Behavioral Interviews

A growing number of employers use a behavioral approach to conducting interviews. The general premise of this approach is past behavior predicts future behavior. Thus, if an organization hires you, they expect that you will demonstrate competencies within their organization in much the same way as you have in the past. The questions are designed to determine your behavior as it relates to the work environment and the qualities that are important in a particular position.

Behavioral interviews give every candidate an opportunity to answer the same questions while specifically highlighting their past experiences. This gives the well-prepared interviewee an opportunity to really stand out.

Sample Behavioral Interview Questions

• Describe an experience when you were an especially creative problem solver.
• Tell me about a time when you were disappointed with the results of your efforts.
• Describe a pressured situation you have dealt with in the past six months and how you handled it.
• Tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to influence someone's opinion.
• 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.