A behavioral interview is a type of job interview in which information about an applicant’s previous behaviors is gathered to see if the person has relevant experience and skills for a new position. Rather than being asked a series of general questions, the interviewee is asked about specific actions and behaviors. Some job interviews have a mix of questions, with a behavioral section mixed in with more general ones.
“Have you ever worked with friends?” is an example of a more traditional job interview question. “Tell me about a time when you had to discipline a friend,” the interviewer might say in a behavioral interview, or “Tell me about conflicts that have arisen as a result of working with friends.” Theoretical questions, in which people are presented with a problem and asked how they will solve it, and leading questions, in which the framing of the question also contains embedded information about how the person wants it answered, are examples of behavioral interview questions.
Many of the questions are designed to elicit details about specific incidents in order to determine how a person has performed in the past in various situations. While a traditional interviewer might ask, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” a behavioral interviewer might ask, “Tell me about a time when you didn’t provide good customer service” or “Tell me about a time when you successfully resolved an office problem.” These questions are used to gather data that will assist the interviewer in predicting how the applicant will perform in the future.
People who are preparing for job interviews should expect to be asked behavioral questions at least once. It’s a good idea to prepare ahead of time for major incidents, both positive and negative, from previous jobs, as these can be used to answer behavioral interview questions. People should be honest if they haven’t encountered a situation that comes up in a behavioral interview. In general, each response should describe the situation, demonstrate how the person reacted, and list the positive and negative aspects of the response.
In a behavioral interview, keep in mind that the interviewer will be watching your body language as well as listening to your response to the question. If the interviewer notices signs of discomfort or unease, they will be noted, and the interviewer may probe to find out why. Before going into an interview, it can be beneficial to practice projecting a relaxed, calm, and confident image with friends; while interviewers expect people to be nervous, an interviewee who appears on edge will be a cause for concern.