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What exactly is behavioral interviewing? Behavioral interviewing is a new style of interviewing that more and more companies and organizations are using in their hiring process. The basic premise behind behavioral interviewing is this: The most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in a similar situation. It provides a more objective set of facts to make employment decisions than other interviewing methods. Traditional interview questions ask you general questions such as "Tell me about yourself." The process of behavioral interviewing is much more probing and works very differently.
Important Points About Behavioral Interviewing:
• Employers predetermine which skills are necessary for the job for which they are looking and then ask very pointed questions to determine if the candidate possesses those skills. To assess which skills the employer is seeking, talk with alumni, read the company literature carefully, and listen closely during the company's information session. • In the interview, your response needs to be specific and detailed. Tell them about a particular situation that relates to the question, not a general one. Tell them briefly the situation, what you did specifically, and the positive result or outcome. Frame it in a three step process: 1. situation, 2. action, 3. result/outcome. • The interviewee tells a story for a few minutes; typically the interviewer will pick apart the story to try to get at the specific behavior(s). The interviewer can probe further for more depth or detail such as "What were you thinking at that point?" or "Tell me more about your meeting with that person," or "Lead me through your decision process." • Always listen carefully to the question, ask for clarification if necessary, and make sure you answer the question completely. • Your interview preparation should include identifying examples of situations where you have demonstrated the behaviors for a given company. • Your resume will serve as a good guide when answering these questions. Refresh your memory regarding your achievements in the past couple of years. Demonstration of the desired behaviors may be proven in many ways. Use examples from past internships, classes, activities, team involvements, community service and work experience. In addition, you may use examples of which you may be especially proud such as running a marathon, running for student body president, exhibiting paintings in an art show, climbing half of the high peaks in the Adirondacks, biking across country etc. |
