How to keep interviewers out of trouble – Behavior-Based Interviewing Process
Simple format to keep interviewers out of trouble!
When interviewing, the same rules apply to adjudicate potential employees as they do for current members of the workforce. You can only assess people based on three types of questions:
- Performance – What people do.
- Behavior – How people act.
- Attendance – Where and When people are doing their responsibilities.
If you deviate from questioning in these areas, it’s just a matter of time before you land yourself and the organization in trouble!
Behavior-Based Interviewing
Behavioral-Based Interviewing works on the theory that the most accurate predictor of future behavior is past behavior in a similar situation. However, one size does not fit all in behavior. Different candidates can have very different ways of doing things and can execute their responsibilities equally well. That is the nature of behavior.
Use SAR (Situation, Actions, Results)
An interviewer’s goal is to determine whether the candidate might behave appropriately for the position the candidate is being interviewed to potentially fill. SAR’s simple format provides structure. Here’s what you say to a candidate to kick off Behavior-based Interview Questions:
“I want to kick off by letting you know what I am looking for in this segment of the interview. We are specifically looking at behavior. To make sure you understand the format, I would like you to concentrate on HOW you go about your responsibilities specifically addressing these three components in order:
- A specific situation or task in which you displayed the behavior of the focus of my question.
- The Actions you took (using skills).
- Results of your actions that made things measurably better.
After you’ve set the stage, the candidate’s task is to provide a real-life example of how they have previously used or demonstrated the behavior (in a work context) about which skills and capabilities (performance metrics) you are inquiring.
Sticking to this simple format keeps an interviewer on task and out of trouble!
Learn more about our DISCflex Interviewing Guide.
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