline with potential exercises based on client needs
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Having onboarding resources ready to share
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Developing icebreaker questions to initially establish rapport
For example: “To prepare for that vital first meeting, I start by thoroughly reviewing the client’s intake packet so I enter the session with strong context. I research details about their role, company, and industry to further understand their goals. I develop a loose outline for the session, including potential activities based on the client’s objectives while keeping flexibility to adapt. Collecting relevant coaching resources to share is also helpful for that first meeting. With thoughtful prep work, I’m able to immediately focus the conversation on the client’s most pressing needs.”
9. Tell me about a time you successfully adapted your coaching approach to suit a particular client’s needs.
Customizing your coaching style is crucial for success. Use a specific example that highlights your ability to:
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Recognize when your standard approach wasn’t resonating with a client
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Proactively gather insights directly from the client on how to tailor your style
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Incorporate appropriate adjustments to your communication, activities, or structure
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Achieve better coaching outcomes as a result of the adaptations
For example: “I had a client who was having trouble staying accountable to the progress milestones we outlined. My initial tactic of reviewing goals and sending recaps after each session wasn’t keeping him on track. After getting his input, I realized more frequent touchpoints between sessions would be more effective. So I established 15-minute phone check-ins 3x per week to review progress on daily goals we defined. The additional touchpoints helped hold him accountable while also providing opportunities for just-in-time encouragement. This tailored approach was key in supporting his success.”
10. How would you respond if you felt a client was developing an unhealthy over-reliance on coaching?
This question probes your judgment in recognizing when coaching
What is the STAR method?
STAR is an acronym that provides the best way to answer STAR interview questions. This makes it easier to remember. All you have to do is answer based on what each letter means.
- Setting up a scene is the first thing that needs to be done. This tells your boss a lot about the situation you were in.
- Task (T): Next comes the task at hand. Clearly describe what you had to do at that time.
- Action (A): The action plan shows how you completed the task you were given.
- The last thing you should do is not be afraid to talk about what you were able to do.
It’s really that simple. The STAR method can find its use in the search for a remote job. As the need for remote work grows, this interview method is often the difference between getting the job and not getting it. Answering with the STAR format, especially without prompting is something that is sure to be taken note of. You can show the employer all of your skills and experience, which can give them a full picture of how skilled you are.
There are very a bunch of questions that can be answered using the STAR method. STAR interview questions have quite a range, but they can be detected easily. Usually, they involve some kind of explanation on your part. An example involves an employer asking what you would do in a certain situation. This sort of behavioral interview question, while set in the present, can be answered with a past experience.
Preparing for a STAR-based interview
Just like any test, there are certain ways to prepare, even when using the STAR method. Quite a number of STAR method examples involve some amount of preparation. As a prospective employee, you have tailor responses to the job at hand. Offering only generic examples might lead you nowhere when you possess a collection of relevant experiences. These should be your first options for behavioral interviews. Any of irrelevant examples should either be used as add-ons, or not be used at all.
You should know that you don’t have to be in front of the interviewer all the time to use the STAR method. In fact, you should try it out for the first time by yourself in the privacy of your own home. This first try will offer the foundation that all your future learning will be based on. Other helpful tips include;.
- Sorting and outlining your experiences.
- Thinking of ways the interviewer could phrase a question.
- Practicing your communication skills.
Full preparation can be done with the aid of a digital coach. A digital coach will know the right skills that are required for each job. Being able to do a mock interview to see your progress and areas where you need to improve gives you an edge. Whatever the result, the coach is ready to handle them accordingly. One more good thing about a digital coach is that the advice they give you is much more specific to you and your needs.
Thanks to all that can be learned about STAR method interviews, we know that the responses carry the most weight. How you answer the interviewers questions either puts you in their mind or ends your pursuit before it even begins. Always note that these are just questions and since most of them are open ended, anything with a bit of relevance can suit the situation. In summary, you do need an experience of the exact same situation in order to answer.
All parts of the STAR format go together. It is like weaving a story that has a beginning, middle, climax and end. In order for a quick result, the situation shouldn’t be ignored. Things have to happen in a certain order. This tip is very useful to hold the STAR method together. Try to avoid reiterating avoidable mistakes, because you are trying to assure the interviewer that you are competent. Explaining a problem you created could hurt your chances of success, even if you do find a solution in the end.
Relevant experience gives you a consistent way to answer behavioral interview questions. For example, if someone asks you how you’d handle an emergency, talk about one you’ve already been through and describe in detail how you handled it. Even if the questions seem easy, know when the STAR method will play to your advantage. For beginners, this timing is hard, but a digital coach can fix it quickly because they are trained for situations like this.
An Interview With Our Client Bnp Paribas | Coachhub
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