Every job candidate goes through a range of emotions the second he or she is made aware that they will have to attend a job interview soon. Anxiety, worry, frustration, excitement, panic – the list can go on and on. However, did you know that there are different types of interviews out there? Behavioural interview is a popular choice amongst employers.
Yes, you read that right! Some employers and hiring managers prefer to assess their new, potential employee in a different way altogether. One such interview sample is known as the behavioural interview. Keen to find out more?
In this article, we will be looking at the top 3 tips and tricks on how to excel at a behavioural interview.
A word of caution:
A word of caution before we delve into the article. The following mentioned tips and tricks are information that has been generally observed across numerous work sectors. They may be instances in which specific advice may not match or suit what is expected for a specific firm or industry.
As such, this written piece aims to function as a guide and should not be read as a comprehensive or exhaustive list of advice for a behavioural job interview! The best way to find out what may work for your success at an interview would be by conducting ample research. Browsing through this article could function as the first step you take into exploring different ways to nail a job interview!
Without further ado, let’s get right into the article!
What is a behavioural interview?
According to an article published by TPP Co UK, a behavioural interview is a popular category of job interviews especially. It’s where job applicants are “asked to provide examples from their past employment of specific situations and go through how they behaved in those circumstances”.
In this form of a job interview, an individual’s past work experiences are crucial. It is used as a point of reference by employers/hiring managers to predict their potential employee’s future work performance. More specifically, this should help to function as an indicator as to how they may behave in similar instances at this new company in the future.
You now have a brief idea as to what a behavioural interview session may entail. Let’s discuss how we can strive to excel at it – should you be called in for one!
1) Study the job description
The first tip that you can use to excel at a behavioural interview? Take some time to study the job description of the role you are applying for. Before attending the interview, make sure you know what the hiring managers or employers are on the lookout for in their next hire.
This will allow you to get a rough idea on how to prepare answers to some of the “highly-asked” questions. Additionally, make some notes of what sort of qualifications or specific skills the company may be searching for, as well.
This should help you rank and list some of the applicable skills that you have managed to demonstrate in your career thus far. Think of instances where these skills have helped you through past projects or tasks. Be sure to mention these incidents as they can help you score that job interview.
2) Use the STAR framework to craft answers
Professional emails need to be error-free as possible. Make sure you check, double check and triple check before sending out your emails to the recipients. If you’re unsure about grammar, give it a quick search online or install helpful edit tools like Grammarly!
Find yourself sending out emails and having forgotten to include the attachments you’d said you’d send along? How can you prevent this from happening again? Well, it’s actually pretty simple. Make a checklist before you craft the email to ensure that you have included everything in the communication material. Grammar, attachments, greetings, contact details so the receipts can reach you easily, follow-up actions, schedules, etc.
Missing out these details can hinder future communication processes. So, be sure to mention the information that the receiving party will need to make an informed decision and response.
3) Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
The third way to excel at a behavioural interview is by rehearsing at your own time! This job interview type requires you to provide specific instances where you’ve demonstrated your capabilities, practice your responses ahead of time!
As with any task, practice makes perfect. Rehearse in front of a mirror or practice with a friend or family member. Ask them for tips and advice on how you can further improve your presentation skills. Getting ready by rehearsing earlier on is one of the top tips to excel at a behavioural interview.
To wrap things up...
And there you have it – a compiled list of the top 3 tips and tricks you can use to excel at a behavioural job interview!
With all that being said, we have to come to the end of this article! We hope this written piece has provided you with some insights as to what sort of questions you can expect from a hiring manager or employer who may conduct a behavioural job interview session.
In the meantime, if you’re on the lookout for job opportunities at startups within Singapore that may tap on these trends to march ahead, read on! 😉
Need some career resources?
As was briefly covered above, GrabJobs shares career resources in the form of articles for people at different stages of their work lives. Our resources share details on how freshers can start to look for jobs more effectively. We also share about the best job interview practises, how individuals can grow their career and so much more!
These are just some of the topics we explore, namely.
Feel free to visit GrabJobs here for more information and interesting reads! We hope you find our resources helpful and useful 🙂
On the lookout for a job?
If you’re just about to begin the job hunting process, why not consider giving GrabJobs a visit?
GrabJobs is an efficient recruitment platform that connects thousands of job-seekers and employers around the world on a daily basis. Individuals can rely on the platform’s free job search functionalities to receive job matching alerts, access the career resources library and online courses to build their career.
With its instant live chat feature with employers, job seekers can expect to not miss a single opportunity while receiving timely updates about their applications as well as automated reminders when they get invited for an interview.
Through the platform, you’ll be able to filter through specific industries, part-time, freelance and full-time positions too. No matter the industry or the position, remember to visit GrabJobs to find a job opportunity in Singapore easily!
