Interview Types Explained: How Do Situational and Behavioral Interviews Differ?

Hi friends, what is the difference between a situational interview and a behavioral interview?

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Hi friends,

What is the difference between a situational interview and a behavioral interview?

Hi Nilima,

A behavioral interview is a style of interviewing wherein the job applicant is asked to give examples of situations he has personally been involved in where he demonstrated a particular trait or skill that the interviewer is interested in.

A situational interview is a style wherein theoretical or hypothetical situations are given by the interviewer to assess the applicant's behavior in such a situation.

The main difference between behavioral and situational interviews is that behavioral interviews focus on past experiences and behavior of the applicant, while situational interviews concentrate on how the applicant will react when confronted with a given situation. These two styles of interviewing are often used in conjunction with each other.

Hope this information helps you in understanding the type of interview. :D

Regards,
Sravanthi

The behavioral interview seeks the actual behavior in a context, while the situational interview elicits 'espoused behavior' which is what the candidate thinks he will do. It is believed actual behavior is a better predictor of future behavior rather than espoused behavior. However, very little research has been done on espoused behavior; lots of research has been done on actual behavior as a predictor. It is claimed, based on meta-analysis of pooled data, that the rating in the interview has a correlation of 0.64 with the first rating on the job in case the interview is a behavioral event interview (BEI).

The BEI needs to be analyzed using what is called CAVE (Content Analysis of Verbal Expression) or LACS (Leeds Analysis). Very few corporate HR managers possess the required skills, so they resort to conducting a conventional interview and label it as a BEI. Be wary of such corporate honchos.

If the interviewer asks a question that is non-job related, how can we handle that situation? Thank you and regards.