Tips on Behavioural Interviews
Definitions:The
behavioral interview technique is used by employers to evaluate a
candidate's experiences and behaviors in order to determine their
potential for success.?
"The best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour"
Behavioural Interviews are very common today. Behavioural interview
questions are designed to find out how you would react (or have reacted)
in specific situations. The idea is that past behaviour is a good
predictor of future behaviour. You must be prepared for some of these
questions; they are often quite difficult to answer well without
preparation.
A behavioural interview is one of the methods recruiters use to establish
your potential to succeed. In the majority of cases, the company will
prepare specific questions for you to answer. The answers you give will
then be used to determine your potential and your ability to perform the
role you are applying for.
The "behavioural interview" is based upon the premise that past behaviour
is the best indicator of future behaviour.
The central role of interviewing in most selection processes demands that
the interviewer is skilled to collect the most relevant and valid
behavioural examples from candidates to
Behavioural interviews are commonly used by larger international companies
to get a better sense of how a candidate approaches tasks and solves
problems. This type of interview usually focuses on a number of individual
'behaviours' or 'competencies' that the company has identified as being
particularly important for the job. These competencies would include
teamwork, creativity, persistence, communications and so on.
The technique that the interviewer uses is to ask the candidate to
describe situations that they have actually experienced. For example, if
they want to examine the issue of teamwork they might ask you about your
best team experience and why you consider it the best.
The basic idea is that past performance determines future performance and
if you have strong teamwork capabilities or tendencies this will come
through when you describe your best team. A candidate who prefers to work
alone will find it difficult to think about and describe an effective
team.
The Behavioural Interview - Some Tips
The interviewer asks specific questions about a candidate's skills,
character and preferences based on examples of past behaviour. During the
behavioural interview, questions are directed towards specific
experiences. Some examples are shown below:
"Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult person at
work."
"What proactive steps have you taken to make your workplace more efficient
and productive? Specifically describe a policy, project or system you
created or initiated."
"Describe a high pressure situation you had to handle at work. Tell me
what happened, who was involved and what you did in terms of problem
solving."
"Some situations require us to express ideas or opinions in a very tactful
and careful way. Tell me about a time when you were successful in this
type of situation."
Helpful Hints:
The key in behavioural interviewing is to paint a picture of the reasons
and think about the decision or behaviour without bringing in unessential
details. It is expected that forming an answer will take time. Think your
examples through.
Be aware of the tendency to become too relaxed and reveal information that
you didn't intend to share. You need to do your part to foster the
conversational tone, but don't become so relaxed that you start straying
from the point. Be friendly and remain professional.
BEHAVIOURAL INTERVIEW PREPARATION:
Behavioural interviewing is a structured interview style based on the
premise that ?past behaviour predicts future performance.? Many employers
use this interview style. As an increasing number of employers are
starting to recognize its value, the behavioural interview is growing in
popularity.
The Behavioural Interviewing Technique is being used by most reputable
organizations.
Interviewers using this technique will ask questions to draw out examples
of situations that you have encountered and how you handled them. Prior to
the interview, your prospective employer has already identified the skills
necessary for the position. The interview questions are then carefully
designed to probe into your experiences. The goal of the interviewer is to
determine if your skills are the best match for the position.
Sample Behavioral Interview Questions
One of the keys to success in interviewing is practice, so we encourage
you to take the time to work out answers to these questions using one of
the suggested methods, such as the STAR approach.
Here is one list of sample behavioral-based interview questions:
Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to
successfully convince someone to see things your way.
Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that
demonstrated your coping skills.
Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic
in solving a problem.
Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or
achieve it.
Tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to
influence someone's opinion.
Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy
with which you did not agree.
Please discuss an important written document you were required to
complete.
Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty
in order to get a job done.
Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were
required to prioritize your tasks.
Give me an example of a time when you had to make a split second decision.
What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example.
Tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with another
person even when that individual may not have personally liked you (or
vice versa).
Tell me about a difficult decision you've made in the last year.
Give me an example of a time when something you tried to accomplish and
failed.
Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead.
Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very
upset customer or co-worker.
Give me an example of a time when you motivated others.
Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively.
Give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to
solve a problem.
Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem.
Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed
preventive measures.
Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision.
Please tell me about a time you had to fire a friend.
Describe a time when you set your sights too high (or too low).
STAR Technique for Behavioral Job Interviews:
One strategy for preparing for behavioral interviews is to use the STAR
Technique, as outlined below. (This technique is often referred to as the
SAR and PAR techniques as well.)
Situation or
Task Describe the situation that you were in or the task that you needed
to accomplish. You must describe a specific event or situation, not a
generalized description of what you have done in the past. Be sure to give
enough detail for the interviewer to understand. This situation can be
from a previous job, from a volunteer experience, or any relevant event.
Action you took Describe the action you took and be sure to keep the focus
on you. Even if you are discussing a group project or effort, describe
what you did -- not the efforts of the team. Don't tell what you might do,
tell what you did.
Results you achieved What happened? How did the event end? What did you
accomplish? What did you learn?
Employers use the behavioral interview technique to evaluate a candidate?s
experiences and behaviors so they can determine the applicant?s potential
for success. The interviewer identifies job-related experiences,
behaviors, knowledge, skills and abilities that the company has decided
are desirable in a particular position. For example, some of the
characteristics that few companies looks for include:
-
Critical thinking
-
Being a self-starter
-
Willingness to learn
-
Willingness to travel
-
Self-confidence
-
Teamwork
-
Professionalism
Here's a good way to prepare for behavior-based interviews:
Identify six to eight examples from your past experience where you
demonstrated top behaviors and skills that employers typically seek. Think
in terms of examples that will exploit your top selling points.
Half your examples should be totally positive, such as accomplishments or
meeting goals.
The other half should be situations that started out negatively but either
ended positively or you made the best of the outcome.
Vary your examples; don't take them all from just one area of your life.
Use fairly recent examples. If you're a college student, examples from
high school may be too long ago.
Try to describe examples in story form and/or PAR/SAR/STAR.
What's behind behavioural interviews?
Good behavioural interviews are put together after careful on the job
research. The recruiter "benchmarks" top performers in a role, isolates in
detail the competencies required to perform that role, then writes
questions to allow the interviewee demonstrate those competencies.
How are you assessed in a behavioural interview?
You are judged on the "quality" of the example you provide. Under each
competency there's a set of behaviours that the recruiter will mentally,
if not physically, be ticking off as you answer each question. You may be
asked the same question in different ways to verify that your skills are
well developed and that you've used them consistently.
However if you find coming up with the examples easy, then you're likely
to be a good fit
List of typical behaviors that employers might be trying to get at from
job-seekers in a behavior-based interview:
Desired Behaviors:
-
Adaptability
-
Communication-Oral
-
Communication-Written
-
Analysis
-
Decisiveness
-
Delegation
-
Development of
Subordinates
-
Flexibility
-
Independence
-
Initiative
-
Innovation
-
Integrity
-
Judgment
-
Leadership/Influence
-
Listening
-
Motivation
-
Negotiation
-
Organizational
-
Sensitivity
-
Management
-
Planning and Organizing
-
Rapport Building
-
Risk Taking
-
Sensitivity
-
Strategic Analysis
-
Teamwork
-
Work Standards
Written
By
Sheshendra Bhadauria
|
Writers
Profile
Sheshendra
Bhadauria
sheshendra@sify.com
Currently working as
a HR-Executive in one of the top BPO in India and profiling in Recruitment
& Sourcing.
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