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It is best to prepare with some sample behavioral interview questions before an interview. Though behavioral interviewing is a relatively new mode of interviewing is increasingly gaining ground. It works on the premise that past performance in similar situations predicts future performance most accurately. Consequently behavioralinterviews are conducted in much greater detail and require considerable clarity as well as complete honesty because the interviewer actually tries to read your attributes and see if they fit what he is looking for.
Typically the characteristics that the interviewer would be looking for could be your Thinking Process, Learning ability, Willingness to travel, Self-confidence, Teamwork, Professionalism and Willingness to take responsibility. Based on the desired attributes, sample behavioral interview questions are framed to elicit responses in detail. You are required to givedetailed responses that describe the situation with specific action and the result of the action. The sample behavioral interview questions could be from your school projects, activities, sports, team participation, community service and work experience. The key to handling samples behavioral interviews is to highlight your achievements and tell your storywell. Use the PAR formula – Problem, Action and Resultformula to tell your story in three parts.
Here's a goodway to prepare for behavior-based interviews:
- Prepare a list of characteristics that the job may require (decision making, leadership, motivation, communication, interpersonal skills, planning, critical thinking skills, team building, ability to influence others etc).
- Prepare examples from past experience where you demonstrated behaviors that employers seek.
- Vary your examples; don't take them all from just one area of your life.
- Use recent examples.
- Try to describe examples in story form. Remember to use the Problem/Action/Result format (the PAR form).
Here are some Behavioral Interview Questions for your practice:
· Give an example when you were called to makea quick decision.Describe a time that you were challengedaggressively or put under pressure.
· Describe a situation when you were able tohave a positive influence on your team.
· Describe a situation when you convinced yourteam about an idea that you felt strongly about? How did you do it and what was the outcome?
When was the last time you took it upon yourself to accomplish a task on the job, without being asked?
· What have you done in the past to contributetoward building team spirit?
· Describe a recent unpopular decision you madeand the result.
What has been your most satisfyingaccomplishment on the job so far?
· Describe a major obstacle that you overcame?
· What do you do when your schedule isinterrupted?
· Tell us about an important goal you had setin the past and whathappened to it.
· Describe the last time when you thoughtquickly and got out of adifficult situation.
· How would you handle a colleague who was not pulling his weight for the team?
· Give an example when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
· Could you tell us about any important writtendocument that youcompiled?
· How do you deal with conflict? Give anexample.
· How do you prioritize your time?
· How do you deal with people in your team thatyou do not like personally?
· Describe any difficult decision you've madein the last year.
· When was the last time when you set a goaland failed toaccomplish it?
· Give an example of your go-getter nature. Howdid you show initiative and take the lead?
· How do you normally motivate others? Give anexample.
· How do you delegate? Tell me about a timewhen you delegated aproject effectively.
· When you are the leader in a tough situationand you are running out of options do you consult your colleagues or do you make the key decisions on your own?
· Describe a time when you anticipatedpotential problems and developed preventive measures. How did you anticipate the problem?
As you can see the range is endless.Your answers to these sample behavioral interview questions must be brief (two to three minutes or less), specific, work related and to the point.Importantly, remember your answers, because interviewers may ask you to expand on your initial answers in future rounds. Good luck!
Sample Behavioral Interview Questions ^