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The questions asked during a behavioral interview should be designed to allow the interviewee to tell specific stories that demonstrate a desired skill, ability or character trait. For example, if a job requires problem-solving skills, a behavioral interviewer would ask, "Tell me about a time when you overcame a problem." The interviewee should ask for clarification if necessary to understand exactly what the interviewer is asking, and then answer with specific details about a time when she overcame a problem.
A good behavioral interviewer will ask detailed and pointed questions as the interviewee tells the story. He may ask, "What were you thinking when the problem arose?" or "Why did you choose that course of action?" Each of these questions should be designed to get to the heart of what type of problem-solver the prospective job applicant is.
All of the questions asked should in some way relate to the skills necessary for the job, and should elicit responses that allow the job seeker to talk about how she exhibited those skills in a real-life past situation. These types of questions do two things: They allow an interviewer to ensure that the candidate really has the skills necessary to succeed at the job, and they demonstrate how the job seeker will react in a similar situation.
To anticipate the questions that will be asked, the job seeker should look at the specific skills required in the job description, and brainstorm past activities or actions that she engaged in that demonstrate those skills. When possible, the examples and behavior should be something recent, ideally within the previous two years. -
The STAR system is the best method of answering questions in a behavioral interview. The STAR system is an acronym designed to remind interviewers and interviewees of the type of answers that best demonstrate past behavior and predict future performance. The letters stand for situation, task, action taken and result.
"Situation" deals with the specific details of the situation or task. If asked to tell about a problem-solving experience, the interviewee should mention the specifics of the problem: what the problem was and why it was a problem.
"Task" deals with the background behind the actions or behavior: what led up to the task that the interviewee did. So, for example, why the problem was a problem, and why it was the interviewee's duty to solve it.
"Action" refers to the specific behaviors or actions on the part of the interviewee. What did he do to solve the problem, specifically. This answer should be detailed and give concrete examples.
"Result" refers to what happened because of the interviewee's actions. -
It can be very difficult to prepare for a behavioral interview because of the wide range of potential questions. The best method of preparing is to try to come up with specific examples of past actions and activities that demonstrate your best qualities. Then, try to tailor these stories and examples to answer questions that are asked in the interview.
Interviewers generally rate applicants based on their answers. The rating system varies by company, so it can be difficult to predict exactly how an interviewer will rate a specific answer. However, in general, the more detailed the answer, the better. Backing up behavioral experiences with quantifiable data can be especially helpful, as numbers and statistics demonstrate specific results of past behavior and efforts.
