The Behavioral Interview
By Hcareers.com
In simple terms, behavioral interviews attempt to predict your future on-the-job behavior based on your past on-the-job (and other) behavior. Using the theory that you're likely to repeat behaviors from previous jobs at new jobs, questions are designed to have you illustrate how you acted (or reacted) in the past.
The questions almost always involve soft skills rather than hard skills. Questions may be about the ability to handle large workloads, the ability to deal with difficult patients, the ability to work independently, the ability to problem-solve, organizational abilities, leadership potential, conflict resolution skills, initiative, flexibility, etc.
Employers like this style of interview because it doesn't lend itself to yes/no or formulaic answers, and it gives candidates the opportunity to tell anecdotes that make them stand out in the interviewer's mind. And it's a great way to get around clichéd and jargon-filled answers that mean nothing – it forces a candidate to illustrate how s/he is flexible, a team player, or a people person, rather than stating it without evidence.
What types of questions can you expect in a behavioral interview?
Questions in a behavioral interview usually start with phrases like: "Describe a situation in which you …" or "Tell me about a time when you …" or "Give me an example of an instance when …" or "How would you handle a situation where …."
So you might get questions like:
How do you prepare for a behavioral interview?
Be concise and focused. The common recommendation is that the answer be two to three minutes long. Don't fall into the trap of giving too many details and appearing long-winded.
Think about the follow-up questions the interviewer could ask about the story you tell. For example, interviewers may ask you a more introspective question, such as "What were you thinking when you made the decision to …" or "How did you arrive at the decision to act as you did?" or "How did the incident make you feel?" They may also ask about whether you used the same action again and how it worked out, or how you knew the situation was a problem, etc.
Other Things to Note
Finally, as with any interview, remember that the employer will also be looking at your communication and reasoning skills. Pay attention not only to the content of what you say, but to how you structure your answers, your tone of voice, and your body language.
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