Behavioral Interviewing, how to answer an interview question

Behavioral Interviewing, specific examples of prior behavior

Behavioral Interviewing

Most recruiters interview on the premise prior behavior is a good predictor of future behavior. This technique is referred to as Behavioral Interviewing. It is important to answer any question with an example that you can do the job. In addition, provide a specific EXAMPLE of where you demonstrated the inquired behavior. Just saying “I increased sales is not an example”. It makes the recruiter’s job easier when they can give the hiring manager examples of work. 

Explaining at a high level the 3 or 4 steps included in your sales process is not enough. We also want to explain how you applied these steps to a specific client by name as an example. A good recruiter will ask you a question, and if you don’t take the hint and give an example, will keep on prodding you for the example. Their mentality is that most people don’t realize how an example can help. The recruiter is looking for examples they can give to the hiring manager so they can “sell you.”  Help them help you.  If you are not prompted for an example, it doesn’t mean one was required. There are very few questions that can NOT be answered with an example. 

Behavioral Answer number 1

Do you handle stress well?

• Bad answer: “Yes, I handle stress well.”
• The better answer, but not acceptable: “Yes, I handle stress well. You know the reputation of the company I worked for and the industry.  I am confident that I survived 4 rounds of layoffs because of my ability to handle pressure.”

Better Answer

“Yes, I believe I handle stress well. I believe that the true colors of a person come out under pressure. This last quarter, we had a scheduled rollout. 2 weeks before the rollout, we discovered a major bug, and the client asked for a revision.  One week before the rollout, 2 of our Sr. Devs quit. This was a very stressful time!” “In each instance, even though I wasn’t the sr. person, I called a meeting with all the Devs, Biz Dev folks, and Project and Product managers and posted a timeline on a whiteboard.

Working backward, we discussed what each unit needed to do to complete the project on time. We also devised a plan such that 1 week before the deadline, if it looked like we wouldn’t make it, we would have the Biz Dev guys go to the client. This was only discussed with the Biz Dev guys. We didn’t want the rest of the teams to think there was an out.” “I then went to each team individually to ensure they understood their needs and had access to the resources.  When the Devs quit because we had just gone through the routine a week earlier, everyone knew what to expect. We were able to roll out on schedule after some all-night sessions.” “To answer your question, yes, I handle stress well.”

This answer shows you are proactive and willing to sacrifice, and maybe you mediated an argument in there.

Behavioral Answer number 2

Tell me about a time when you mentored someone:

• Bad Answer: “I was a mentor in our company mentor program last year.  It was a great experience.”
• The decent answer, but not great: “I haven’t been in a formal mentor program, but I have taken it upon myself to watch out for the last two new hires we brought into our department at my last position. When I entered the department, no one watched out for me, so I figured I should watch out for folks and make their entry easier.”
• Better Answer: “I haven’t been in a formal mentor program, but I have taken it upon myself to take the last two new hires brought into our department under my wing.  When I entered the department, no one watched out for me, and I saw an opportunity to improve the onboarding process. “When the last new hire came on board, I made it a point to take them to coffee on their first day and introduce myself. Give them some ideas about the culture and what it takes to succeed, in my opinion, within the company. I introduced Johnny to other folks on the team and made it a point to meet with him twice a week for just a few minutes to make sure he had an opportunity to ask questions. One thing that I am proud of is that when John did make a mistake, he came to me to ask for some advice.  We could talk about the process, get the problem fixed, and improve the process in the way.”

Examples are a differentiator.

The above answer is a behavioral interviewing “example.” This answer demonstrates what the recruiter is asking for. When I sit down with folks and go over interview questions to practice, I always make it a point to say, “Examples, Examples, Examples!”  Recruiters are looking for Behavioral Interviewing examples!  Most people can cite examples, but they forget to go into detail, which will separate you from the next candidate.

I can’t stress enough how important the specific answer is. Practice with someone and ask them to listen for your examples. I have yet to meet anyone who can be asked ten questions and give ten examples. If you feel like you have this handled, ask a friend to practice interviewing you. I dare you!

See you at the after party,
HRNasty

nasty: an unreal maneuver of incredible technique, something that is ridiculously good, tricky, and manipulative but with a result that can’t help but be admired, a phrase used to describe someone good at something. “He has a nasty forkball”.

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