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Home > Careers > Job Search Tools > Preparing for Behavioral Interviews
Preparing for Behavioral Interviews
What is a Behavioral Interview?
Behavioral interviewing asserts that "the most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in a similar situation."
A behavioral interview is an employment interview during which a job applicant is asked to demonstrate his or her knowledge, skills, and abilities, also known as competencies. The applicant must tell about specific experiences when he or she demonstrated these competencies.
The purpose of the behavioral interview is to allow the interviewer to determine whether a candidate possesses the competencies to perform a particular job. Instead of asking how you would behave in a particular situation, the interviewer will ask you to describe how you did behave. Expect the interviewer to question and probe. The interviewer will ask you to provide details, and will not allow you to theorize or generalize about a situation.
How to Prepare for a Behavioral Interview
The company determines the skill sets they want to see in a qualified candidate by doing a detailed analysis of the position they are seeking to fill. You should also go through a similar process by asking yourself the following questions:
- What are the necessary skills to do this job?
- What makes a successful candidate?
- What would make an unsuccessful candidate?
Use the job description to determine what competencies the employer is looking for. If you don't have a job description, research the company and look at similar job postings to identify common themes.
Core Competencies Most Employers Seek
- Decision making and problem solving
- Leadership
- Motivation
- Communication
- Planning and Organization
- Critical Thinking
- Team Building
- Ability to Influence Others
- Interpersonal Skills
How to Answer Behavioral-Based Questions
Recall recent situations that show favorable behaviors or actions, especially involving course work, formal work, or DFEs or internships that demonstrate core competencies. Be specific. Don't generalize about several events; give a detailed account of one event.
Be honest. Don't embellish or omit. The interviewer is trained to ask the questions that can bring this out.
Be sure each scenario has a beginning, middle, and end (use the STAR technique).
- S/T: describe in detail the Situation or Task.
- A: describe the Action you took.
- R: what was the Result or outcome.
Sample Response
Tell me about a time when you were on a team and a member wasn't pulling his or her weight.
I had been assigned to a team to build a canoe out of concrete. One of our team members wasn't showing up for our lab session or doing his assignments (Situation/Task). I finally met with him in private, explained the frustration of the team, and asked if there was anything I could do to help. He told me he was preoccupied with another class that he wasn't passing, so I found someone to help him with the other course (Action). He not only was able to spend more time on our project, but he was also grateful to me for helping him out. We finished our project on time and even got a B. (Result).
Some Common Behavioral Interview Questions
Decision making and Problem solving
- Give me an example of a time when you had to keep from speaking or making a decision because you did not have enough information.
- Give me an example of a time when you had to be quick in coming to a decision.
Leadership
- Have you ever had difficulty getting others to accept your ideas? What was your approach? Did it work?
Communication
- Tell me about a situation when you had to speak up (be assertive) in order to get a point across that was important to you.
- Have you ever had to "sell" an idea to your co-workers or group? How did you do it? Did they "buy" it?
Motivation
- Give me an example of a time when you went above and beyond the call of duty.
- Describe a situation when you were able to have a positive influence on the action of others.
Interpersonal
- What have you done in the past to contribute toward a teamwork environment?
- Describe a recent unpopular decision you made and what the result was.
Planning and Organization
- How do you decide what gets top priority when scheduling your time?
- What do you do when your schedule is suddenly interrupted? Give an example.
Sometimes, an interviewer may follow-up with additional questions to really gain a solid understanding of how you approached a situation. These secondary questions help the interviewer determine whether you demonstrated the desired behavior and whether your responses are consistent. Possible secondary questions might include:
- What did you do?
- What was your specific role?
- What were you thinking?
- How did you feel?
- What was the result?
As you can see, responding to these questions requires a thorough recollection and a solid understanding of the examples you use in response to the question. Practice makes perfect; preparing for an interview will help you succeed in showcasing your skills to a potential employer.
Adapted from the following Web sites:
Behavioral Interviewing Strategies →
What is a Behavioral Interview and Tips →
Competency Based Interview Questions →
Last updated: Nov 17, 2005
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