Be Prepared for the Behavorial Interview

The behavioral interview can be one of the most intimidating experiences for job seekers, but the process is extremely useful for employers. Hiring managers need more than superficial information to make an informed hiring decision, so they use behavioral interviews to evaluate your character and predict whether you're a good fit for their company. Here's how to prepare yourself.

Research the Company

Before the behavioral interview, thoroughly research the organization to get an idea of what questions you may face. Study the job description, and pay close attention to the desired qualifications, because the interview questions are likely to relate to these traits.

Gather Your Stories

Think back over your entire professional history. What were some of the challenges you faced? What accomplishments make you most proud? These are the kinds of questions you can expect to answer in the behavioral interview, so give them some thought. Stick with stories that demonstrate your positive traits and qualifications as they relate to the company's core values and desires.

The STAR Method

To give stories some structure, experts recommend job seekers use the STAR method. The acronym "STAR" stands for Situation/Task, Action and Results. Start by describing the situation or task you were faced with, explain the actions you took to solve the problem, and conclude with a short summary of how your actions led to an end result. Again, emphasize the core traits you know the company is seeking in an ideal candidate. If you know they value teamwork and collaboration, tell a story of how you successfully worked with others to achieve a goal.

Be Specific

As you tell your story, try to be as specific as possible. Include all relevant details, and provide hard facts and statistics to validate your claims. Behavioral interviews are designed to be more probing than a regular interview, so if you gloss over details or try to get away with a vague response, you may be put on the spot when the interviewer asks you to elaborate.

Emphasize Soft Skills

If you've made it to the interview stage, it usually means you have the hard skills the employer is looking for, so the behavioral interview is there to help the hiring manager figure out if your soft skills are up to par or if you possess any character flaws that could hinder your performance on the job. Emphasize your soft skills — things like your work ethic, attitude, self-motivation or team-oriented personality — in your stories to show the hiring manager you are a balanced package.

With some thorough preparation and practice, you should be able to navigate most behavioral interview questions with a small number of stories. The main objective is to express to the employer that you have the qualifications and experience necessary to handle the job.

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