Interview Tips - Behavioural Interviews

Behavioural Interviews

Prepare and take notes to the interview!

This type of interviewing technique is based on the theory that past performance is usually a strong indicator of future behaviour. 

The interviewer will ask you to describe how you handled various situations in your previous role. The emphasis is on your experience and its relevance to the position for which you are being considered.

You are painting a story board picture for the interviewers, outlining exactly how you have performed in situations. You need give them examples of your performance in a story format. If you have never been to an interview before and you are going for your first job, you can lean on experience from School or sporting teams.

Prepare yourself by identifying four or five examples that show how you faced challenges and achieved positive outcomes in your previous jobs. In each case describe a specific task that is relevant to the role in question. Rehearse your descriptions, keep them concise and expect further questioning.

It is not a bad idea to write down some examples and take them to your interview. Employers look favourably on applicants that are prepared. This is a good behavioural indicator and they can see, in a practical sense, your preparation skill working in front of them. 

Don't be afraid to read off your notes. Notice on TV when the Prime Minister or the Queen is giving a speech, he or she is usually reading off notes prepared earlier! Prepared notes also provide a guide for you to turn to if you start feeling that the interview is going a bit slack. Written examples will give you some points to cover with your interviewer. 

Some interviewers my not be as experienced as you would expect and being prepared will ensure you give the interviewer enough information to make a decision or to pass on information about you to their manager. In most cases, the initial interviewer may not be the decision maker and you want to give that person adequate information about your past behaviour so they can describe with confidence your abilities and behaviours to the decision making person in the business. 

This may set you up for a second interview with the decision maker. Remember; treat all interviewers as decision makers, including recruiters! This way you will not make any mistakes on who is calling the shots. 

Recruiters will not want to put you in front of their decision making clients if you perform poorly in front of them. It's their reputation on the line and they need you to perform at your best. Your behaviour in front of them will indicate directly your behaviour in front of their clients.