How to answer behavioural interview questions
During the Assessment Day and at the Final interview, the airline recruiters have limited time to find out if you truly have the qualities of a cabin crew. In the HR world, this is known as soft skills.
To help cabin crew recruiters make their shortlist, the recruiters turn to behavioural interview questions. The answers given by cabin crew applicants reveal their ability to collaborate, adapt, be a culture fit, show growth potential and so on.
Behavioural questions are the most popular of all types of interview questions. Airline recruiters expect you to respond with specific examples from your own experiences. They are used because airline recruiters believe past behaviour is a good indication of future behaviour.
The behaviours that Emirates and Qatar are looking for are usually based around employability skills such as teamwork, communication, problem solving, initiative, etc. These questions often start with a phrase such as, 'Tell me about a time when you', 'Describe a situation when you'...
ADAPTABILITY
Tell me about a time when you were asked to do something you had never done before. How did you react and what did you learn?
Describe a situation in which you embraced a new system, process, technology, or idea at work that was a major departure from the old way of doing things.
Recall a time when you were assigned a task outside of your job description. How did you handle the situation? What was the outcome?
Tell me about the biggest change that you have had to deal with. How did you adapt to that change?
Culture Fit
What are the three things that are most important to you in a job?
Tell me about a time in the last week when you’ve been satisfied, energized, and productive at work. What were you doing?
What’s the most interesting thing about you that’s not on your resume?
What would make you chose our company over others?
What’s the biggest misconception your coworkers have about you and why do they think that?
Collaboration
Give an example of when you had to work with someone who was difficult to get along with. How did you handle interactions with that person?
Tell me about a time when you were communicating with someone and they did not understand you. What did you do?
Tell me about one of your favorite experiences working with a team and your contribution.
First of all, give yourself a few moments to gather your thoughts.
Growth Potential
Recall a time when your manager was unavailable when a problem arose. How did you handle the situation? With whom did you consult?
Techniques to answering the questions
It's fine to take a little time to frame your response if you're uncertain about how to respond to the question. If you are not sure how to answer the question, ask for clarification. This will buy you some extra time to think about how to answer. Then be sure to include these four points in your answer - situation, task, action, results. (also known as the S.T.A.R system).
- (S) A specific situation
- (T) The tasks that needed to be done
- (A) The action you took
- (R) The results i.e. what happened
This is the STAR review response and it's an excellent way to prepare. Do keep in mind that there is no right or wrong answers to behavioral interview questions. The recruiter's goal is to understand how you behaved in a given situation. How you respond will determine if there is a match between your skills and the cabin crew role they are offering.
The best behavioral interview strategy includes listening carefully, being clear and detailed when you respond and, most importantly, being honest. If your answers aren't what the interviewer is looking for, the cabin crew role is not suitable for you.
If you are attending an open day at Emirates or Qatar, and would like us to provide you with a professional CV for the open day, as well as provide you with an intensive one-to-one coaching interview session, please contact us today. We are here to help you land your dream job tomorrow.
Learn the STAR technique of answering difficult interview questions.