Adapted from Arlene Hirsch
From the NATIONAL BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT WEEKLY
from the publishers of the Wall Street Journal: Dow Jones & Company Inc
Most interviewers routinely include several behavioral questions along with more standard general questions. Their goal is to make sure they don’t hire a candidate who can talk a good game but can’t deliver a great performance.
Built on the belief that past performance is the best predictor of future success, this interviewing style relies more on specifics. Questions usually begin with such phrases as “Tell me about a time when…” or “Give me an example of…” Interviewers who favour this format usually develop their line of questioning around the traits and skills deemed important for success in the position or organisation.
For example, if a job involves a lot of client interaction, an interviewer might ask you, “Tell me about a time when you had to handle an irate client.” For a position that requires extensive teamwork, you might be asked to “Give an example of a situation where you demonstrated your skill as a team player.”
Preparation
Knowing how interviewers structure their questions makes it easier for you to prepare good responses. If an interviewer prepares by reviewing the job description to determine a job’s required skills and traits and asks for specific examples that demonstrate those characteristics, you need to go through a similar preparation process.
Job descriptions for a specific position or function can help you prepare for behavioural interviews. If an employer wants someone who’s a “team player,” you can expect to be asked some of the following:
“Tell me about a time when you had to rely on a team to get things done.”
“Provide an example of a time when you had to persuade people to do something that they didn’t want to do.”
“Give me an example of your leadership style.”
Candidates who understand the technique and are prepared to handle these types of interview questions have an edge over those who are unaware of this technique.
Start With Your Resume
An easy way to start preparing for behavioral questions involves resume review. By going through your resume line-by-line (in search of relevant examples), you’ll become comfortable with how you plan to answer likely questions.
The less confident you feel about a specific circumstance or qualification, the more you need to prepare and rehearse your response.
“The idea behind behavioral interviewing is that you can tell much more about a person’s attitudes, work habits and skills by hearing them describe real actions taken in real circumstances than by letting them speak in the abstract about themselves,” says Allen Salikof, president of a US-based search firm.
Expect interviewers to ask negatively phrased questions that reveal your weaknesses and flaws as well as your strengths. Don’t fall into the trap of demeaning yourself just because you’re anxious to comply. If the stories you tell don’t reflect positively on you, there’s no reason to tell them.
A Three-Step Approach
Some candidates find the format of behavioural questions unsettling. In the pressure of the moment, they can’t think of a single example. To overcome that obstacle, develop a list of experiences that cover the skills and characteristics
required for the position you seek.
Try the following three-step approach:
1. Determine your chief skills or strengths and actual experiences which exemplify each one. Remember dates, names, achievements and other details that will convey the situation to the interviewer.
2. Understand the job’s description and be prepared to recall specific actions and behaviours that address the required skills.
3. Don’t make vague proclamations of your skills. Small but telling actions and behaviours are more important than grandiose but unsubstantiated claims of job success.
Structuring Your Stories
It helps to use a P-A-R (Problem-Action-Result) formula to structure your stories. Review your resume and decide which stories to tell. Some candidates even write, edit and rehearse their stories. This is time-consuming but can be worth the effort. Since most people aren’t natural storytellers, it’s good to know what you plan to say and how you plan to say it. That way you minimise the risk of drawing a blank, telling the wrong story or rambling. Try not to sound wooden or rehearsed.
To put a unique spin on the P-A-R format, try a R-A-P format. Start with the result, because accomplishments capture an interviewer’s attention. Then describe the actions you took and finally, the problem that was solved. In that way, your
accomplishments stand out boldly. If you’re really savvy, you can vary your approach by using both strategies within the same interview. For example, if you’re describing a tough problem, you might want to use the P-A-R approach to emphasise the very real challenge you faced. If you achieved a particularly spectacular end result, you might want to use the R-A-P format, which emphasises your results.
When You Don’t Know the Answer
Behavioural-based interviewers can be like bulldogs. They won’t give up until they get the information they want. But you don’t have to answer a question just because it was asked. At times, you really won’t have the answer.
Much as it may hurt to say, “I’m sorry but nothing comes to mind,” that may be the most honest answer. Rather
than lie, you’re better off being honest about what you have and haven’t done.
You also can ask for clarification. If you don’t understand what the employer is looking for, ask him or her to be more specific. Most employers will appreciate your interest and thoroughness.
Although silences can be uncomfortable, they also can be productive. Rather than rush into an ill-advised statement, make sure that you’re in control of your response.
If this takes more time, the interviewer will need to wait. Most interviewers will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Strategizing Behavioral Questions
Behavioural questions pose a real challenge to interviewees who are striving to make the interview a conversation between equals rather than an interrogation. This isn’t impossible, however. Many of the same techniques you use with standard questions can be employed successfully in this situation. For example, you can finish up a story
or response by asking for feedback: “Is that the kind of example you were looking for?”
Nor should you be afraid to ask for clarification: “I’m not sure what kind of information you’d like me to provide here. Can you be more specific?”
Fortunately, the tight labor market has forced interviewers to soften their styles a bit. In some cases, you may be given a list of behavioral questions you’ll be asked before the interview. This is because employers recognise that it’s difficult to think of examples on the spot.
This raises an interesting point. Employers primarily use behavioral questions to gauge your skills and accomplishments. But they also may want to see firsthand how you function, think and communicate under pressure. You can give yourself a competitive edge by anticipating questions and formulating your responses in advance. This will reduce the pressure and make you seem clear thinking, level-headed and well-prepared. Given today’s business climate, those are traits any employer would value.
The 25 Most Popular Behavior-Based Questions
Tell me about a time when you . . .
1. …worked effectively under pressure.
2. …handled a difficult situation with a co-worker.
3. …were creative in solving a problem.
4. …missed an obvious solution to a problem.
5. …were unable to complete a project on time.
6. …persuaded team members to do things your way.
7. …wrote a report that was well received.
8. …anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures.
9. …had to make an important decision with limited facts.
10. …were forced to make an unpopular decision.
11. …had to adapt to a difficult situation.
12. …were tolerant of an opinion that was different from yours.
13. …were disappointed in your behavior.
14. …used your political savvy to push a program through that you really believed in.
15. …had to deal with an irate client (co-worker/boss/subordinate).
16. …delegated a project effectively.
17. …surmounted a major obstacle.
18. …set your sights too high (or too low).
19. …prioritised the elements of a complicated project.
20. …got bogged down in the details of a project.
21. …lost (or won) an important contract.
22. …made a bad decision.
23. …had to fire a friend.
24. …hired (or fired) the wrong person.
25. …turned down a good job.
