Behavioral interview :Important tips

A job interview is a conversation which occurs between a potential employer and a job applicant. During the job interview, the employer hopes to determine whether or not the applicant is suitable for the job, while the applicant tries to learn more about the position while also impressing the employer. As a general rule, a job interview is an important part of the process of applying for a job, and it may range in formality from a casual conversation to a series of serious discussions with an assortment of people working within the company.

Following factors should be kept in mind before going for job interview in industry:

FOCUS AND DEDICATION TO THE INDUSTRY:

following types of questions can be asked:

1. Why did you choose your major and career?
2. At what point did you make this decision?
3. Specifically, what attracts you to this industry as a career?

TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE:

Your level of understanding of technical and professional information and your ability to apply technical and professional skills.

1. Sometimes it's easy to get in "over your head". Describe a situation where you had to request help or assistance on a project or assignment.

2. Give an example of how you applied knowledge from previous coursework to a project in another class.

TEAMWORK:

Working effectively with others in the organization and outside the formal lines of authority (i.e., peers, other units, senior management, and the like) to accomplish organizational goals and to identify and resolve problems. Considering the impact of your decisions on others.

ANALYSIS:

1. What steps do you follow to study a problem before making a decision?

 2. We can sometimes identify a small problem and fix it before it becomes a major problem. Give an example(s) of how you have done this.

 3. Describe a situation in which you had to collect information by asking many questions of several people.

 4. In a supervisory or group leader role, have you ever had to discipline or counsel an employee or group member? What was the nature of the discipline? What steps did you take? How did that make you feel? How did you prepare yourself?

 ADAPTABILITY:

Maintaining effectiveness in varying environments, tasks and responsibilities, or with various types of people.

JOB MOTIVATION:

The extent to which activities and responsibilities available in the job overlap with activities and responsibilities that result in personal satisfaction.

 Give examples of your experiences at school or in a job that were satisfying. Give examples of your experiences that were dissatisfying.

INITIATIVE:

Making active attempts to influence events to achieve goals. Self-starting rather than passively accepting. Taking action to achieve goals beyond what is necessarily called for, originating action.

 Describe some projects or ideas (not necessarily your own) that were implemented, or carried out successfully primarily because of your efforts.

PLANNING AND ORGANIZING:

Establishing a course of action for yourself (and/or others) to accomplish specific goals. Planning proper assignments for personnel and appropriately allocating resources.

COMMUNICATION:

Clearly expressing ideas in writing-including grammar, organization, and structure.

CUSTOMER SERVICE ORIENTATION:

Making efforts to listen to and understand the customer (both internal and external), anticipating customer needs and giving high priority to customer satisfaction. 

SENSITIVITY:

Acting out of consideration for the feelings and needs of others. 

EVALUATION SYSTEM:

An example of a simplistic rating system that may be used to evaluate you while other rating systems are very sophisticated with multiple grading and evaluation systems components:

5. MUCH MORE THAN ACCEPTABLE:

Significantly above criteria required for successful job performance

4. MORE THAN ACCEPTABLE:

Generally exceeds criteria relative to quality and quantity of behavior required.

3. ACCEPTABLE:

Meets criteria relative to quality and quantity of behavior required.

2. LESS THAN ACCEPTABLE:

Generally does not meet criteria relative to quality and quantity of behavior required.

1. MUCH LESS THAN ACCEPTABLE:

Significantly below criteria required for successful job performance.