Situational interview questions assess how an interviewee would react in hypothetical scenarios. Preparation involves researching the company and reflecting on past experiences to formulate concise and honest responses. The questions are tailored to the job being applied for.
Situational interview questions are designed to find out how an interviewee would react in various hypothetical situations. This is most common in job interviews, and the questions are often tailored to the type of job the individual has applied for. Situational interview questions can usually be prepared in advance. Understanding the type of job being interviewed, reflecting on past work experiences, and getting to know a little about the company being hired are all ways a person can effectively prepare for these types of interview questions.
Although situational interview questions deal with hypothetical situations, they are based on real-life situations. An individual can reflect on past experiences similar to the question in question to formulate an answer. Researching the interviewing company can also be helpful, as it can give the interviewee a good idea of the types of questions that might be asked. Also, interviewers like to see that a person has taken the time to find out more about the company.
If an individual is interviewing for a management position, he or she may ask questions related to employee management. A job at a power plant might warrant questions about how someone reacts if an equipment alarm sounds. Someone interviewing for customer service might be asked how he or she handles rude customers. It is important for an individual to prepare for the types of questions that may be asked in their interview so that the answers come across as insightful, natural, honest and concise.
Several steps can be taken to prepare for situational interview questions. Internet or library research on common questions can be found. Once a person becomes familiar with the types of questions to be expected, he or she can begin the process of formulating responses based on past experience. Generally, an adequate response drawn from past experience will include identifying the problem, what steps were taken to resolve the problem, the desired outcome, the actual outcome, and any lessons learned from the situation. Once this information is retrieved, an individual can begin to think of possible answers to common questions.
Situational interview questions deal with hypothetical situations and not necessarily with past experiences. While it may be helpful for a person to reflect on past experiences to identify the ways in which he might react in a given situation, your response should deal with the hypothetical situation at hand. The interviewer is interviewing for her position, not an individual’s previous employment.
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