by Ann E. Smith

Created on: April 23, 2009   Last Updated: April 24, 2009

As we are in a current recession, thousands of people who have been laid off are brushing up their interviewing skills. If you are one of those folks, you may wonder as to how to succeed in a behavioral-based job interview.

First of all, let's clarify what a behavioral interview is. Basically, this type of technique occurs when an interviewer asks questions that try to get a sense of how you behave in various situations. For example, instead of asking you how you manage stress, an interviewer may ask you to name a particularly stressful project, what caused you stress, and what you did to manage it.

In a behavioral interview, you will be given a lot of hypothetical questions, or asked to recall specific situations. Below are some tips as to how to perform well in a behavioral interview.

1) Be careful not to get too detailed.

When someone asks you to tell a story, you may make a common mistake: providing a bit too much detail in an effort to give the context. When in an interview, it is easy to make the same mistake.

Let's say that the interviewer asks you to recall a really complex work project. Be careful not to get carried away validating the complexity of the project.

You can lose the listener this way, and come across as long-winded and disorganized. Try to keep your verbal answers to no longer than three minutes. And, set up the situation in just a few sentences.

2) Focus on your positive actions and the results they created.

Always keep in mind that an interviewer is trying to assess you and how you perform and react on the job. No matter what the question, make sure you put the emphasis on positive things you did and on things you did to impact and contribute to business.

Be sure to be very clear about highlighting what you contributed, not just the enormity of the project. In an interview, it's okay to talk about yourself a bit more than usual. After all, you are marketing yourself, not necessarily the great company you used to work for or the huge things it achieved.

3) Feel free to modify your answer.

If you are asked to provide an answer to a situation you have not been in, then modify your answer. You can say something like, "While I have not been in that exact situation, I have been through something similar. I would like to share a bit about that."

4) Do not exaggerate.

Be realistic and grounded when answering your questions. You do not have to come across as Superman to show how you behaved in various situations.

People who exaggerate, especially in an interview,

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