What is Behavioral Interviewing?
Behavioral Interviewing is a structured interview technique used by employers to assess a candidate’s past behavior in various situations as a predictor of their future performance. The underlying principle of this interviewing method is that past behavior is the best indicator of how someone will behave in similar circumstances in the future.
This approach focuses on asking candidates to provide specific examples from their past work experience, showcasing their skills, decision-making abilities, problem-solving techniques, and how they handled challenges. The goal is to understand how they approach situations that are similar to those they may encounter in the role they are applying for.
Key Components of Behavioral Interviewing
- STAR Technique
The most common framework used in behavioral interviews is the STAR method, which helps candidates structure their responses effectively. The STAR acronym stands for:- Situation: Describe the context or challenge you faced.
- Task: Explain the task or goal you were working toward.
- Action: Detail the specific steps or actions you took to address the situation.
- Result: Share the outcome of your actions, emphasizing your impact and the lessons learned.
- Competency-Based Questions
Behavioral interviews often involve competency-based questions that focus on specific skills or traits that are essential for the role, such as leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and communication. These questions are designed to assess how well candidates demonstrate key competencies in real-world scenarios.
Common Behavioral Interview Questions
Here are examples of typical behavioral interview questions designed to evaluate a candidate’s suitability for a role:
- Teamwork:
- “Can you describe a time when you worked successfully as part of a team to achieve a goal?”
- “Tell me about a time when there was a conflict in a team. How did you handle it?”
- Problem-Solving:
- “Give an example of a difficult problem you solved at work. What was your approach?”
- “Tell me about a time when you had to make a tough decision with limited information.”
- Leadership:
- “Describe a time when you led a team through a challenging project. How did you motivate your team?”
- “Tell me about a time you had to influence others to follow your lead.”
- Time Management:
- “Can you provide an example of when you had to juggle multiple priorities? How did you stay organized?”
- “Describe a situation where you had to meet a tight deadline. How did you manage your time?”
- Customer Service:
- “Tell me about a time when you turned an unhappy customer into a satisfied one.”
- “Describe a situation where you went above and beyond to help a customer.”
Benefits of Behavioral Interviewing
- Predictive of Future Performance
By focusing on a candidate’s past behavior, employers can gain insight into how they are likely to perform in future job situations. This helps ensure that candidates are not just good on paper but also capable of excelling in the role. - Reduces Bias
Behavioral interviewing encourages a standardized and objective approach to evaluating candidates, reducing the influence of personal biases and focusing on concrete examples. - Assesses Relevant Skills
This interview method provides a more accurate assessment of skills and competencies that are directly related to the job, such as problem-solving, leadership, and communication. - Improves Hiring Accuracy
By diving deep into past experiences, behavioral interviews allow employers to more accurately match candidates to roles, which can lead to higher retention rates and better job performance. - Encourages Candidate Reflection
Candidates are required to reflect on their past experiences and behaviors, which often leads to more thoughtful and authentic responses, allowing employers to better understand their true capabilities.
Challenges of Behavioral Interviewing
- Candidate Preparation
Some candidates may struggle to recall specific examples or may not have prepared adequately for the type of questions asked. This can make it challenging to get the most accurate assessment of their abilities. - Overemphasis on Past Experience
Behavioral interviewing heavily relies on past behavior as a predictor of future performance, which may not always be a perfect indicator. Candidates who are new to the workforce or changing careers may not have sufficient examples to draw from. - Time-Consuming
Behavioral interviews can take longer to conduct compared to traditional interviews, as they require more detailed answers and follow-up questions to fully assess a candidate’s experiences. - Interviewer Skill
The success of a behavioral interview depends on the interviewer’s ability to ask the right questions and interpret answers effectively. Poorly framed questions or a lack of follow-up can lead to inaccurate assessments.
Best Practices for Conducting Behavioral Interviews
- Prepare the Right Questions
Before the interview, identify the key competencies required for the role and develop specific behavioral questions that align with these skills. - Listen Actively
Pay close attention to the candidate’s responses and look for examples that demonstrate their problem-solving, leadership, and interpersonal abilities. Don’t hesitate to ask follow-up questions for clarification or to dig deeper into their experiences. - Use the STAR Method
Encourage candidates to answer using the STAR technique to ensure their responses are structured and comprehensive. - Evaluate Responses Objectively
Assess responses based on the specific behaviors demonstrated, focusing on the outcome and how it relates to the competencies required for the role. - Create a Comfortable Environment
Make candidates feel at ease to encourage open, honest responses. Behavioral interviews can be intimidating, so a welcoming atmosphere can help candidates provide the best answers.
Conclusion
Behavioral Interviewing is an effective technique for hiring managers to assess a candidate’s qualifications based on real-world examples of past behavior. By focusing on the specific actions and outcomes of a candidate’s past experiences, employers gain valuable insights into how they will perform in future roles.
When used correctly, behavioral interviewing can improve hiring accuracy, reduce bias, and ultimately help organizations hire candidates who are not only qualified but also a great fit for the company culture and the specific role.