Ace the Behaviorbased Interview

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Ace the Behavior-based Interview
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Behavioral Interviewing

• Why This Style
• What Does It Show

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What Interviewers Are Looking For

• Can you do the job?
• Will you do the job?
• How well to you fit with the people, department,
  organization, and cultural?

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Behavioral Interviewing Definition

• A structured pattern of questions designed to
  probe the applicants past behavior in situations
  similar to those encountered on the job.
• Implies job characteristics are consistent
• Establishes a level of competency in the desired
  characteristics

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Behavior Consistency Principle

• Best predictor of future behavior and performance
  is past behavior or performance in similar
  circumstances.
• The more recent the behavior, the better its
  predictive power.
• The more long lasting the behavior, the greater
  the predictive power.

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Performance Predictors

• Technical Abilities
• Behavior or Performance Skills
• Personal Preferences

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Job Performance Standards

• Technical Skills tasks that need to be done
  the know-how or techniques needed to do the job.
  Learned through education, training, or
  experience.
• Personal Preferences criteria emanating from an
  individuals deep seated needs, wants, and
  comfort level requirements.
• Factors considered when selecting a specific job.
• What do people like or dislike about this job?

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Job Performance Standards

• Behavior or Performance Skills Personal habits
  or characteristics an employee brings to the job.
  
• A person may be an excellent technician, but if
  they lack people skills, they may not be a good
  supervisor.
• Behavior and performance skills may be grouped
  into specific categories needed to effectively
  complete specific jobs.
• Whats required to be good at this job? Why were
  people unsuccessful at this job?

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Preparation Steps

• Research the employer
• Analyze the position and position requirements
  technical and behavioral
• Conduct a personal characteristics and skills
  inventory
• Identify examples of past behaviors you can use
  in the interview
• Utilize a reflective approach

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Preparation Requirements

• Focus answers on the characteristics required by
  the employer
• Use powerful words to describe your competency in
  those characteristics
• Be concise make a point, make it clear, and use
  precise wording. Dont ramble

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Remember the STAR
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Tell Me About Your Experiences

• Sample Interview

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Sample Questions

• Leadership
• What is the toughest group that you have had to
  get cooperation from?
• What has been the most difficult one-to-one
  meeting this group experienced? That you have
  ever experienced?
• Have you ever been a member of a group where two
  of the members did not work well together? What
  did you do to get them to do so?
• Have you ever had difficulty getting others to
  accept your ideas or goals? What was your
  approach? Did it work?

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Sample Questions

• Decision-Making
• Give me an example of a situation in which you
  made up your mind too rapidly.
• Describe an occasion when you included others in
  your decision-making. To what extent did you
  incorporate their input?
• What has been the toughest decision you have made
  so far in you career? What alternatives did you
  consider?

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Sample Questions

• Planning Organization
• How do you determine what constitutes a top
  priority in scheduling your time?
• What were your objectives for last year? Were
  they achieved? How?
• How are you organizing your job search?
• What do you do when your schedule is suddenly
  interrupted? Provide an example.
• Describe a situation at school or work that
  required you to do many things at once. How did
  you handle it?

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Sample Questions

• Initiative Effort
• Describe your most difficult school course or
  work project. Why was it difficult? How did you
  get through it?
• Describe a project or idea that you generated on
  your own.
• Give me an example of a situation where you did
  more than was required in a class or job.
• What are some recent responsibilities you have
  taken on? Why did you assume them?

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Sample Questions

• Interpersonal
• Have you ever had to work with someone you didnt
  like? Please tell me about how you handled it.
• Describe a recent unpopular decision you made and
  what the result was.
• Describe a situation where you wished you had
  acted differently with someone at work/school.
• Have you perceived any problems you have caused
  others? How did you handle it?

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Determining Fit

• Do you have good social skills?
• Are you articulate?
• Do you use good grammar?
• Are you dressed appropriately?
• Do they like you?

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Determining Fit

• Do you have the same sense of humor as the rest
  of the group?
• Do you seem to know how to handle yourself
  appropriately?
• How will your personality fit with the people you
  will need to work with?

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Non-verbal Communication

• Maintain good eye contact
• Dress appropriately
• Use the right gestures
• Good Firm Handshake
• Behave appropriately
• Smile at appropriate times
• Respect interviewers personal space

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Non-verbal Communications

• Respond to interviewers non-verbal
  communications
• Avoid giving mixed messages, keep your non-verbal
  communication consistent
• Deliver answers in an organized way
• Be conversational with your interviewer

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Final Comments or Questions?