What is a Behavioral Interview?

Never heard of a behavioral interview? Don’t worry, chances are you’ve already been on one. The goal of a behavioral interview is to discover how a potential employee will act in a specific situation. The idea is that by understanding your past behavior, potential employers can better predict your future behavior.

Traditional vs Behavioral Interviews

There are a few key differences between traditional interviews and behavioral interviews. Traditionally, interviews were a series of questions that had straightforward answers. For example: “what are your strengths and weaknesses?” or “what major challenges did you face?” On the other hand, a behavioral interview tries to ask questions to analyze whether or not you have the specific skills a potential employer is looking for. For example: “How did you handle a particular challenge or situation?” “Can you demonstrate that you have the skills needed for this job?” These days, most interviews contain at least a few behavioral interview questions.

Sample Behavioral Interview Questions

• Give an example of when you used logic to solve a problem.
• What do you do when your schedule is interrupted? How do you handle it? Be specific.
• Provide an example of a goal you’ve reached and how you achieved it.
• Have you had to handle a difficult situation with a co-worker? How did you handle it?
• Describe a decision that was unpopular and how you implemented it.
• How do you handle a challenge?

How to Prepare for a Behavioral Interview

You may not know if a potential employer will conduct a traditional or behavioral interview. In reality, most interviews will probably be a hybrid. Therefore, it is important to prepare for both.

Prior to the interview you should think about different events, projects, activities, and challenges that may serve as good illustrations during the interview. It may help to write up some of these notes before the interview. In fact, I recommend bringing some notes with you. You may never need to use them, but having notes will ensure you can answer questions confidently and will show a potential employer that you’re prepared.

Identifying specific skills, knowledge, or experience from the job description will also help you prepare for the interview. Using the job description as an outline can help you hone in on the specific things a particular employer is looking for.

Behavioral Interview Tips

Still nervous about a behavioral interview? Use the following tips to ensure you’re behavioral interview is successful.

• Answer the question
  • Use a specific situation
  • Describe tasks that you completed
  • Highlight actions you took
  • Share the results–what happend?
• There are no right answers
  • The interviewer just wants to know if you have the skills for the job
  • There isn’t only one way to get the skills needed for the job or to highlight them
• If you don’t understand the question, ask for clarification
  • There’s nothing wrong with making sure you understand a question
  • It’s better to be sure you’re answering the right thing
• Be honest
  • Do not manufacture answers because you think it’s what the employer wants
  • In the end, you want the job to be a good fit as much as the potential employer does. If you aren’t honest and you get hired, it might not be the best place for you.

Have you been on a behavioral interview? What are some tips for doing well on a behavioral interview?