getting fired and other blessings.

Behavior-based interviews (BBIs) are built around the assumptions that, in similar circumstances, most folks will act tomorrow the way they behaved yesterday; thus BBIs represent a fairly accurate way to predict how a potential hire will perform in a position.

Behavior-based interviews were developed many years ago yet continue to gain popularity because of the tight labor market and the growing cost of high turnover rates at companies across America.

Behavior-based interviews require a structured procedure that incorporates a prescribed method of questioning to provide a scientific evaluation of the applicant’s responses.

Who does best in these types of interviews? The candidates who have anticipated the questions prior to the interview and thus preplanned and practiced their answers before even arriving at the interview site!

For starters, you need to be able to explain what you did in your last job with a great degree of confidence, clarity, and common sense.

What are some other tips to prepare for a Behavior-based Interview?

1) Analyze the position you’re interviewing for and identify the skills required for that particular position.

2) Evaluate your own background to match your skills and your experiences to the position.

3) Develop and practice brief scenarios about how you applied your skills to accomplish objectives to complete a job you’ve held that is similiar to the one you are applying. Each anecdote you share ought to explain the challenge, your solution, and the results.

4) Prepare examples of times when results exceeded expectations and when they did not meet expectations. Your ability to address, handle, and talk about failure will most assuredly be a topic of discussion.

5) Identify and share 4 specific top points about yourself – attributes and characteristics that distinguish you from all the other candidates.

With a behavior-based interview, candidates have more of an opportunity than in a traditional interview to talk about what sets them apart from other people. Thus, it’s imperative to embrace the opportunity and shine in a behavior-based interview!