|
Behavior-Based
Interviewing
Behavior-based interviewing is an increasingly
popular interviewing technique and is based on the idea that past behavior
is predictive of future behavior. Behavior-based
questions are designed to determine certain key competencies that the
company desires their employees to have. The candidate is asked to provide specific examples that
demonstrate these specific skills or characteristics. The interviewer then continues to probe for details to
determine how the person is likely to behave in a work situation.
To prepare for this type of interview, review past
work, internship or volunteer experience.
Choose examples of times when you had to make tough decisions or
deal with difficult situations and analyze how you handled them.
Practice describing these events.
The following is a list of possible behavior-based
questions:
1. Describe
a situation in which you had to use reference materials to write a
research paper.
What
was the topic? What journals
did you read? (research)
- Give
me a specific example of a time when a co-worker or classmate
criticized your work in front of others.
How did you respond? How
has that event shaped the
way you communicate with others?
(communication)
- Give
me a specific example of a time when you sold your supervisor or
professor on an idea or concept.
How did you proceed? What
was the result? (assertiveness)
- Describe
the system you use for keeping track of multiple projects.
How do you track your progress so that you can meet deadlines?
How do you stay focused? (commitment
to task)
- Tell
me about a time when you came up with an innovative solution to a
challenge your company or class was facing. What was the challenge?
What role did others play?
(creativity and imagination)
- Describe
a specific problem you solved for your employer or professor.
How did you approach the problem?
What role did others play?
What was the outcome? (decision
making)
- Describe
a time when you got co-workers or classmates who dislike each other to
work together. How did
you accomplish this? What
was the outcome? (teamwork)
- Tell
me about a time when you failed to meet a deadline.
What things did you fail to do?
What were the repercussions?
What did you learn? (time
management)
|
