Behavioural interviewing is now a standard means of interviewing within many organisations. The interview questions are designed to gather examples of previous behavior which will then assist the interviewer in determining how you will act in similar situations in the future.

This style of interview requires you (the interviewee) to be very specific with your answers by providing examples based on previous experience.

The easiest way to ensure you are answering behavioural questions correctly is to structure your answers using what is referred to as the STAR approach.- sometimes referred to as SAR technique.

STAR/ SAR technique

S/T- Situation or Task

A- Action you took

R- Results you achieved

To further elaborate on the 3 areas of response:

Situation or Task- Describe the situation that you were in or what you needed to accomplish. You must describe a specific event or situation, not a generalized response. Be sure to give enough detail for the interviewer to understand the specifics of your example. Where possible, the situation should be from a previous job.

Action- Now describe the action you took and be sure to keep the focus on you. Even if you are discussing a group project or effort, describe what you did- not the efforts of the team. Don’t explain what you might do or should do, but rather what you did do.

Result- What was the result of your action? What happened? How did the project/ task end up? What did you accomplish? What did you learn?

Some sample Behavioral Interview Questions

  • What is the toughest group that you have had to sell an idea to?
  • Have you ever had difficulty getting others to accept your ideas? What was your approach?
  • Give me an example of a time when you went above and beyond in your role
  • Describe a situation when you were able to have a positive influence on the action of others.
  • What have you done in the past to contribute toward a teamwork environment?
  • Describe a recent unpopular decision you made and what the result was.
  • How do you decide what gets top priority when scheduling your time?
  • What do you do when your schedule is suddenly interrupted? Give an example.
  • Give a specific example of a policy you conformed to with which you did not agree.
  • Give me an example of an important goal which you had set in the past and tell me about your success in reaching it.
  • Tell me about a time when you showed initiative on a project?

 

If you are still not entirely comfortable with behavioral interviewing, please ask your consultant at Seed Talent for some coaching.

Most importantly- make sure you have some examples prepared prior to interview.