"The Ultimate Edge"
A Recorded Four-Day Tele-Bootcamp
with Carole Martin, The Interview Coach
And Kevin Donlin
Bootcamp - Part 3
Behavioral Interviewing
What is Behavioral Interviewing?
This is an interviewing technique employers use to determine whether you are a good fit for the job. This is accomplished by asking questions that pertain to your past behavior. The information gained through this technique is used as an indicator of your future success. In other words, the answers you give about your past experiences will be used to predict your future performance – if you did it before you can do it again!
Is this a new technique?
No, it’s been around since the 70’s when industrial psychologists developed a way of “accurately” predicting whether a person would succeed in a job. They concluded if candidates were asked questions that requested examples of past behavior it would be an indicator of their future behavior.
What is the difference between a behavioral question and other questions?
A behavioral question will be very specific. For example when asked, “Tell me about a time when you solved a problem,” the key words are “a time.” This calls for a “specific” example.
When traditional or “what if” questions are asked you can use your imagination to come up with an answer. For example, “What would you do if you had a problem to solve?” “If,” is the clue word that the interviewer wants to hear your thought process - how you think through a problem. This question does not require a past experience example.
What preparation is necessary for behavioral interviews?
While preparation is important for every interview, it is essential to prepare for the behavioral interview. You must have examples or stories for anything you have claimed on your resume.
An example would be if you claimed you were very organized on your resume. A natural question for the interviewer would be, “Tell me about a time when you organized a project.” It is now your task to let the interviewer know that you have had success when organizing a project or event.
The technique
There are several methods and acronyms that work well for story telling or listening, but the main point you will want to remember is that any story has three key elements:
A beginning – “There was a time….” – 20%
A middle – “The action steps I took were…” – 60%
An Ending – “The problem was solved and…” – 20%
What are there secrets of telling a good story?
Stories should be interesting and full of action. Give the interviewer something to remember about you. A savvy interviewer will be able to hear skills from the stories and judge your behavior from your past actions, but you must let them hear the steps you took to solve the problem. The more details and skills you can work into your story, the more convincing your story will be.
Preparing your stories before the interview will take the mystique out of behavioral interviewing and allow you to tell the success stories you want your interviewer to hear. Through your examples the interviewer will begin to get a clear picture of you and be able to decide whether you are the right person for the job.
Answersto Pesky Interview Questions
Pesky Questions that Keep Coming Up
Those same questions keep coming up – every interview. They can be tough ones because they are about you and your thinking process. Preparing for them ahead of time can save you some grief during the interview.
What are your weaknesses?
The most dreaded question of all. Handle this question by minimizing the weakness and emphasizing the strengths. Stay away from personal qualities and concentrate on professional traits: “I am always working on improving my communication skills to be a more effective presenter. I recently joined Toastmasters which I find very helpful.”
Why should we hire you?
Prepare and know your product – YOU! Summarize your experiences: “With five years experience working in the financial industry, and my proven record of saving the company money, I could make a big difference in your company. I am confident I would be a great addition to your team.”
Why do you want to work here?
The interviewer is listening for an answer that indicates you’ve given this some thought, and are not sending out resumes just because there is an opening. Doing research should give you plenty of reasons why you want to work there. As an example, “I’ve selected key companies whose mission statements are in line with my values, where I know I could be excited about what the company does, and this company is very high on my list of desirable choices.”
What are your goals?
Sometimes it’s best to talk about short-term and intermediate goals, and not lock yourself into the distant future. Something like, “My immediate goal is to get a job in a growth-oriented company. My long-term goal will depend on where the company goes. I hope to eventually grow into a position of responsibility.”
Why did you leave (are you leaving) your job?
This question is almost a certainty. If you are unemployed, put your leaving in a positive context: “I managed to survive two down-sizings, but the third round was a 20% reduction in force, which included me.”
If you are employed, focus on what you want in your next job: “After two years, I made the decision to look for a company that is team-focused, where I can add my experience.”
When were you most satisfied in your job?
The interviewer wants to know what motivates you. If you can relate an example of a job or project when you were excited, the interviewer will get an idea of your preferences. “I was very satisfied in my last job because I worked directly with the customers and their problems; that is an important part of the job for me.”
What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?
What makes you unique? This will take an assessment of your experiences, skills and traits. What makes you stand out? After your assessment, bring it all together in a concise manner: “I have a unique combination of strong technical skills, and the ability to build strong customer relationships. This allows me to use my knowledge, and break down information to be user friendly”
What are three positive things your last boss would say about you?
It’s time to pull out your old performance appraisals and boss’s quotes. This is a great way to brag about yourself through someone else’s words: “My boss has told me that I am the best designer he has ever had. He would also tell you that he can rely on me, and he likes my sense of humor.”
What salary are you seeking?
It is to your advantage if the employer tells you the “range” first. Prepare by knowing the “going rate” in your area, and your bottom line or “walk away” point. One possible answer would be: “I am sure when the time comes we can agree on a reasonable amount. In what range do you typically pay someone with my background?”
There is no way of predicting which questions will be asked in an interview, but by reviewing some of the “most common” questions you will begin to focus on how to present yourself in the most positive manner.
Situational Questions
Template for Situational Questions
Situational questions are difficult to prepare for because they can be about any imaginable situation.
If you think about it you have a natural way of solving problems – one that is yours. You automatically go through steps – whether you realize it or not.
My advice is to set up a template to follow when asked a situational question. Transfer your “template” to your head and when you hear the words, “What would you do if….” ------think template!
Here is an example of a template (I think I copied it from a book). Yours may look quite different.
- Evaluate
- Explore and Research
- Prepare and Plan
- Perform
- Re-evaluate
I think the biggest problem with answering this type of question is not giving enough detail. Think through the process you use in problem solving and then walk through that process – with lots of examples and details.
Sometimes it is easier to answer this type of question if you keep in mind an actual time to refer to (not that you would let the interviewer know that you were referring to that situation.). In other words, you would take it step-by-step.
You might say – “The first thing that I would do is to “evaluate” all the facts. I would do this by …..
The next thing that I would do is to “explore” further and do “research.” I would do this by…..
My next step would be to “prepare a plan.” The way I usually do this is to use a spread sheet, - or whatever…
I would then put my plan into action - “perform.” This would entail …..I would make sure I would include …
Finally, I would follow through and “re-evaluate” to make sure that this was going to solve the problem. I would do that by….
I think you get the idea. It’s a bit like telling a story but it’s a “fairy tale” that you can spin any way you please.
© Carole Martin 2004 –
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