Common Behavioral Interview Questions And How To Answer Them Effectively

By Stephanie Fisher


Nobody likes job interviews. They can be almost as stressful as tax audits. One of the primary keys to successful interviewing seems to be preparation. You need to know as much about the company and what they are looking for in an employee as possible. Behavioral interview questions have become commonplace. You can ace these interviews if you plan ahead.

Almost all interviewers today ask about how the applicant handles stressful situations. It is a waste of time to lie and say stress does not bother you. The interviewer knows that's a lie. A better idea is to relay an example of a workplace experience in which stress was a contributing factor. Instead of emphasizing the stress involved, what you learned from the experience, and how it helped you become a more effective employee, should be your focus.

The way you handle workplace challenges is another area interviewers like to delve into. You should consider tailoring your answer to fit the job you are applying for. A conservative company may not appreciate an employee who dives in without much thought and takes risks to meet challenges. A forward thinking, innovative company may find someone who is deliberate and methodical in her approach to challenges too measured for their taste.

Inevitably you will be asked what you do when you make mistakes in your professional life. You can't deny you've made mistakes, but you don't want to dwell on negatives either. The interviewer wants to understand where you are weak and how that affects you. Instead of making your narrative about the mistake, you can make it primarily about what you learned and how it improved your effectiveness with the company.

A lot of younger prospective employees are asked what their goals are and what they are doing to achieve them. Interviewers want to know how ambitious you are and what your plan is to get ahead. You could show that your goals align with the position they are filling and how you believe this company will play an integral part in your success.

You may be asked a question about working with others. In this case, the interviewer wants to get a sense of whether or not you are a team player and can get along with supervisors and co-workers. You need to emphasize the skill sets you have, like communicating, delegating, listening, and acknowledging the accomplishments of others. You don't have to restrict yourself to a work related experience. Club, classroom, or volunteer projects will work just as well.

If you're asked about problems you have faced in the workplace, and how you dealt with them, the interviewer doesn't want to hear about how awful your former boss was. You should describe a problem and how you successfully solved it. Your personal philosophy when it comes to dealing with difficult situations is usually appropriate here.

You may never be comfortable with the interview process. You can be as prepared as possible however. Interviewers don't want to hear rehearsed responses to their questions. Your answers should appear spontaneous, even though you have worked on them for hours.




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