Behaviour based interviewing
Behaviour based interviewing has become increasingly common in various parts of the world. Essentially, it assumes that if you have displayed certain qualities/ behaviour in the past, you will be able to do that in the future as well. So during a behaviour based interview, employers try to understand if you have previously displayed the qualities/behaviour that is required for high performance on the job in question. They do so by asking for real life examples/situations from your past, such as “Can you tell me of a time when you exhibited leadership skills.”
What most candidates don’t know is that hiring managers are probably more nervous than they are. This is because they need to find the right person for the job and not doing so can harm their business and also cost a lot of money. Interviewing is not the most effective/fool-proof selection technique and hence hiring managers are always scared of making the wrong decision. Behavioural interview make the interview process better but still not even close to perfect.
So whether the interview is behaviour based or otherwise, as a candidate you can do a few things to put the hiring manager at ease and show that you are the right person for the job. One of the most effective ways is to use the Challenge, Action, Results format of answering questions whenever possible.
o Challenge/Context: What was the situation or circumstances you faced?
o Action: What did you do to deal with the situation?
o Result: What were the results that followed? (Quantify wherever possible)
What are the benefits of using such an approach?
- CAR stories bring your past behaviour to life
- It goes beyond just telling/listing an employer what your strong points are, which is what most candidates do
- They are the best way to demonstrate, as tangibly as possible, your ability to do the job
- CAR stories make it easier for employers to believe what you are saying
Sources and references: Sandbox Advisors
