| Behavioral based interviews have become increasingly | | | | your career. Perhaps a time you were commended |
| popular in the past decade. So what are behavioral | | | | by your boss, a customer or your colleagues. |
| based questions and how should you answer them to | | | | 3. Break the event into three partsa) THE SITUATION |
| ensure you get the job? | | | | - Describe the scene to the interviewer, was there a |
| A behavioral interview centres around asking the | | | | crisis? A customer complaint? A tight deadline? How |
| candidate questions concerning their specific | | | | did you identify the situation?b) THE PART YOU |
| experience. They require detailed responses in which | | | | PLAYED - Once a decision had been made on how |
| the candidate provides insight into what they have | | | | to resolve the situation, how did you do it? If part of a |
| accomplished in their careers. | | | | team, what part did you play. If the plan wasn't working |
| The result gives the interviewer an accurate insight to | | | | what did you do next?c) THE RESULTS YOU |
| the candidates ability to perform the role successfully | | | | GAINED - What was the outcome of your actions? |
| based on relevant experiences (sign up for our | | | | Did sales increase? Did you make a customer happy? |
| newsletter and receive a free list of behavioral | | | | Did you save the company money? |
| questions). | | | | 4. Do not use Hypothetical answers in behavioral |
| Unfortunately many candidates are ill prepared for | | | | based interviews |
| such questions and when put on the spot struggle to | | | | If you don't have experience in a particular area be |
| give detailed answers. It is therefore essential that you | | | | honest and say so. But don't leave it at that, use an |
| prepare your answers before undergoing a behavioral | | | | experience that is similar or may have some |
| based interview. So how do you prepare for the | | | | relevance. If you are asked to provide an example of |
| interview and what type of questions will you be | | | | how you have increased sales but haven't been in a |
| asked? | | | | sales job, perhaps you can provide an example of |
| Here are 5 tips that will help you answer behavioral | | | | how you have influenced a decision at work. You may |
| questions in an effective manner | | | | have persuaded an unhappy customer not to buy |
| 1. Preparation | | | | elsewhere. |
| Prior to the interview please ensure you get a detailed | | | | 5. Always be positive |
| job description. Whilst looking at the description put a | | | | If the example you provide did not have a positive |
| tick next to every area you have relevant experience. | | | | outcome, focus on what you learned from the |
| Order them strongest to weakest. Now looking at the | | | | experience. Articulate how it changed the way you |
| areas that you don't have exposure to think of | | | | performed your job and made you better. The |
| something you have done that is similar or think of a | | | | interviewer may ask you to provide examples of |
| situation in which you have had to learn a new skill. | | | | times when you have been under stress, failed at a |
| You are going to use this example during the interview | | | | task or even been fired. It is important to remember |
| in case your lack of experience is mentioned. | | | | that everyone makes mistakes. The behavioral based |
| 2. How to choose the best answers | | | | questions will enable the interviewer to discover |
| If there are specific responsibilities such as managing a | | | | exactly how you deal with failure and disappointment. |
| team, meeting sales targets or working to deadlines | | | | Remember that 90% of success comes from the |
| think of examples/achievements in which you've | | | | preparation. Most people fail at interview not because |
| displayed that quality. If you are struggling to think of | | | | they can't do the job but because they don't convince |
| examples try and think of the proudest moments in | | | | the interviewer they can do the job! |