1. What is a behavioral interview?
In behavioral Interview, the interviewer would let you put forward some specific examples from your past experiences or analysis of some perspectives and make a conclusion right on-the-spot. The main purpose of behavioral Interview is to find out how the candidates acted in specific employment-related situations and determined if the candidates have qualified the requirement for the position.
Generally there are always 2 or 3 interviewers in a behavioral interview,
The duration of behavioral interview would roughly about 30 minute to 90 minutes. Begin with a self-introduction of the candidate, after that the interviewer would look into candidate’s competencies, such as leadership, communication skills, etc. Candidate should proved some examples to demonstrate his knowledge, skills, and abilities.
During the candidate make a presentation or after he finished his statement, the interviewer would ask some questions in details, in order to find out how accurately these statements and examples would reflect the candidate’s competencies for the position. For example, there is observably a marked difference in leadership ability between you have led a 3-member team and you have led a 30-member team. Occasionally the interviewer would let you put forward another one or two examples. In General there are three reasons: Firstly, prevent fabricating a story; Secondly the interviewer think that this example was not enough to demonstrate the candidate’s ability; thirdly this is a good example, but the interviewer hope to get more relevant examples, thus could give a more comprehensive evaluation to the candidate’s ability. After finished all the questions, sometimes the interviewer will allow the candidate to ask them some questions.
2. Why would an employer use behavioral interview?
Behavioral interview is a structured interview based on the logic that “similar conditions, how you behaved in the past will predict how you will behave in the future”. According to such an assumption, interviewer will find out the characteristics and qualities of candidates from their past behaviors, ideas, feelings and the meaning of the literal, then they would compared these qualities with the “successful qualities” which have been summed up beforehand, finally come to the conclusion that if the candidates have qualified the requirement for the position.
“Successful qualities” varies in different company and often have relationship with the company culture, business and applied departments. How ever, there are also some “successful qualities” which are similar at most companies.
3. Which qualities are crucial in behavioral interview?
Leadership
Interviewers expect the candidate could give an example to illustrate his leadership ability. The common question is: “Please give an example to show that you have led a team to complete a project and was finally successful.”
Teamwork
The common question is: “Please give me an example of how you finished a project with teamwork”. Teamwork can be elaborated from several different perspectives. Candidate should consider all these different perspectives in his answer.
Problem solving
Common question is: “Please give me an example of how you solve a difficult problem”. When you entered a company, the problem solving ability is an essential quality, so it is also the key facts need to be inspected in the interview.
Creativity
Common question is: “Please give me an example of your creative play a important role in a project and cause the project to be successful finally.” With this question, the interviewers inspect that if the candidates have the ability combination of practical applications and creativity, but not a pure illusion.
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