Well It is a clear give away if the interviewer looks you in the eye and says with a smile “so tell me about a time when you.”, depending on how you answer, will determine if you get the position or if you will be considered for the job. Tips for successfully surviving the behaviour technique interview are:

Answer consistently and elaborate on your achievements

When asked about past achievements don’t be afraid to speak out and give clear concise examples of your past achievements, there is no getting around the fact that getting the job depends on your past experiences so elaborate on them. If you are lacking in experience then relate questions the interviewer is asking to something close to which you achieved, but above all be honest, don’t forget you have to be able to back up any claims you make.

Prepare yourself beforehand

Of course, you might not know what type of interview you will be attending, in fact this will happen more often than not so be prepared for anything beforehand. Do a little homework and write down all aspects you can think of that might relate to the position you are applying for and which will show you in the very best of light.

Write down everything you have achieved in the past, what the problem was and what part you played in determining the outcome. Be prepared to answer any questions and give clear concise answers how you made your achievements happen and the benefit the company gained from having you in their employment.

Common questions asked during behavioural interviews

Of course no one can tell what questions the interviewer will ask, if we had this insight we could all sail through interviews and get the job every time, however here are some examples of the types of questions that are commonly asked during behavioural interviews.

* Tell me about a time when a decision you made, made a huge difference.

* Tell me about a time when you had to carry most of the workload, what did you do about it, how did you handle it?

* Tell me about a time when you made a wrong decision, what did you do to put things right?

* Tell me about a strategy you had to meet a particular deadline?

Don’t think of the interview as an interrogation

Try to think of the interview as just being a two-sided conversation in which each of you are taking an equal part, you will answer the interviewers questions and ask some of your own. While the interviewer will want to determine if you are the best candidate for the job you will also need to know if the company and the position will be right for you.

Tips to help you relax

Deep breathing techniques are the quickest way of relaxing and calming yourself down if you are in a stressful situation, it is a technique which is relatively easy to learn and one which can be practiced virtually everywhere at any time without anyone paying any attention to you.

The easiest technique is letting your shoulders slump as much as you can and taking deep breaths in slowly through your nose and then exhaling slowly back out through your nose. Other helpful techniques which you can learn and practice before you leave for the interview are meditation and yoga.

Usually the worst part and most stressful time is waiting to attend the interview and once you are in there and have started the interview all is forgotten, if not and you feel panic rising then remember to take long slow deep breaths.

Spend some time preparing for the interview

On the actual day of the interview spend some time preparing yourself, give yourself plenty of time to shower and dress without rushing and beforehand practice one of the strategies for relaxing. A good technique to use is visualisation, you can start by breathing deeply and slowly through your mouth and nose then visualise yourself walking into the interview in a relaxed and confident manner. Try to visualise what you want to say and the points you want to get across and imagine saying these to the interviewer.

Give yourself credit and treat yourself

After you have attended the interview, give yourself a pat on the back and don’t keep going over what was said or what you think you should have said but didn’t, if you think you made mistakes then there’s no point chastising yourself about it. Just let it go and try not to sit at home waiting for the phone to ring, if you got the job then you’ll know soon enough and if not then you can try again.