What Is Behavioral Based Interview Training?

Behavioral interview is where one utilizes his/her life and work experience to show specific skills that an employer may be looking for.

 

Behavioral based interview training will give individualized training to those who aim to improve their skills as an interviewer or to those individuals who wish to showcase their best side in an interview. With an interview coach,they can give you the edge that you need. Even if you cannot meet them in person, many can give telephone interview support.

Employers already have a picture of who they want to have whenever they’ve posted a job. Employers already have ideal qualities or “core competencies” in mind. These are usually based on evaluations and observations of people who have exhibited exceptional performance in the company environment. Employers have different tastes and needs, one may rank analytical ability higher than leadership, another may value teamwork more than leadership, the list goes on.

A One of a Kind Training

How do we know what qualities or competencies the interviewer is looking for? The first thing we need to look in of course would be the advertisement the company have posted. A job posting usually tells you what they are looking for or it may give you hints on what they think is an essential for the position.

Another avenue that we may look on is the company website. A company website offers information straight from the source and it also tells us the values they value and adhere in. It would also tell us what principles they take pride on and what you can expect from their employees and company as a whole. Though this may help you give a general idea, it is best to remember that when applying for a position we must also be able to meet the interviewer’s specific needs. This is where we can help.

Now that we have found out what competencies are critical to specific position, what do you need to do to send it across the interviewer that you are the perfect fit for the role?

Trying to beat around the bush when faced with what you may call an impossible question would only prove that you do not have what it takes. When faced with competency-based questions, one can use the mnemonic, STAR; to give you a guide when there are moments you just don’t know what to do.

S-Situation

T-Task

A-Action

R-Result

For example, the company wants you to prove to them that you have the two core competencies, creativity and leadership, that they are looking for in a candidate. The best way to prove this is by using a past experience where you’ve demonstrated these core competencies.

The more recent the experience, the better. If one has little or no work experience, don’t fret, one can always rely on personal experience.

The answer you have come up with would be very much improved when you use the STAR mnemonic, which helps you give you concrete, clear, to the point, and strong answers. When we know where we are going, we avoid rambling and hesitating.

Let’s say someone asked you when you’ve demonstrated your leadership abilities. The way we apply STAR would be:

You’ve decided to use your experience as an organizer of a fashion show.

S stands for situation

I want to organize a fashion show to raise money for the victims of the recent Typhoon Haiyan.

I know someone from University that has now become a great fashion designer. I gave him a call and he agreed to donate dresses for the event. Problem was, all dresses that he donated were in size 8, a size that most models in the event would not be able fit in.

T stands for task

The task that needs to be addressed is to make sure that nobody would feel left out or offended, while allowing me to use size 8 clothes. Everybody has to feel secure that they were indeed part of the event too.

A stands for action

I said to myself, if one designer can’t provide all that we need, why not try to contact other designers? This gave me the flexibility that I need. It allowed us to have a wider range in dress sizes and make everyone involved, all without sacrificing the designer whose designs I want to showcase. I also delegated some of my responsibilities to make them feel that they are indeed part of the show.

R stands for result

It was a complete success! Everyone had a great time and was really, really happy. Nobody felt left out and we were able to raise a lot of money at the same time!

Do not be surprised if the interviewer asks a lot of follow up questions. Be prepared! Humans have a tendency of glazing our achievements and interviewers want to know what really happened, in short, they want to know the whole back story.

This process is called funneling. Interviewers funnel out what you say to make sure that you are telling the truth and that what you have said is the way that things did happen. They want to know if you’ve got the self-awareness because questions about one competency could tell a lot about your other competencies as well.

They are on the lookout for things that you may have hidden, like for example, how you got on with someone who gave you a lot of problems.

It’s not that they think you’re a liar or anything; it’s just that they want to make sure it is as you describe it. It all comes down to understanding what really happened in certain situations.

People often have their own way of seeing things in their favor, and this would often lead the interviewers to wonder and ask, “Why did he react that way? I thought you were handling it so well?”

An interview coach will help you go through your CV and help you choose ideal examples of situations that would make you stand out. Situations that clearly showcase those core competencies your potential employer will be looking for.

Don’t let dreams stay as dreams. Now is the time for action! Make sure your story isn’t just beginning, make sure your story is complete.