Behavior Based Interviewing

BEHAVIOR
BASED
SELECTION
Reducing the risk
Goals
 Improve hiring accuracy
 Save time and money
 Reduce risk
Behavior Focused Interviewing
Definition:
 Behavior, past and present, is an objective predictor of future

behavior
 Behavior is anything that people do which can be observed
or measured. The focus is to predict based on behavior
rather than trying to understand and assess personalities
 Behavioral psychologists believe that behavior remains
consistent in similar situations
 Intuitions and gut feelings are less objective and often
difficult to justify
Benefits:
 Focus on key hiring criteria
 Criteria to base decisions and ratings
 Provides a consistent documenting system
 Transfers to training & performance assessment
 Ensures fairness, reliability and validity
 Removes personal bias
 Contributes to overall performance
 Legally defensible
 Eliminates misunderstandings about applicants
past experiences
 Using behavior reduces applicant “faking”
 Prevents personal impressions from affecting the
evaluation
THE RESEARCH…
 What types of people do you work best with?

 How would other people describe you?
 What are your strengths and weaknesses?
 What type of work do you do best?
 What characteristics do you look for in your ideal job?
 Why do you want this job?
 Why should we hire you?
 What do you want to know most about us?
 What types of people do you work best with?
 What do you think this role should be like?
THE RESEARCH …
Interviewers who used these

type of questions to select their
People scored approximately
- 26% on the accuracy scale
When interviewers used

structured behavioral
questions they scored
over +70% on the
accuracy scale
SELECTION STEPS
EVALUATE BEHAVIOR
CONDUCT INTERVIEW
DEVELOP QUESTIONS
DEFINE SKILLS
ANALYZE JOB
Step 1 – Analyze the Job
 Build a realistic profile based on the job
description
 Identify typical attributes of the successful people

doing the same or similar job
 Most of these will be intangible virtues, not things

that people can be trained to be or do
 Harder to change behavior, easier to train a skill

Step 2 – Define Skills
“How” should the incumbent perform

these duties?
What are the behaviors required to

perform in the job?
Technical vs. Performance Skills

Identify Technical Skills
Managed
Related
teams of HIV and education
volunteers Hep C and
knowledge training..
social work
accounting
Experience counseling
with MSM
community
Has written
At least 3
Knows how to successful
years
use a 10 key funding
experience
calculator proposals
in outreach
Identify Performance Skills
Independen
t
Self
Writing motivated Caring
ability Able to
cope
Good
listene Problem
Leader r solver
Creative
Team player
Action Analytical
oriented
Ethical
Mediator
Advocat
e
Defining Skills
Able to multi-task effectively
COMPETENCIES Able to assess priorities
Shows a systematic approach to reaching
goal
1 ________________________
Organization and Planning Demonstrates attention to detail
Able to work cooperatively

Effectively builds rapport and credibility
Communicates effectively and responds
2 ________________________
Relates well with others maturely
Respects different perspectives
Able to compromise
Values input and expertise of others

Is participative, uses open communication
3 ________________________
Team player Demonstrates professionalism and
maturity, while maintaining a sense of
humour
Approachable and respectful
Is willing to learn from others, assist others
Performance
Skill
Decision Making/Problem Solving
Good problem solving often requires the careful Behavioral

review of facts and weighing of options. Question
Describe a really challenging fund raising idea
you implemented and how you considered the
risk factors, community impact and resource
availability when implementing your plan.
 Identifies and addresses potential

barriers to accomplishing results
at the outset
Success Factors  Considered input from others
Indicators  Develops contingency plans in
advance
Measurements  Implemented idea successfully
Step 3 – Develop Questions
Group exercise
Review the job description
Identify 4 key performance skills/ competencies
For each performance skill, list 2-3 behaviors
Develop a behavioral question for each

Step 4 – Conduct Interview
S.T.A.R. QUESTIONNING
The best way to predict on the job performance is to obtain behavioral
examples from the candidate.
 S Situation (or task) responsibilities leading to actions

 T Task (or situation)
 A Specific actions taken or not taken by candidate
 R Results or changes caused by the actions
False STARS
 Feelings and opinions
 Theoretical or future oriented statements
 Vague statements
Obtain Details, Probe for Information
 Elicit details to assess a candidate’s competence
"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 about this
situation?"
Interviewing Skills
 Rapport building questions
 Open ended questions
 Take notes, document
 Tolerate silence
 Seek contrary evidence
 Control the interview
 Probe based on skill definitions
Step 5 – Evaluate Behavior
Evaluate Candidates
 Assess the candidate against the success factors

you are evaluating
 Assess the strength of the evidence the candidate

presented in your behavioral interview
 Document your evaluation

TIPS FOR SUCCESS
 Objectivity, fair and equal treatment of all eligible candidates
 Know the job requirements
 Develop selection criteria
 Develop a structured interview plan
 Use behavioral interview questions that ask for specific examples
 Begin the interview by establishing rapport in order to put the

applicant at ease.
 Ask open-ended questions and be sure to allow the applicant time

to talk then LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN.
Common Errors
The interviewer talks more than the candidate, wasting valuable time.
Hiring decisions are based on first impressions and gut instincts.
The interviewer asks inappropriate (or potentially illegal) questions.
The same general questions are used for every position, making it
difficult to judge if a candidate is right for a specific job.
Interviewers disagree on which candidate to hire because they cannot

agree on which characteristics are most important for job success.
QUESTIONS?

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BEHAVIOR

 Improve hiring accuracy

 Save time and money

 Behavior, past and present, is an objective predictor of future

 What types of people do you work best with?

Interviewers who used these

When interviewers used

 Identify typical attributes of the successful people

 Most of these will be intangible virtues, not things

 Harder to change behavior, easier to train a skill

“How” should the incumbent perform

What are the behaviors required to

Technical vs. Performance Skills

Able to work cooperatively

Values input and expertise of others

Good problem solving often requires the careful Behavioral

 Identifies and addresses potential

Review the job description

Identify 4 key performance skills/ competencies

For each performance skill, list 2-3 behaviors

Develop a behavioral question for each

 S Situation (or task) responsibilities leading to actions

 Elicit details to assess a candidate’s competence

"What were you thinking when that happened?"

 Assess the candidate against the success factors

 Assess the strength of the evidence the candidate

 Document your evaluation

 Know the job requirements

 Develop selection criteria

 Develop a structured interview plan

 Use behavioral interview questions that ask for specific examples

 Begin the interview by establishing rapport in order to put the

 Ask open-ended questions and be sure to allow the applicant time

Hiring decisions are based on first impressions and gut instincts.

The interviewer asks inappropriate (or potentially illegal) questions.

Interviewers disagree on which candidate to hire because they cannot

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