How to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions

Since the recruitment climate today has become more competitive, hiring managers are going beyond traditional job interview questions to find the best candidates. More and more, they are using behavioral interview questions.

Behavioral interview questions focus on how you dealt with work-related situations in your previous employment. Hirers will ask for examples of specific situations in your previous work, and how you behaved. Your answers will give your interviewer and hiring manager an idea of how you deal with stressful situations, and also, how you may act if similar situation come up in the future. The reasoning behind this method is if you were successful in the past, you will likely be successful in the future.

Here are five ways to sail through these behavioral interview questions all the way to a job offer

Review the job description

Along with this, study the company's culture, its vision, and the values it upholds. Browse company reviews before your interview to know more about the organisation. The job description will tell you which skills are required for the position you are pursuing. Additionally, by knowing how the company thinks and what it aspires to be, you can focus on which competencies to emphasise in your answers.

Once you have studied these, make a list of your skills, abilities, and talents. Rank them against the position you are gunning for.

Look at your past employee evaluations

For a more objective viewpoint of your skills and talents, look at past performance assessments done by employers. Sometimes, what your employer sees could be different from what you see. You can discover glimpses of talents you did not think you had by reading these evaluations.

Go beyond work experiences if you have to

Behavioral interview questions can still be relevant if you are fresh out of college with no work experience yet. If that is the case, base your answers on situations in school, at your summer job, with teammates in sports, and even with your family. After all, character and integrity will shine through regardless of the context.

Use the STAR system to come up with your answers

When you understand the position you are applying for, recall examples you can use and write them down in an outline using the STAR system.

• Situation—Set the context of the situation. ("The government had just imposed the lockdown for the pandemic. No one was allowed to go to the office.")
• Task—What was the problem you needed to solve, and what was your role? ("With zero warning, the whole company had to immediately convert to digital operations. We had to centralise files and documents that weren't originally on the network. And we had to establish a system of online communication for the entire company. I was tasked to lead a team for the transition process.")
• Action—How did you solve the problem? ("Working remotely with our IT department, we came up with a messaging system that was low-cost and accessible to each member of our whole team. And with help from each department head, I accessed all the necessary files and put them all in a Google Drive, shared to all the team heads."
• Result—What did your actions do? ("Within a week, all the company's processes were online; communication lines were open and accessible; and because we did it all internally, we saved on outsourcing for solutions.")

Remember: Keep your answers direct and detailed. Focus so that you do not ramble

Practice

Below are a few of the most common behavioral interview questions. Practice answering these:

• Tell me about the worst mistake you made at work. How did you fix it?
• Give me an example of a high-stress situation, and tell me how you handled it.
• Was there ever a time when you had to negotiate something with your supervisor? How did you begin the negotiation, and how did it turn out?
• Share how you overcame a weakness to achieve a work goal.
• Tell me about the hardest decision you have had to make.
• Did you ever miss an important deadline? How did you remedy the situation?
• Describe your best day at work. What made it outstanding?

Remember: The worst answer you can give is no answer. This is why it is important to prepare your answers way ahead of the interview

Answering behavioral interview questions can be nerve-wracking. But if you prepare well, your interview will be smooth sailing. Know your skills and abilities well, and do your best to elaborate on past incidents at work that display your talents. When you begin answering, be direct, detailed, and do not ramble.

Are you in the market for a job? Update your Jobstreet profile, and add #WorkNow to let employers know that you are ready to work. Search for #JobsThatMatter on Jobstreet to find passion, purpose, and success in your career. For more job search tips, visit our Career Resources Hub today.

At Jobstreet, we believe in bringing you #JobsThatMatter. As a Career Partner, we are committed to helping all jobseekers find passion and purpose in every career choice. And as the number 1 Talent Partner in Asia, we connect employers with the right candidates who truly make a positive and lasting impact on the organisation.
Discover Jobs That Matter. Visit Jobstreet today.