Behavioral Interviewing

Judy Rychlewski

Director of Career Services William Jewell College

Adaptations by Susan Wade, Baker University

What is behavioral interviewing?

A structured interviewing strategy– Premise: past behavior is the best predictor of

future performance in similar circumstances– The interviewer probes for behavioral evidence of

what the candidate said, did, felt, thought, and achieved (results of the candidate’s actions)

– It allows the interviewer to gather evidence for critical capabilities— or success factors—that identify the very best performers in a given job

What are success factors?

Technical or job specific knowledge and skills General abilities (communication skills,

customer service orientation, etc.) Behavioral traits or competencies (initiative,

results orientation, risk taking, etc.)

Why use behavioral interviewing?

Traditional – or “gut”-- interviewing is a poor predictor of performance

Considered more systematic, objective, fair Ensures job-related questions are asked Acquires relevant information to make decision Meets legal guidelines Ensures good match between candidate & job Results in shorter training time and lower turnover

Bell Curve of Successful Interviews

Not too bold yet not too shy

Responses not too long yet not too short

Never be rude but don’t be too polite

Don’t act too eager yet still demonstrate interest

Not too excitable yet not too sluggish

Suitable eye contact yet don’t stare

Handshake, not too soft not too hard

Body Odor, not too strong ….either way

Not too confident yet not too unsure

Arrival not too early yet never late

Clothes, never wrinkly yet never over-dressed

4-Step Model for Employers

Step 1 – Analyze the job Step 2 – Plan the Interview Step 3 – Conduct the Interview Step 4 – Evaluate Candidates

BASIS OF ALL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Why are you here? What can you do for me? What kind of person are you? How special are you? Can I afford you?

- Bolles, R. (2006). “What Color is Your Parachute"

Candidate’s Interview Preparation

Tell behavioral stories using

SITUATION (background information)

TASK (what you did)

ACTION (how you did it)

RESULT (what the outcome was)

Sample Behavioral Question

Tell me about a time when a staff member was not pulling his weight and what you did about it.

Sample Behavioral Interview Response using STAR method

Situation– A previously dependable employee

had been arriving late to work everyday for the last month.

Task– I was the new front-line manager. It

was my responsibility to check it out.

Candidate’s Interview Preparation

Action– I chose to arrange a discussion with the employee.

The employee divulged to me that an unexpected family obligation was causing her to be late. After examining the options, I ended up adjusting the employee’s work schedule.

Candidate’s Interview Preparation

Result– The employee started coming to work on time

again. The employee’s loyalty towards the company and towards me increased due to my attentiveness and concern for her situation. I received word-of-mouth recognition and respect as a front-line manager as a result of my demonstrated concern for the employee.

Candidate’s Interview Preparation

Preparing In Advance for the Interview

Identify 6-8 examples from your past experience where you demonstrated top behaviors and skills that employers typically seek.

Think in terms of examples that will feature your top selling points.

Preparing in Advance for the Interview

Half of your examples should be totally positive, such as accomplishments or meeting goals.

The other half should be situations that started out negatively but either ended positively or you made the best of the outcome.

Preparing in Advance for the Interview

Vary your examples; don’t take them all from just one area of your life.

Use fairly recent examples

Tell your story using STAR

Examples of Interview Questions

Tell me about a specific time when you– Worked effectively under pressure– Handled a difficult situation with a co-worker– Were creative in solving a problem– Were unable to complete a project on time– Were forced to make an unpopular decision– Had to get something across to someone who found

it difficult to understand

Examples of Interview Questions

Tell me about a specific time when you– Were tolerant of an opinion that was different from

yours– Had to deal with an irate customer– Surmounted a major obstacle– Persuaded team members to do things your way– Had to make an important decision with limited facts– Had to go beyond the call of duty to get a job done

Examples of Probing Questions

The interviewer is trying to elicit details– What were you thinking when that happened?– What was your reaction?– What did you actually do?– What did you actually say?– What did other people say in response?– How did it finally turn out?– What was the end result?– Is there anything else I should know?

Keys to a successful interview

Know your best skills – do a skills assessment Identify skills sought for job you want and

match your skills to those Develop stories to support your most important

skills – remember STAR Practice telling your stories out loud Be prepared to ask questions Prepare a strong closing statement

Assignment

Create a list of skills and rank them Using the STAR technique, write a story to

explain your most significant work accomplishment (this should highlight one or more of your skills)

Pair up with a partner and tell your story, partner will ask probing questions to help assess success factors