My current take on the 5 keys to behavioral interviewing

Tomorrow morning, I’ll start as a Peer Career Coach at the Carlson School of Management’s Undergraduate Business Career Center. My main responsibilities for this position will be providing guidance for interviewing and resume and cover letter writing. Before I begin as a PCC, I wanted to document my current take on the keys to behavioral interviewing, then write an addendum to this post at the end of my first semester to compare my thoughts between then and now. That being said, below are my five keys to interviewing, the first of which should definitely be your top priority, with the other four following in no particular order of importance.

Be confident. You need to have self-confidence going into an interview. Hopefully, you’ve prepared well for this interview: you have at least five powerful experiences you want to highlight; you’ve studied your resume; and you’ve researched the company and your interviewers well. This should give you confidence! Trust your preparation and let that take control. You can also project self-confidence with your body language. Try not to fidget; maintain eye contact; sit up straight, and don’t twist and turn in your chair (especially if it’s a rolling chair). Finally, some of my favorite ways to focus myself and “get in the zone” for interviews or exams include listening to my favorite music beforehand or wearing clothes that I like. I wholeheartedly believe in the phrase “look good, feel good.”

Have a game plan. Prepare at least five examples that demonstrate at least one of the following qualities that, in my experience, employers value the most: leadership, communication, problem-solving, time management, work ethic, teamwork, adaptability, and quick comprehension of abstract concepts. It’s also a safe bet that you’ll be asked about your greatest weakness (your strengths are a possibility too, but your biggest weakness is harder to answer, which is why it’s more common to be asked about that). Keep in mind that the job description will likely list desired traits for the position, so you might want to cater your examples to those attributes too.

Study your resume. Before an interview, at the very least, analyze your resume and ensure you can explain the significance of everything on it. If you want to prepare further, think of questions you might be asked about your resume. One of the best questions I’ve been asked in an interview is: “If I asked your fraternity brothers what they think of you, what would they say?” I really appreciated this question because it showed that my interviewer carefully examined my resume and developed a thoughtful question, and it taught me how to prepare more thoroughly.

Study the job description, the company, and your interviewers; prepare questions based on your research. Asking enlightening questions both informs you of the ins and outs of a position and demonstrates that you did your homework in getting ready for an interview. If you have something in common with your interviewer that you find in your research, you could mention that to develop a connection. Similarity bias is real, and it could work in your favor. Additionally, if your research is thorough, providing comments and recommendations on the business exhibits your comprehension skills and how you will make the company better if you are hired.

Take notes. This is critical for two reasons: it illustrates you’re actively listening to what your interviewer says, and it’s useful to reflect on your notes from an interview to evaluate if you want to work at that company. Remember, an interview isn’t just for a company to see if it wants to hire you; it’s also an opportunity for you to understand the company, its culture, your role, and your coworkers better. It’s definitely possible that a company views you as a good fit, but you disagree. Solid, clear notes can help streamline your decision on where you want to work.

So, there you have my current five keys to behavioral interviewing: be confident; create a game plan; study your resume, the company, the role, and your interviewers (if you know them); and take notes. We’ll see if that changes in a few months!