A guide to conducting effective behavioral interviews
Published
Behavioral interviews are a great way to find out how candidates have behaved in the past and what decisions they would make if they were hired. What are behavioral interviews? How do they differ from traditional interviews? How can you make sure your behavioral interviews are interesting?
In this article, we look at the basics of behavioral job interviews and give you important information on how to conduct them.
What is a behavioral interview?
In a behavioral interview, a recruiter asks questions about the applicant's previous behavior to find out how they will behave in certain situations in the future.
For example, the recruiter can ask applicants to describe how they had to deal with a challenging customer or employee or solve a problem.
Why ask for information about an applicant's past behavior? Behavioral interviewing is based on the assumption that past behavior can predict future behavior. Therefore, the questions are essential as they can reveal whether an applicant is suitable for a job.
Contrasts between behavioral and traditional job interviews
There is no question that the traditional job interview has been around for a long time. In recent years, however, the behavioral interview has gained popularity. So what is the difference between these two types of interview? Which type is better?
In traditional job interviews, questions are usually asked about the applicant's qualifications and experience. For example, a recruiter may ask about strengths, weaknesses and academic qualifications in a conventional interview. The questions are usually formulated in the present tense or conditional.
In contrast, behavioral interviews focus on how an applicant has dealt with certain situations in the past.
Before an interview, recruiters have decided what skills are required in the person being hired and ask questions that allow them to determine whether a particular applicant meets the requirements. Instead of asking how you would behave, they will ask how you have behaved. Therefore, the questions are asked in the past tense.
So which type of interview is better? That depends on what you expect from an applicant.
If you want to find out more about a person's qualifications and experience, a traditional interview is probably the best choice. If you are more interested in learning about a person's character and how they might handle certain situations, then a behavioral interview is probably a better choice.
How to prepare for a behavioral job interview
Many employers prefer to conduct a behavioral interview when interviewing candidates. Conducting a behavioral interview may seem difficult, but there are some simple ways to do it.
Many employers prefer to conduct a behavioral interview when interviewing candidates. Conducting a behavioral interview may seem difficult, but there are some simple ways to do it.
First of all, it is important that you are prepared. Make sure you know the requirements of the job inside and out and have a list of specific behaviors you want to evaluate.
Next, ask open-ended questions that allow the applicant to talk in detail about their experiences. For example, instead of asking: "Have you ever had to deal with a difficult customer?", you should ask: "Can you tell me about a situation in which you had to defuse a tense situation?"
Finally, pay attention to the applicant's body language and general demeanor. This can be just as revealing as the answers themselves.
6 perfect questions for a behavioral job interview
We recommend these 6 questions for a behavioral interview:
- Please describe a situation in which you had to deal with a difficult customer in the past.
- Tell me about a situation in which you had to work on a team project.
- What experiences have you had in dealing with conflicts?
- Give me an example of a situation in which you had to rise above yourself to accomplish a task.
- Tell me about a time when you made a mistake at work.
- Can you tell me about a situation where you had to use technology for project management?
