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By Jeanne Knight

In the 1970's, industrial psychologists developed the behavioral interview, an interviewing technique founded on the premise that a prospective employee's future performance can be most accurately predicted by past performance in similar circumstances.

Today, the behavioral interview is becoming increasingly popular with employers. For job candidates unprepared for this interviewing style, a behavioral interview can be a stressful experience at best … and a disappointing one at worst. While your skills and experiences could be a perfect match for a position you are seeking, an interviewer could dismiss you as a viable candidate if you struggle with the behavioral interview format.

What is a behavioral interview?

Unlike the traditional interview, which features questions requiring opinion-based answers (Tell me about yourself. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Why do you want to work for this company?), the behavioral interview features questions requiring story-based answers that relate the job candidate's past employment behaviors. Behavioral interview questions are directly related to the skill sets the company has determined are required for a position and often start with phrases like, "Tell me about a time when…" or "Describe a situation in which…" or "Give me an example of…"

Preparing for the behavioral interview:

Successful preparation for the behavioral interview begins with visualizing the ideal candidate for the position you are seeking through the eyes of your prospective employer. To do this, thoroughly review the position's job posting and description. Research the company and its culture. Look for cues as to which skills are necessary for the job and which are highly valued by the organization. Once you've identified the skills a successful candidate would possess, then you can identify which behavioral-based questions would correlate to those skills and might be asked in an interview.

Examples of behavioral interview questions:

DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING

- Describe a situation in which you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.

- Give me an example of a time when you had to be quick in coming to a decision.

LEADERSHIP

- Have you ever had trouble getting others to agree with your ideas? How did you deal with the situation and were you successful?

- Describe the most challenging group from which you've had to gain cooperation.

MOTIVATION

-Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond the call of duty.

-Give me an example of a situation in which you positively influenced the actions of others.

COMMUNICATION

-Describe a situation in which you were able to successfully communicate with another individual who did not personally like you (or vice versa).

-Give me an example of a time you had to use written communication to convey an important argument or idea.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

-Give me examples of what you've done in the past to contribute to a teamwork environment.

-Give an example of an unpopular decision you've made, what the result was, and how you managed it.

PLANNING AND ORGANIZATION

-When scheduling your time, what is your method for deciding which items are priorities?

-Describe how you've handled a sudden interruption to your schedule.

Communicating your experiences:

Once you've determined which behavioral-based questions you might encounter, review your past experiences and develop stories to answer those questions. Your stories should be detailed, yet succinct, and should always include the following three elements: - A description of a specific, real-life situation or challenge you encountered. - A description of the tasks and actions you took to overcome that challenge. - A summary of the results of those actions. Real numbers are effective, so try to quantify results whenever possible.

A sample answer to a behavioral interview question:

Note how the following response incorporates all three elements listed above.

Question: Give an example of a goal you reached and tell me how you achieved it.

"Due to cuts in funding to our recreation department, we faced the significant challenge of drastically reducing our promotional budget without sacrificing our media presence. As Program Coordinator, I researched alternatives to the effective yet costly promotional brochure the program produced and distributed biannually to an average of 30,000 residents in our service region. I was able to successfully negotiate with two local newspapers to produce and distribute a new course brochure that increased distribution by 33% to 40,000 residents and decreased costs by 40%."

You won't walk into a job interview knowing what interviewing technique an employer is going to use, so be certain to familiarize yourself with the behavioral interview technique. Thoroughly research and understand each position for which you interview and formulate and practice relevant stories that highlight your relevant skills. Doing so will ensure that you won't be caught off guard should you encounter a behavioral interview. Further, solid preparation will ensure that a prospective employer gains a clear and positive picture of the skills and qualifications you bring to their organization.

Jeanne Knight is a certified Career Coach and Resume Expert who specializes in helping senior professionals and executives. She is the creator of "10 Steps To Interviewing With Confidence", a 60-minute DVD and companion Study Guide that offers job seekers a step-by-step process for succeeding on an interview and getting the job they deserve.

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