A behavioural interview is one of the methods recruiters use to establish your potential to succeed. In the majority of cases, the company will prepare specific questions for you to answer. The answers you give will then be used to determine your potential and your ability to perform the role you are applying for.

A behavioural interview will be broken down into different areas. These could include: team working, loyalty, motivation and communication. There will most likely be 1-2 questions aimed towards each of these sections.

The key points to remember with these questions is that the interviewer will be looking for an example of when a certain event occurred, what you did and the subsequent result of your actions. For example, "describe a situation whereby you effectively dealt with an unhappy client; describing your actions and the results."

Before the interview, the best way for you to prepare is to establish the key competencies that the company would be looking for in this position. You may be able to find these within the job application/description.

Example behavioural interview questions:

• Describe a time where you had to make an important decision quickly.
• Describe a time where you were required to present an idea to colleagues
• Describe a situation whereby you were required to persuade colleagues/clients about an idea

Competencies looked for in behavioural interviews:

• Presentation skills
• Motivation
• Adaptability
• Negotiation
• Leadership
• Flexibility
• Innovation

Related Pages:

• Introduction to interviews
• Interview questions / answers
• Interview do's and don'ts
• Questions to ask in an interview
• Telephone interview advice
• How to write a thank-you letter
• Salary negotiation advice

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