How to Prepare for a Behavioral Interview
/Your ultimate guide to mastering the art of the interview - including practice questions and how to answer them
Behavioral interviews can be intimidating. Meeting with a stranger to explain your entire professional life in a way that conveys you as the ideal candidate is intense. We get it.
But, remember it’s a two-way street. Just as much as you want to find the right job, hiring managers want to find the right candidate. You’re interviewing the company too! Ultimately, you and the hiring manager interviewing you have the same goal: you both want to find the right fit.
At Clarity Career Solutions, we’ve seen our fair share of really good (and really bad) interviews. Based on our own experiences and expertise, we narrowed down our top strategies that you can capitalize on to ensure your next interview is successful.
What Do I Need to do to Prepare?
To a Hiring Manager, looking prepared means you have taken time to understand the company you’re looking to potentially work for and support. They want to know that you’re interested in who they are, what they do, how they do it, and why it’s important. For more information on a few things you should always prepare, check out our Instagram post here.
What to prepare before the interview:
An Understanding of the Company’s Mission & Core Values
This is key. Some Hiring Managers will flat out ask you, “Are you familiar with our company’s mission statement and core values?” And, a question that likely follows is, “Which core value are you most motivated by” or “What about our mission statement translates best to your experience?”
The best way to show alignment in your background and the company’s goals is to weave the company’s language throughout your interview. If you take the time to really understand the company’s mission statement and answer your questions in a way that targets a similar mission as the company, you look like a perfect candidate.
For example, if the company’s mission is to “exceed customer expectations in service and quality,” when explaining how you resolved a problem in your previous job, talk about how your solution helped “boost customer satisfaction” or “ensure customer service was high-quality.”
Questions to Ask the Interviewer
One of the worst ways to end an interview is to tell the interviewer you have no questions to ask them when you’re wrapping up. When the interviewer asks you at the end, “What questions do you have for me?” ask them a question.
Think of a few solid questions for the interviewer before your interview. If you can ask one question at the end that relates to something you talked about, BONUS POINTS!
Here are some questions to help you get started:
What do you expect from team members in this position?
What does a typical day look like in this role?
How would you describe the work culture here?
What’s one core value you see lived out in your team every day?
For more practice questions, check out our Instagram post here.
Let’s Practice!
Our best piece of advice to practice for a behavioral interview is to think of situations where you accomplished a big task, led a team to success, solved a problem, drove results, etc. Reflect on what the problem was and how you solved it. Think of the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Explain a situation, what the task was, what action you played, and what the result was.
While most behavioral interviews are focused on the same goal, determining if you’re the right fit for this position, the questions can be vastly different from interview to interview. We’ve included some practice questions for you, but remember that depending on what job you’re targeting, the questions can be tailored differently.
Below is a list of questions that you might encounter in a behavioral interview that the interviewer might ask to learn more about those situations in your career:
What is one previous project that you’re most proud of and why?
Align your answer to what the hiring manager is looking for in this role. If you’re applying for a sales or customer service position, talk about a project where you positively worked with people. If you’re applying for a project management position, weave in information around how you problem-solve to maintain a timeline or budget.
Tell me about a time you overcame a challenge with a fellow team member.
Don’t talk badly about anyone, not even in this type of question. Bring the focus on YOU and how YOU were able to use your skills to resolve a problem.
Tell me about a time when you had to make a difficult decision.
This is an example of where thinking ahead of examples in your experience can benefit you as you answer. Bring your answer back to your professional life and how you were able to use problem-solving skills to ensure your solution was beneficial.
Why do you want to work for this company?
This is a great opportunity to align your experience and career goals with the company goals.
Example: It’s important to me to be a part of a team that strives to make a difference, both internally and externally. I want to contribute to a team that focuses on creative ways to support the community they serve.
Things to AVOID
Talking Bad About Your Previous Companies
This will only make YOU look bad, not the company.
Not Asking Questions
By not asking questions throughout and at the end of the interview, you can come off as disinterested.
Checking Your Phone
Put your phone away and on silent or turned off. Avoid any distractions throughout the interview.
Not Doing Your Research
Understand the company and the role you’re applying for. It will help you decide if it’s a fit for you!
We listed out more do’s and don’t’s for behavioral interviews on our Instagram. Click here.
We know how challenging it can be to prepare for interviews, especially with all the different types of jobs and hiring managers you’re encountering. We recommend doing thorough research on the role, your background, and how they fit together. And, be honest - neither you nor the hiring manager wants you to fill this role if it’s not the right fit.
Always remember, you’re so much bigger than anything you can portray in an interview. And, we are always here to support you!
Do you have an upcoming interview you’d like help with? It’s important to prepare, and prepare in the right way! We’re here to help!
Ellie Jackson
Content Strategist / Brand Development & Social Media Manager
As one of the dedicated members of Clarity Career Solutions, utilizes an advanced skillset in content development and recruiting strategy to support clients as they navigate the crossroads of purpose, passion, and profession.
Need help preparing for your upcoming interview? Our team of career experts would be happy to be a resource for you! Learn more about the Clarity Career Solutions team here. We’d love to learn more about you and your career goals!