Typical Behavioral Interview Questions And Some Suggestions For Answering Them

By Stephanie Fisher


Nobody ever seems to have anything good to say about job interviews. They are universally dreaded. The people who are the most successful at them say preparation is the key. They take the time to find out about the company and what it wants in an employee. These individuals have mastered the art of answering behavioral interview questions. You can do the same by planning ahead.

There are standard question types you can pretty much expect to hear from a human resources interviewer. One of them concerns how you handle stress. There is no point is saying you are never stressed. The interviewer will know it's a lie. Giving an example of a job situation in which stress played a central factor can be effective. You can tell the interviewer what you learned from the situation and how it made you a better employee.

The way you handle workplace challenges is another area interviewers like to delve into. You should consider tailoring your answer to fit the job you are applying for. A conservative company may not appreciate an employee who dives in without much thought and takes risks to meet challenges. A forward thinking, innovative company may find someone who is deliberate and methodical in her approach to challenges too measured for their taste.

One of the most common questions asked concerns workplace mistakes. You can't say you've never made a mistake, but you can put a positive spin on the answer you give. By asking this question the interviewer hopes to get a feel for your weaknesses and the ways you handle stress. Explaining what you learned from a workplace mistake, and the ways you became a better employee because of it is a good example of an effective answer.

Asking entry level applicants to discuss their goals and their plans to achieve them is a favorite tactic of interviewers. They want to know what your ambitions are and what you are willing to do to reach them. You need to emphasize how the job you are applying for exactly fits into the goals you have set for yourself.

You may be asked a question about working with others. In this case, the interviewer wants to get a sense of whether or not you are a team player and can get along with supervisors and co-workers. You need to emphasize the skill sets you have, like communicating, delegating, listening, and acknowledging the accomplishments of others. You don't have to restrict yourself to a work related experience. Club, classroom, or volunteer projects will work just as well.

When an interviewer asks about problems you have experienced in a work environment, it is not an invitation to discuss what a horrible boss you had. You need to come up with another problem and describe what you had to do to solve it. You can discuss your personal philosophy as it pertains to difficult people and the challenges you've faced because of them.

Job interviews are always stressful. You will be nervous no matter how much you prepare. You don't want your answers to come out rehearsed or staged, but you do want them to be relevant and positive.




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