The right interviewing technique helps you assess candidates efficiently. However, asking the wrong questions increases the risks of bias and may result in hiring an unsuitable person for the position.
Many hiring managers ask hypothetical questions to see how an applicant would handle various situations. This technique works to an extent, but it has limitations. Instead, behavioral interviewing provokes responses to real-life scenarios based on the candidate’s previous experience.
Behavioral interviewing isn’t a new method, but it’s a good idea to understand the ins and outs of applying the techniques during your interviews. Learn what behavioral interviewing is and why it’s effective, then explore questions and tips for using it.
What is behavioral interviewing?
Behavioral interviewing asks questions about a candidate’s past performance to predict their future results. Most behavioral interviews involve open-ended questions about situations that require specific skills. Recruiters will then probe deeper to see if the candidate can expand on an answer they may have prepared.
“Rather than simply asking transparent questions about what candidates did in their jobs, behavioral interviewers ask candidates how and why they did it. This approach is extremely effective at identifying unqualified applicants or those who tend to exaggerate in interviews or on their resumes,” wrote Monster.
[Read more: Avoiding a Hiring Mistake: How to Make Sure Your Next Hire Is Your Best Hire]
Behavioral vs. traditional interviews: Which is more effective?
Traditional interviews typically combine various types of questions, including hypothetical questions, those that reveal aspects of a candidate’s personality, and cognitive or experiential questions. Traditional interview questions—such as “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” or “Why are you interested in working for the company?”—can be limiting. These questions lead to answers that lack detail and are hypothetical.
Behavioral interviewing looks at actual experiences. Indeed, the Journal of Business Research found that both “question types are valid predictors of job performance.” However, theoretical questions often asked in traditional job interviews may not reveal behavior patterns critical to job performance and success because they’re based on imaginary circumstances, not proof.
Likewise, traditional interviews tend to introduce bias into the hiring process. “According to LinkedIn, 42% of recruiters believe interview bias is a major problem for traditional interviews,” wrote Vervoe, an HR tech company. “Further research has shown that smartly dressed candidates are rated higher in interviews, even if they don’t have the skills to succeed in the job. Likewise, overconfident applicants are shown to perform better, too, even when their competencies are questionable.”
Behavioral interviews can help mitigate some of the bias inherent in the hiring process. Addressing specific situations in the workplace reduces the influence of personal characteristics, such as gender, age, or ethnicity. Focusing on competency ultimately leads to better hiring results.
Advantages of using the behavioral interviewing method
Recruiters and hiring managers believe behavioral interviewing techniques are beneficial, with 86% of respondents to a LinkedIn survey rating the method as “somewhat or very effective.” Past behavior questions help leaders assess soft skills, which have grown in importance by 10% since 2018. Moreover, structured behavioral interviews make it easier to compare job candidates fairly and legally.
There are additional benefits to behavioral interviews, including:
- Giving applicants a realistic impression of the job requirements.
- Getting more specific, in-depth answers from candidates.
- Reducing the risk of bias in interviews.
- Improving the overall candidate experience.
Rather than simply asking transparent questions about what candidates did in their jobs, behavioral interviewers ask candidates how and why they did it.Monster
Behavioral interviewing sample questions
Amtec suggests developing a list of behavioral interview and follow-up questions and a set of “expected or desired answers.” Reduce the risk of bias by structuring your questions in a standard order. Every candidate should get the same questions, in the same order, with the same wording. This standardization helps you compare candidates without letting personal biases come into play.
Before creating a list of questions, identify the core competencies your organization needs, as well as any preferred experiences or values that your job candidates possess. This list will help you craft a list of job interview questions that align best with your mission and the job role.
Indeed has a list of behavioral interview questions, along with sample answers, to help you get started. Here are a few examples:
- “Give me an example of a time you had a conflict with a team member. How did you handle it?”
- “Describe an occasion when you failed at a task. What did you learn from it?”
- “Give an example of a time when you had to make a difficult decision. How did you handle it?”
[Read more: 8 Personality Tests to Help You Hire the Best Candidate]
Tips for conducting a behavioral interview
Research shows that most small and medium-sized companies use unstructured, traditional interview questions rather than the behavioral approach. This dynamic could be due to the additional prep work that a behavioral interview requires. It takes time to figure out the questions, structure them, and fit everything into the allotted time, while still getting the information you need.
Improve your behavioral interviewing tactics by:
- Use the STAR system: Developed by Development Dimensions International (DDI), STAR is a well-known technique used for behavioral interviewing. It encourages candidates to explain the situation, task, action, and result (STAR).
- Create a scorecard: Reduce interviewer bias and easily compare candidates with a rating system. Hiring managers can score answers on a scale of one to five, with higher results meaning there is strong evidence that your candidate possesses a particular skill.
- Standardize your process: Ensure your interviewing team is on the same page by reviewing your questions and scorecard together. This helps you determine how to approach interviews and interpret answers consistently.
Mistakes to avoid when interpreting behavioral responses
Behavioral interviews risk staying surface level. These types of questions are easy to prepare for; as a result, recruiters may get a rehearsed answer that doesn’t elicit much information other than a nice success story. Make sure you dig a little deeper to get to know a candidate.
“Clarify what you hear until you feel satisfied that you’re seeing the real person, making it a genuinely interactive conversation rather than a simple question and answer session,” wrote Monster.
Additionally, many behavioral interview questions lead the candidate in a certain direction. For example, “Tell me about a time when you adapted to a difficult situation and how you did it” leads the candidate into a specific success story. “These interview questions give away the right answers; cuing candidates to share success stories and avoid examples of failure,” wrote Leadership IQ.
You can get more interesting information by breaking up questions into parts. For example, starting with “Tell me about a difficult situation you faced at work” allows the candidate to talk about the type of work environment they find challenging—without prompting a tale of achievement. Candidates who are natural problem-solvers will talk to you about their strategy for overcoming the challenging work environment, thereby allowing you to find the strongest applicants.
Industry-specific behavioral interview question examples
One of the advantages of behavioral interview questions is that they tend to be industry-agnostic. Many interview questions consider the specific role someone will play in the organization, drawing on their professional expertise rather than technical knowledge. For example, here are some behavioral interview questions for a candidate working in customer service:
- Can you share an instance when you went beyond your job responsibilities to solve a customer issue?
- Tell me about a time when you handled a high-stress situation with a customer.
- Share an experience where you used feedback to improve your customer service skills.
These questions can easily be customized for different roles and industries. Think about what qualities and experiences you hope a candidate brings to your organization, and craft your questions accordingly.
Jessica Elliott contributed to this article.
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