There was a time when all recruiters seemed to be working with the same playbook. Candidates used to know the type of questions – and variations thereof – that they could expect at each interview.

While that is still largely true, top recruiters have now introduced a curveball – behavioral-based interview questions.

 

What are Behavioral-based Interview Questions?

As the name implies, these are questions that are based on the behavior of the candidate in different situations. This technique is usually done in a way that, applied effectively, highlight your skills and abilities. Above that, it shows the recruiters how these skills/ abilities are relevant to the job.

 

Are These Questions Common?

Yes! In fact, you could research some of them and they’d likely be the same ones your recruiter would ask you. Good news, right? Not always.

The objective of these questions to determine a candidate’s qualifications based on personal experience. This reduces any “canned” answers. Instead, the questions require a personal answer that is unique to your own job experiences.

 

Responding to Behavioral-based Interview Questions

Giving the best answers when asked these kinds of questions is relevant to how professional and suitable you present yourself for the job.

Since first impressions are important, it’s critical that you are prepared for these types of questions? The STAR method is an effective strategy:

• S – Situation: Describe the situation surrounding the event that took place as pertains to the question at hand
• T – Task: Let the recruiters know what task you were trying to complete. If it was to solve a problem, improve a process or plain old get something done, let it be known
• A – Action: After assessing both above, what action did you take? What tools did you use? What were the vehicles of thought that informed your actions?
• R – Results: Results are the only things that justifies actions: Were your actions successful in the completion of said task? Were you able to achieve what you set out to? Make sure you don’t just mention that you get results but include what kind of results. It might be to increase company sales, optimize consumption of resources, troubleshoot a problem, etc.

 

As you answer the interview question, remember to remain calm.

Include any details you deem important to the achievement of your final results and leave out the excess details.

You won’t always know what your recruiter will ask, but it doesn’t hurt to rehearse some of the common behavioral-based interview questions prior to your interview.

 

Examples of Behavioral-based Interview Questions

Here are some of the common behavioral-based interview questions asked at interviews:

• Tell us about a time when you’ve had to work with someone that had an entirely different personality from yours (Teamwork)
• Have you ever gone beyond standard operating procedure to help a customer? How? (Customer Care and Satisfaction)
• Tell me about a major setback you’ve had and how you handled it (Stress Management)
• Talk about a time when you’ve had to successfully pitch an idea to your team (Team Management)
• Describe a time when you were the team lead. How did you make everyone understand your plans? (Communication skills)

 

You can check out some other interview tips in our dedicated Interview Section to better help you prepare ahead