What is a Behavioral Interview?
The premise of a behavioral interview is that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. By asking candidates to describe their past behavior in detail, the interviewer can better understand how the candidate is likely to behave in similar situations in the future.
Behavioral interviews typically follow a structured format, with the interviewer asking a series of questions that are designed to elicit specific information about the candidate’s past behavior. The interviewer may also use follow-up questions to clarify the candidate’s responses or to explore the details of a particular situation in more depth.
One advantage of a behavioral interview is that it can help the interviewer assess a candidate’s skills and abilities more objectively and consistently. By asking all candidates the same set of questions, the interviewer can compare their responses more easily and make more informed hiring decisions.
However, conducting a behavioral interview requires significant preparation and skill from the interviewer. The interviewer must carefully craft the questions in advance and be able to listen actively, and ask follow-up questions to get a complete picture of the candidate’s past behavior.
Candidates can prepare for a behavioral interview by reviewing the job description and identifying the key skills and abilities the employer seeks. Candidates should then prepare specific examples of their past behavior that demonstrate these skills and abilities and be ready to describe them in detail during the interview.
Conclusion
A behavioral interview is a type of job interview in which the interviewer asks the candidate to describe specific examples of their past behavior to assess their potential job performance. Behavioral interviews can help employers assess a candidate’s skills and abilities more objectively and consistently, but they require significant preparation and skill from the interviewer. Candidates can prepare for a behavioral interview by identifying the key skills and abilities that the employer is looking for and preparing specific examples of their past behavior that demonstrate these skills and abilities.