It was only one year ago that we added behavioral interviews to our admissions process. Adding a 30 minute interview might seem like a relatively small change, but it’s had a huge impact on our ability to tailor our career coaching, assess a candidate’s intentionality, and foster a supportive learning environment.

These interviews give us a preview of how a candidate will perform during job interviews and networking moments, allowing us to identify strengths and areas of improvement to be addressed in future coaching sessions. For example, we might find that a candidate struggles with giving concise answers to interview questions. Knowing this ahead of time allows us to proactively plan the coaching that he or she will receive after graduation.

Behavioral interviews also allow us to assess how much strategic thinking a candidate has done as they plan their career change. This is a major indicator of success, as it shows that the candidate is dedicated, motivated, thoughtful, and well-researched. Enrolling in our program is an investment in their future, so it’s critical that they treat it as such.

Lastly, these interviews allow us to set the stage for and continue  to provide an excellent student culture. We love working with bright, unique, collaborative students who are excited to learn with their instructors and peers. Behavioral interviews give us great insight into what working with each candidate will be like if they should enroll in our program.

To learn more about why we introduced behavioral interviews and what to expect during the interview process, revisit our post from one year ago: Rithm’s updated admissions process.