Behavioral-based interviews can be a dream or a nightmare depending on how prepared a candidate is to answer these often intimidating questions. ClearRock offers tips on making these specifically-designed interviews work successfully for both parties.
What are behavioral-based interviews?
Behavioral-based interviews are a structured set of open-ended questions based on the premise that a person’s past behavior/performance in a job is a meaningful predictor of their future behavior/ performance.
How are these interviews constructed?
Selecting the right person for a position challenges employers to first determine whether there is a true business need for that role in their company at that time. Next, company stakeholders are encouraged to identify their expectations for that role and how the individual would be expected to contribute to departmental and organizational goals. Before interview questions are formulated, stakeholders determine role competencies – specific skills including job knowledge, industry experience, and technical proficiency, as well as personal attributes that best describe the ideal candidate. Finally, interview questions are scripted by the interview team to test interviewees on how their past performance matches the company’s needs and expectations.
How to be confidently prepared.
Behavioral questions typically start with, “Tell me a time when…” or “Give me an example of…” The interviewer is seeking specific examples of a candidate’s past performance. Therefore, the interviewee must prepare by identifying a portfolio of specific accomplishments that directly match key skills/knowledge that are requirements for the job. For example, if the question is: “Tell me about a strategic plan you implemented that was critical to your organization.” A solid response would be structured in a STAR format:
Nightmare or Dream?
The nightmare scenario is not being prepared for behavioral-based interviews. Trying to rapidly provide examples, on the fly, which best demonstrate experience and thereby indicate potential future performance, will most likely leave the job candidate overwhelmed and the interview team less than impressed.
The dream is to shine and STARS help! Interviewees should put themselves in the interviewer’s shoes to identify the key skills needed for the job and then prepare examples to demonstrate how they have applied these skills. Most job descriptions give you insight into the questions that will be asked. For every responsibility listed in the job description, be prepared to answer the question “Tell me about a time you demonstrated that specific responsibility.” This is exactly what interviewers want to hear. Stories open conversation and make the candidate and their accomplishments shine.
