What the heck is a ‘behavioral interview’? It’s an interview that asks candidates to use their experience as a way to illustrate they have a particular skill. Examples include: - Tell me about a time when… ? - Please give me an example of… ? - Tell me a story about how you… ?

These questions are typically followed by lots of other questions that will dive into the specifics of the example you’ve given. Examples: ‘What was your role? What did the manager do? What was your response? How were things resolved?’ This is your TIME TO SHINE! (Warning: DON’T make up examples! I have had candidates do this & it’s obvious & will immediately sink your interview. )

How do you PREPARE for this kind of question? - Give some thought to your own experience. - Come up with at least 4 or 5 stories you think demonstrate traits you want to communicate to the interviewer. Finish this sentence: “I am.. (trait, like ‘trustworthy’ or ‘responsible’) because…” Now do it for 4 or 5 different traits. - Carefully review the job description. Any skills, requirements, or qualifications can be turned into a behavioral interview question. If the job description says, “Must provide excellent customer experience,” you may be asked, “Tell me about a time when you turned an angry customer around…” or “Please give me an example of when you went above & beyond to help a customer.” Think of at least one story for EACH item listed in the job description. - PRACTICE ALOUD. I can’t stress this enough. Repeating answers in your head versus saying things aloud is totally different. Grab a friend, family member, or tape yourself on a smartphone (if possible). PRACTICE!!

I have a list of behavioral interview questions I’m happy to share, just reach out to me & I’ll send them through Jobcase in-mail. I’ll also post them to the Community over the next week (or so).

Happy hunting!! Marijoy #interview #tips #recruitersadvice