Have you ever been in a behavioral interview, either as a candidate or interviewer? Chances are you have; you just didn’t know the name for it.
A behavioral interview assesses how a candidate acted or would act in a specific situation based on employment-related situations.
Why should I choose the behavioral interview model?
Ideally, behavioral interviews helps employers predict how a candidate might perform in the future and whether or not they would be a good fit for the organization.
Too often employers hire candidates based on skills, rather than looking at cultural and workplace fit. Behavioral interview questions can equip employers with a more tangible understanding of how the candidate works, thinks and reacts, as it relates to the workplace.
How do I conduct a behavioral interview?
To conduct a telling and effective behavioral interview, consider the following tips.
1. Plan your questions.
Different questions will be more appropriate for different positions. Take a look at the job description and identify which skills, knowledge and traits are most important to the role. Consider 3-5 areas to focus on.
Craft a scenario that highlights each focus area. For example, if your organization values integrity, create a scenario where the candidate’s integrity may be tested, and ask them how they would react.
2. Be consistent.
If you’re interviewing multiple candidates, keep your questions consistent that way you can compare more directly.
Pay close attention to wording and question order, and stick to them rigidly. Consistency will make your process of evaluation and selection much easier.
3. Involve other team members.
It’s always a great idea to have a candidate interview with more than one team member. Once you’ve decided who will be involved in the interview process, divide up your behavioral questions based on relevance to the employee’s focus or function.
For example, a hiring manager may ask questions related to problem-solving, while a team leader can focus their questions on teamwork and interpersonal skills.
Be sure to divide your questions, so a candidate isn’t answering the same question multiple times.
4. Create a scoring system.
Objectivity will simplify your decision-making process and make comparing candidates easier. Consider a scoring system or similar for each question/focus area.
If there are multiple interviewers, make sure everyone understands the scoring system, to decrease variance or skewed results.
Having a Process Is Key
Defining your interview process is integral to making better hiring decisions. It is also the first indication to potential hires about your brand, culture and values. Planning ahead and getting strategic will pay off massively.
Check out more on this topic:
How Making the Wrong Hiring Decision is Expensive!
4 Strategies for Reducing High Employee Turnover
Rethinking the Executive Recruitment Process
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