Behavioural interviewing
Behavioural interviewing is one of the most common interviewing type in the financial services industry.
This style of interview can be initially uncomfortable, but good planning will help you overcome any concerns.
What is behavioural interviewing?
Behavioural interview questions are designed to assess how you will perform in future situations by testing your account of how you have performed in these situations in the past.
If interviewer begins a phrase with ‘Give me an example of a time when you …’ or ‘Describe a situation in which you …’, then you know you are in a behavioural interview.
Other examples of questions
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Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
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Tell me about a time when you had to use your negotiation skills to influence someone's opinion.
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What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example.
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Give me an example of when you took control of a business problem.
How to prepare for a behavioural interview
Prior to the interview, study the job description and the advertisement. What does it tell you about their selection criteria? What does it tell you the questions they may ask?
Write down real cases of times you demonstrated relevant skills and behaviours. Take those notes into the interview so you can refer to them if required, and practice answering those questions with a friend or family member.
Aim for clear simple explanations. Make sure you emphasise what you did and what you learned.
How to respond to questions
Your response to behavioural questions should be structured as follows:
Situation
First you need to position your answer by describing the context of the situation. What was the background? What was your role? Why were you involved? Who else was involved?
Task
Outline specifically what you were required to do. What was the timeframe and budget? How were you measuring the success of what you are describing?
Action
In light of the situation and task, describe how you achieved your outcome/s. Explain what you did, what your approach was, what processes you used and how you managed yourself and the task.
Result
Clearly explain the outcome of your actions. Did you achieve what you set out to achieve?
Measurement
If you can, make sure you quantify the results. Relate this back to the task.
Learnings
If you have time, finish by touching on any lessons you learned – both positive and negative. End an on a positive note if you can and if it makes sense to do so.
Behavioural interviewing tips
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Keep your answers clear and to the point.
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Avoid using ‘we’. The interviewer/s wants to know how you performed.
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Some behavioural questions can lead you into negative territory. Again, end an on a positive note if you can and if it makes sense to do so.
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Take a few seconds to formulate your answer. If you don’t understand the question ask them to repeat it. This will buy you the time you need to order your thoughts.