| Knowing how to interview is one of the most important
aspects of landing the job you want. You should know how to dress, handle
tough questions, negotiate your salary, and even how to behave in different
interview scenarios. The following sites provide useful guidance to help you
with various stages of the interview process:
Behavioral Interviewing Rather than focus on the typical lists of questions to be prepared to ask and answer, we will devote attention to a lesser-known type of interview, the behavioral interview. What is Behavioral Interviewing? Behavioral interviewing is based on the premise that the best predictor of future success is how you have handled situations in the past. It is not necessarily a new interviewing technique but is being relied on more and more as recruiters seek ways of identifying "soft skills", like adaptability and communication skills, which are critical to rapidly changing organizations. Keep in mind that the best way to prepare for behavioral questions is to think back over your work history and identify examples of when you met a challenge, overcame an obstacle, solved a pressing problem, handled a difficult situation or person, etc. Sample Behavioral Interview Questions Teamwork: "Tell me about a time when you initiated a team approach to solve a problem." Describe the role you played on the team and comment on your effectiveness." Communication skills: "Describe a situation where your ability to listen and establish rapport with someone difficult helped you overcome a tough situation." Flexibility: "Tell me about a time when you had to change your plan or approach to get an important job done." Time management/resourcefulness: "Give an example of a situation where you were over your head on a project. What steps did you take to overcome the situation?" Coaching: "Describe a situation where your ability to motivate others was more crucial than the ability to supervise." Information management: "In your most recent position, describe how you used technology to increase your work efficiency." Self-awareness: "What is the most important thing you have learned about yourself in your present position and how it will make you more effective on this job?" Diversity issues: "Give an example of a time when working effectively with someone from another culture or background was critical to getting something done. What was your role in this process?" Customer orientation: "Describe a situation where you effectively handled a difficult customer or client complaint or where you went out of your way to provide outstanding customer service." |