How to Prepare for a Behaviour Interview
The City of Greater Sudbury uses behavioural interview techniques to question candidates about their past experiences. Behavioural interviewing is based on the idea that past behaviour is an excellent predictor of future behaviour.
Instead of asking a candidate what they would do in a situation, candidates are asked to provide real examples of how they handled a situation. Behavioural interview questions provide the ability to evaluate a candidate’s skills, knowledge, and behaviours based on the required competencies for the position.
When answering a behavioural-based question, your response must include the following:
- The specific situation
- The specific actions taken
- The results of the actions.
Relevant competencies that may be assessed through the behavioural interview questions are outlined in each specific employment opportunity.
Example 1
Competency: Planning, Coordination and Execution
Definition: Demonstrates the personal drive to achieve results through proactive planning and coordination, achieving results by setting priorities, planning for contingencies, and solving problems to remove barriers. Effectively assesses and manages risk, and measures results.
Question: Describe a time when you planned, implemented and monitored a team project. How you organized yourself to complete the work demanded?
Sample Level 2 (Supervisory) Response:
Situation: In my last job as Event Coordinator, I was the team lead for the food service at the company’s recognition event for 250 guests. The team included me, one Event Assistant, 10 waiters and one bartender.. We had one month to plan the event, and my role was to coordinate the food service, which included appetizers, the main dish, desserts and tea and coffee.
Action: To ensure I did not miss anything, I created a list in excel of each task that needed to be done. I then prioritized each task and created a schedule, noting when each task had to be completed and who was responsible for each task. We assigned each waiter a section of three tables that they were responsible for. I had daily check-ins with the Event Assistant to make sure we were on track and made sure the spreadsheet was updated daily to note our progress. We had a meeting with the waiters and bartender one week prior the event to go over what section they were responsible for and gave them the opportunity to ask questions or raise any concerns they may have. On the day of the event, we were short staffed because two of the waiters called in sick. Once I learned about this, I had a meeting with Event Assistant to come up with a plan to deal with the staff shortage. We looked at the table chart and determined which waiters to re-assign the table to. We also decided that both of us would also make ourselves available to assist the waiters. We then met with the waiters and bartender one hour prior to the event to tell them the new plan and remind them to ask us for help, if needed.
Result: During the banquet, the meal service went smoothly, and the Event Assistant and I were only asked to help a couple of times throughout the evening. I received many compliments about the quality of the food, and the manager in charge of the event asked if I would be willing to do it again next year.
Example 2
Competency: Customer/Resident Focus
Definition: Prioritizes and addresses the needs of both internal and external customers. It is the ability and willingness to understand their needs and consistently provide high levels of service by keeping customer needs at the forefront of all activities.
Question: Tell us about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer/client.
Sample Level 1 Response:
Situation: In my previous position as Account Administrator, I had a customer transferred to me who was upset about the cost to disconnect their services. They had recently finished a contract and were provided a new promotion for their tv and internet. Agreeing to the new promotion put them into a new two-year contract, which meant there was a cancellation fee should they cancel their services before the contract was done. The customer was only three months into the new contract and indicated that when they were offered the promotion, they were not advised that it started a new contract and now they needed to cancel their services, as they were moving.
Actions: I listened to the customer’s concern and told them I understood their frustration. I reviewed their case and noticed that the cost to remain on their old plan for three months would have cost them significantly less than the new promotion price, plus the cancelation fee. As such, I offered to revert their package back to their old price for the past three months used. They would just need to pay the difference between the two packages for the three months and could cancel their services without a cancellation fee.
Results: The customer was happy with this solution and provided positive feedback on our customer survey.
Example 3
Competency: Innovation
Definition: The willingness and ability to take a creative approach to problems or issues, to “think outside the box”. Thinks beyond the confines of traditional models to recognize opportunities and find new and better ways of doing things. Encourages experimentation and accepts failure as a driver of innovation.
Question: Tell us about a time when you had to be creative in solving a problem, or looking at the way things are done.
Sample Level 2 (Individual Contributor) Response:
Situation: In my previous role as a Recruitment Officer, I was responsible for posting all jobs in the organization. When we were recruiting for 10 lifeguard positions, I noticed that we weren’t getting a lot of applicants using our traditional methods, which included posting on our website and advertising at our local high schools and post-secondary institutions.
Actions: I decided to take advertising at the local high schools one step further. Because the jobs were only advertised in the high school’s co-op office, not everyone was seeing them since not all students visit the co-op office regularly. I decided we should also advertise on the school’s morning announcements. With the help of the Recreation Coordinator who was responsible for hiring lifeguards, I drafted a short script that included information about our job posting and information on how to become certified as a lifeguard. I then contacted the communication departments for all the school boards in the city, and they all agreed to include the advertisement on their morning announcements.
Result: We were able to obtain enough applicants for the 10 positions, and also had other students sign up for lifeguard certification courses.