How to Prepare for a Behavioral Interview

Behavioral interviewing, a technique created by industrial psychologists in the 1970s, has recently received a surge in popularity. It's useful for employers because it's more predictive of a job candidate's success on the job, but it can pose a twist for the job applicant who's more used to answering traditional interview questions. Here are a few steps you can take to prepare for a behavioral job interview.

Pre-answer a List of Behavioral Questions

You're probably already completely prepared to reel off a list of answers to traditional interview questions such as "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" or "Tell me about yourself." A behavioral interview, however, changes things up by demanding concrete examples that show off your abilities and following them up with questions that probe into the specifics. Prepare for a behavioral interview by thinking through a list of potential questions you might be asked. These might include questions such as "Tell me about a time when you had to make a decision quickly," "What's the riskiest decision you ever had to make?" or "Give me an example of a time when you influenced others to change their behavior." Other behavioral questions might focus on specific recommendations you've made, how you've argued to make your point or ways you've built rapport with difficult people.

Tell Your Own Story

The key to answering a behavioral interview question is to tell a story. Think through key moments in your own career history, and figure out how they could be answers to a variety of behavioral questions. Find a handful of stories from your work past that show off your best qualities in action, then distill them down to a few sentences. To winnow down your answers, focus on the situation surrounding your story, the action you took in that situation and the positive result that ensued. Be prepared to pull out these stories as examples no matter how a behavioral question is phrased. If you have stories ready to tell, you're unlikely to be tripped up by unexpected questions and you're more likely to win over your interviewer.

Research the Companies You Are Applying to

Some companies have a reputation for asking specific behavioral interview questions. For instance, Microsoft and Google are well-known for asking questions that seem to come out of left field, such as "What's a song that describes you?" or "Are your parents disappointed in your career path?" When these questions are asked, be aware that their purpose is to probe your self-image as well as your poise in the room. Do a little research ahead of time to be prepared for this type of unexpected question.

Because behavioral interviews are so effective at revealing great job candidates, you're likely to find them increasingly used in your job search. Be honest and forthright as you prepare for these interviews with the realization that there are no wrong answers. Just tell your own story well, and you're likely to ace any behavioral interview that comes your way.

Photo courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net