Behavioral Interview

Behavioral interview is a relatively new mode of interview that was developed in the 1970's by industrial psychologists. The underlying principal is that past performance is the best indicator of future performance. Actually, behavior-based interviews are said to be 55 percent predictive of future on-the-job behavior, while traditional interviews are only 10 percent predictive. They can help hiring managers get more objective information about a candidate's job-related skills, abilities, interest and motivation, and make more accurate hiring decision. Currently, 30 percent of all organizations are using behavioral interviews to some degree.

In behavior-based interviews, you are asked to give specific examples of when you demonstrated particular behaviors or skills. Questions usually start with "Tell me about a time when..., Describe a situation where you had to...," or " Give me an example of..." These are the prefaces to behavioral questions. Sometimes, these questions may be followed by a series of probing questions like "What might you done differently?", "How has the experience affected the way you would approach the situation today?", etc.

So what are employers looking for with these type of questions? As the name implies, they are looking for your behaviors and skills that are equated with success. These skills may be technical skills or performance sills (such as creativity or decisiveness). So understanding the most wanted skills may be helpful to your interviewing.

According to a research conducted by New York Times Job Market, the following skills are most in demand by employers:

• Ability to work in a team environment (89%)
• Ability to learn quickly (84%)
• Presentation/verbal communications (76%)
• Multi-tasking (73%)
• Time Management (69%)

Skills most in demand for management candidates:

• Leadership (67%)
• Strategic Thinking (56%)

Skills most in demand for administration candidates:

• Technical (25%)
• Analytical (24%)

Skills most in demand for entry-level positions:

• Ability to learn quickly (32%)

Furthermore, employers said they were willing to pay more money to candidates who have the following skills:

• Multitasking (65%)
• Can quickly learn on the job (64%)
• Possess strategic thinking abilities (61%)

Behavioral Interview Questions:
Some frequently asked behavioral questions listed by skills wanted.

Behavioral Interview Technique:
Some tips and techniques that help you ace your interview.