The Interview Handbook

For those of you are not sure as to what a behavioral interview entails. Behavioral based interviewing is interviewing based on discovering how the interviewee acted in specific employment-related situations. The logic is that how you behaved in the past will predict how you will behave in the future i.e. past performance predicts future performance.

So what’s difference Between A Traditional Interview vs. Behavioral Interview?

In a traditional interview, you will be asked a series of questions which typically have straight forward answers like "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" or "What major challenges and problems did you face? How did you handle them?" or "Describe a typical work week."

In a behavioral interview, an employer has decided what skills are needed in the person they hire and will ask questions to find out if the candidate has those skills.

Preparation for the Potential Behavioral Interview

What’s the best way to prepare? It’s important to remember that you won’t know what type of interview will take place until you are sitting in the interview room. So, prepare answers to traditional interview questions.

Then, since you don’t know exactly what situations you will be asked about if it’s a behavioral interview, refresh your memory and consider some special situations you have dealt with or projects you have worked on. You may be able to use them to help frame responses. Prepare stories that illustrate times when you have successfully solved problems or performed memorably. The stories will be useful to help you respond meaningfully in a behavioral interview.

Finally, review the job description, if you have it, or the job posting or ad. You may be able to get a sense of what skills and behavioral characteristics the employer is seeking from reading the job description and position requirements. Do You want to be one step a head of your competition? 

Take a look at this really good book it will really help you and give you the confidence to walk into any interview:

"The Ultimate Guide To Job Interview Answers"

Over the years I have read so many books on job interviews all proclaiming to have the final answer; I will let you into a secrete; no one book has all the answers but this my personal recommendation for a number of reasons for recommending "The Ultimate Guide To Job Interview Answers"

The author keeps it very simple, a lot of books use far to much jargon and over complicate the whole process, it’s the old saying KISS – (keep it simple stupid) The guide is only 81 pages long so its not "War and Piece" and what’s more you can actually use it there is some real value to its content.

• It includes over 137 intelligent and effective job interview answers.
• 11 closing "power statements,"
• 43 questions for you to use to uncover the interviewer’s hidden needs.
• 13 desirable behavioral competencies hiring managers look for.

How to create and use your own winning S.T.A.R. statements to "package & spin" your work experience.

How to do a S.W.O.T. analysis, how to show you know how to set S.M.A.R.T. goals, a quick and simple 9-step exercise you can do that will calm your nerves every time, AND a special section on behavioral interviewing and surviving harsh "stress" interviews. 

Remember It’s important to keep in mind that there are no right or wrong answers, its about being yourself and being confident in your own abilities.

The interviewer is simply trying to understand how you behaved in a given situation. How you respond will determine if there is a fit between your skills and the position the company is seeking to fill. So, listen carefully, be clear and detailed when you respond and, most importantly, be honest. If your answers aren’t what the interviewer is looking for, this position may not be the best job for you anyway. Good Luck!