Preparing Strategically for Behavioral Interviews

The behavioral interview is based on the premise that you can predict an employee’s future performance in a job based upon their history facing similar situation. This type of interview is focused solely on your experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as they relate to the job for which you are interviewing.

Questions that start with “tell me about a time when,” “how would you handle it if,” and “describe a situation where,” are examples of behavioral questions. When an employer asks a behavioral question, they expect an example or a story that focuses on the skill or ability in question. Vague answers with no concrete examples will not do in this type of interview.

How You Should Answer Behavioral Questions
You may have heard of the PAR formula; this is an acronym for the formula that you can use to answer behavior-based questions. When telling a story, you want to have a beginning, middle, and an end to the tale.

• The P stands for the problem you solved or task you took on. In other words, you need to set the stage for the story. Provide a brief description of the situation you were faced with.
• The A stands for the action you took to solve the problem. This is where you tell the interviewer what you did, as well as who and what were involved.
• The R stands for the result of the situation. Discuss the outcome of the situation, talk about the end result, focus on your success, and expand on what you learned from the experience.

How You Can Prepare for Behavioral Questions
• Before going on an interview, you must prepare yourself in order to be successful. Start by researching the company and the job to determine the skills that will be most valuable. Based on your research, define the five most important skills that you possess and write a PAR story that proves your hands-on experience using that skill.

• Whenever it is possible, quantify the results you achieved with numbers, dollars, and percentages to provide a scope of what you have done. Numbers help the employer to quantify the value you can bring to their company.

• Be prepared to talk about negative examples. For example, be prepared to discuss how you handle failure, what you do when things don’t go as planned, and how you overcome obstacles. Use negative examples to show that you can overcome adversity, that you can learn from your mistakes, and that you are aware of your shortcomings and are able to improve yourself.

Five Ways to Deal with Difficult Co-workers

If you are a full-time employee, you see some of your co-workers more than you see your best friend or spouse. When you put so many different personalities together, it is inevitable that there will be some people that do not get along. There are many different reasons; they may be a bully, a negative person, or a gossip. No matter the situation you face, how you handle it can impact your work environment and ultimately your work satisfaction.

Have a plan and be prepared
If you have to deal regularly with an argumentative or negative person, be proactive. When faced with a situation for which we are unprepared, we are likely to act on instincts and strike back or become angry. Don’t react to conflict emotionally, be professional and non-confrontational.

When you decide to confront the problem, talk through the issue with the person in terms of facts, not feelings. Clearly define the issue and your desired outcome and write it down so you stay on track during the discussion.

Don’t be a part of the problem
When we are attacked, our instinct is to protect ourselves. However, hostile people who are confrontational often thrive on controversy and tension. Don’t play their game and fuel their fire. You need to be the more mature and professional person. If you react only with kindness and positive comments, they will tend to leave you alone to work in peace.

Identify people who tend to create problems and try to steer clear of them. Ensure your interaction with these people stays professional and focused solely on the work environment. Do not engage in negative banter, gossip, or criticism of the boss – no matter what kind of day you may be having.

Try to see their point of view
Sometimes you need to ask yourself, is there a reason this person is being so difficult or has a bad attitude? Maybe they are having marital, money, or health problems. Although these issues don’t excuse a bad attitude, they may explain it.

It is possible they are not aware of how they are perceived or that they come across negatively. Talk with them and show them kindness and understanding. Attempt to see things from their point of view and you may be able to solve the problem for yourself and for them.

Know when to seek support
If you have tried all the suggestions with no success, you may need to involve a neutral third party. This person will serve as a mediator who will listen to both sides of the story and help find a middle ground. Go into this conversation with an open mind and try your best to work as a team. Never have a discussion with a difficult co-worker in front of other workers, always have the discussion behind closed doors. If this does not work, it may be time to get your supervisor involved.

Know when to say when
We are bound to have occasional disagreements when interacting with people every day. If the problem can not be resolved, you have a decision to make. If your productivity and work performance is negatively affected, either you or your co-worker needs to move on to a new department or find a new job.

3 Critical Steps to Prepare for the Behavioral Interview

Whether every question or just a few questions are behavior-based, this interviewing method is becoming more popular with employers to screen candidates. It is believed that the most accurate predictor of future performance is past behavior. Behavioral interviewing is based solely on providing examples of your past experience or performance. To be successful, use these steps to prepare yourself.

Do Your Research in Advance
The first step to preparing for an interview is to know what is important to the company. What are they looking for in an employee? What problems are they experiencing? Why are they hiring? Conduct a search on www.google.com for articles that will provide insight into the company. Read the job posting thoroughly to identify the key qualifications they are seeking. Research the company’s interview practices on www.glassdoor.com.

Evaluate Your Skills
Much like you should research the company, you must also get to know what you have to offer as a candidate. Until you know how you can be of benefit to an organization, you can’t effectively market your skills. Compare what the company is looking for and what problems they may be having with skills that you feel will be of assistance to their organization.

The behavioral interviewer will ask questions that begin with phrases such as “tell me about a time when,” “what would you do if,” “give me an example of,” and “describe a situation where.” Knowing your areas of specialization and the benefits you can offer an employer will help you with the next step.

Prepare Your Responses
When answering behavioral questions there are a few key points. You must be detailed and specific, you must provide examples, and you must stay focused on the question. In order to do this, before the interview identify the five most important skills you possess that are valuable to your potential employer. Next, prepare a story that demonstrates each skill using the PAR formula.

The P stands for a problem, situation, or task that you took on. The A stands for the action you took. The R stands for the final result. Use this formula when preparing your behavioral answers and you should be well on your way to success.

Getting Out for Good Behavior

Perhaps you have been in an interview where you were asked a question that began with “give me an example when you…” or “tell me about a time when…” These are called behavioral interview questions and seek to probe into how you respond in certain work situations. They are based upon the idea that the best way to predict future behavior is through past behavior.

Behavioral interview questions can seem tough, but a cool (and well prepared) head can prevail. To answer a behavioral interview question, use the STAR method:

Situation/Task: Describe a situation or a task from your work history that best corresponds with the question asked. For example, if you were asked “tell me about a time when you disagreed with a supervisor,” discuss a situation where you had a disagreement. If you have never disagreed with your supervisor, try describing a time when you disagreed with another co-worker.

Action: Illustrate the action you took in this situation, emphasizing skills that would benefit a future employer such as being proactive, teamwork, solving problems, technical knowledge or anything else that you gather from your research.

Result: Finally, tell the result of your actions and what you learned. The result does not need to be favorable if you took something away that positively impacted your performance.