Interview questions come in a lot of forms. You’ve probably been asked to tell the interviewer about yourself or describe your biggest weakness. You may have also been asked to “Describe a time when…” This type of interview question is known as behavioral interviewing and is commonly used by companies to determine whether or not a candidate will be able to fit in with their current team and perform the job as they expect. They questions are based on psychology and are designed to predict future behavior. So how can you be prepared behavioral interviewing? Behavioral questions can come in many forms so be on the lookout for these themes as described in these examples.

Problem solving skills:

• How have you handled a difficult decision in the office?
• Tell me about a time you made a big mistake on the job, how did you solve the problem?

Leadership ability:

• How do you work within a group?
• Tell me about the last project you ran and how it succeeded.

Your communications skills:

• Tell me about a time a project hinged on your ability to effectively sell it to management.
• Talk to me about a time when an email when wrong and how you turned the situation around.

How to you work with a team:

• How do you handle yourself when you are working with someone you don’t like or who doesn’t like you?
• Tell me about your role in a major project and how it fit in with the team dynamic.

Your organizational skills:

• When there are a million projects on your desk, how do you determine your priorities?
• How do you handle it when you’re interrupted on the job with a new request?

The key to effectively answering these questions is to not rely on knowing the right or wrong answers. They are designed to determine if you’re a good fit for the company. You want to find an organization that matches your core values and long term goals, not just any job, or you may be back on the market sooner than you would like. Instead, answer these questions with honestly and integrity and use storytelling to share real examples from your past experience.

Are you ready to find the perfect company for your career? VincentBenjamin is currently staffing for finance and technology positions in several areas so contact us today!