Behaviuoral Interviews: The Popular Technique

Behavioural Interviews: The Popular Technique?

As a candidate with an upcoming interview, you likely have an elevator pitch ready, a few tales stored, and a good understanding of what you have to offer. You may not realise that you are preparing for a behavioural interview – a popular technique employers use to assess the skills and competencies required for a role. Now that you have been made aware, how do you continue? Plentiful rehearsal, preferably aloud and an understanding of the process, will ensure that your interview is smooth-running.

Interviews are the pillars of recruiting. Companies use an interview process to ensure that the appropriate candidates are hired. One such interview is the behavioural interview. Job-seeking candidates frequently inquire about distinguishing between a standard job interview and a behavioural interview. A behavioural interview is similar to other employment interviews in many aspects. Regarding the actual job interview format, there is little difference – the distinction is in the types of questions asked.

?What is a Behavioural Interview?

In a behavioural interview, an employer determines which skills are required for the position and which candidates will be best suited for that position. The employer will then ask questions to determine if the candidate has these abilities. The questions are based on past experiences – rather than asking about how you would, they will ask how you have behaved.

The employer focuses on how the interviewees performed in certain employment-related scenarios, which can determine how they will perform in future scenarios. The logic here is that how one acted in the past will foretell how they will work (past performance predicts future performance).

?Some Behavioural Interview Questions

The questions asked during behavioural interviews may be related to communications skills, time management skills, adaptability, and teamwork or dealing with clients. Here are a few samples questions that you may use to prepare for a behavioural interview:

·???????“Give me an example of a time when logic helped you solve a challenge.”

·???????“Give me an example of a goal you have attained and how you got there.”

·???????“Describe an unpopular decision you made, and you went about implementing it.”

·???????“Have you gone above and beyond your normal responsibilities? If so, how would you go about doing it?”

·???????“What do you do when your plans are disrupted? Give an example of how you dealt with the situation.”

·???????“Have you ever had to deal with a tough colleague? How?”

·???????“Tell me about a time when you functioned under duress.”

?Be prepared for follow-up questions – the employer may ask you what exactly you did, what you said, how you reacted or how you felt in the situation you have explained - the more detail provided during the interview process, the better.

?Preparing for a Behavioural Interview

It is vital to remember that you may not know the type of interview that you will have until you are in the room with the interviewer. As a result, ensure to prepare responses to common interview questions and behavioural interview questions. Reviewing the job description may also help you understand what skills and behavioural characteristics the employer is seeking.

Refresh your memory to prepare for behavioural related questions. Consider any unique situations or projects that you have worked on. Prepare stories of times when you have successfully addressed difficulties or delivered memorable performances. ?

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Partner with a recruitment agency that you can trust. Our team at Professional Sourcing has a strong reputation for recruitment expertise within our specialisation areas. We build long-term relationships with our loyal clients and blue-chip employers.

?Visit prosourcing.co.za for more information.

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