The behavioral
interview is used by many of the top-tier employers and is designed to explore
the past behaviors job candidate displayed at their previous jobs. Employers who use behavioral interviews
are looking for certain types of behaviors that they feel would be a good fit
for their company. Behavioral
interviews are different from traditional interviews in that they do not focus
on questions such as “why a job candidate wants to work with the employer or
why a job candidate left his/her previous employer,” although those questions
might be asked. Behavioral
interviews focus on the experiences of job candidates at previous jobs and
specifically how they handled various challenges. Below are a few examples of
behavioral interview questions:
-
What was
the most difficult decision you have ever made on a job?
-
Tell me
about a time that you had to face an irate client. How did you handle that client? What did you do that you
would change?
-
Describe a
situation where you had a conflict with a co-worker who did not personally like
you. How did you resolve this
conflict?
Job candidates
who want to prepare for and master a behavioral interview need to take the time
to thoroughly research the position for which they are applying and imagine
what types of behaviors the employer may be looking for. Based on your conclusions come up with
a list of questions and practice formulating responses that are in story form. You may also want to ask the recruiter
if they know what type of questions the employer typically asks.