Behavior-Based Interview - Situation, Action & Outcome
When an organization uses behavior-based interview questions their objective is to determine how you have behaved in similar situations in the past. Does every organization use these types of questions? Nope. But many do today in the United States. Why? Because, sometimes the best resume and best interview does not NET the best employee. Sometimes, people can talk a good game and have no idea how to do what they SAY they can do. Behavior-based questions cut past all the polish and preparation to the truth of the matter. Have you done it in the past? If you have, you’ll be able to discuss it, you’ll be able to communicate the issues, challenges and successes you had in the experience. Good interviewers will know if you are credible.
When teaching life skills to my children I remind them constantly, that what they do in the "practice field" of my home, is what they will do in the "game of life." That principle is true in the "workplace game." What you did in your past employment will show up in the new job. If that is true - A savvy interviewer will ask well framed behavior-based questions. Those questions will force you to talk about a specific Situation, your Actions and the Outcome.
The only exception to different behavior is when you can communicate clear lessons learned from a particular Situation or problem. When you can clearly communicate what you will do differently in a given situation, then you are telegraphing a new skill or ability that you learned as a result of a situation or problem. Good managers are listening for those cues as well.
Your preparation for a behavior-based interview must include good stories. Stories that highlight your skills and abilities. Your accomplishments, your victories and some defeats. Make sure in your preparation that your stories fit the model of Situation, Action and Outcome or results.
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7 opinions for Behavior-Based Interview - Situation, Action & Outcome
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Feb 21, 2007 at 5:12 pm
[…] 1. Give me an example of a time when you used creativity to help your team achieve success? Can you answer this question? This is a great question that could come up in a behavioral interview. This week on the Apprentice, creativity was the "Trump" card. It made the difference between winning and losing. Leadership didn’t make the difference. Both team had poor leadership. Teamwork didn’t help, both teams had dissension in the ranks. So how would you answer this question? When you are up against a tough situation, and quitting is not an option, can you think outside of the box and come up with a creative solution that will get you closer to success. […]
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Feb 21, 2007 at 5:37 pm
[…] In my opinion well framed behavior-based questions will give managers a strong foundation for determining if they are hiring the best candidate. One of the keys to success for managers is identifying core competencies, characteristics, and values they are looking for from each employee they are hiring. In many large organizations these things are well documented. But there is a huge difference between documentation, understanding and hiring the right person. […]
Tough Questions? Great Answers! » Blog Archive » Behavior-Based Questions
Feb 21, 2007 at 6:17 pm
[…] This post of for managers and candidates. You can be sure that most behavior-based questions will start with word or phrases like, "Give me an example of a time when…, Describe a situation when you…, Tell me about…, How did you handle…" And the list can go on. […]
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Mar 23, 2007 at 4:18 am
[…] PREPARATION! PREPARATION! PREPARATION! - I can not emphasize it enough. Your advance preparation will help you field tough questions. Reviewing the job description prior to the interview will help in this process. Your advance preparation should include potential questions that could be asked. Prepare your answers - your offensive plan. It will be the well spring you can draw from when you find yourself pondering a tough question. […]
Tough Questions? Great Answers! » Blog Archive » Interview Tactics - by Frank Furness
Mar 24, 2007 at 9:28 pm
[…] any and every personality type, not just analytical. Today, most medium to large organizations use Behavior Based Interviews to ensure that your skills and abilities meet the expectations of the hiring […]
Lights! Camera! Action! - For Job Seekers
Jun 16, 2007 at 9:45 am
[…] Video Interviews will challenge jobseekers to learn how to tell a story. Behavior-based interview questions would be the model - Situation-Action-Outcome. If you learn to frame your answers to interview […]
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Jun 25, 2007 at 10:52 pm
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