1 Behavioral Based InterviewingJeannine Seher, Assistant Director of HR Bobbi Wallace, Human Resources Analyst
2 Merit System PrinciplesEmployees are: Recruited, selected, and promoted on the basis of their relative knowledge, skills and abilities. Compensated equitably and adequately Provided training to ensure optimum performance Retained in accordance with the adequacy of their performance, given opportunities to correct inadequate performance, and discharged only when inadequate performance is not corrected Merit System principles were founded in the late 1800 to combat cronyism. Folks were blatantly being hired and promoted for political favoritism. The merit system has its principles based strictly on merit in all areas of employment. These principles partner well with other state and federal employment laws to avoid pitfalls in hiring or promoting employees.
3 Merit System PrinciplesProtected against political coercion and are prohibited from using their official authority to interfere with, or affect the results of an election or a nomination for office Ensured fair treatment in all aspects of human resources administration, without regard to race, color, national origin, sex or religious creed (as are applicants for employment)
4 The Interview Process Providing hiring managers the opportunity to inquire about a candidates background, ask questions related to the job and probe into specifics provided on the candidates application (employment gaps, etc.) Providing an opportunity to assess the overall potential of a candidate Provides a candidate with information about the job Primary goal is to find the ‘right’ person to fill the vacant position Ask what are some of the goals that the interview process provides? Differentiate between candidates on the basis of their relative suitability for employment. Information gathered can be evaluated in a uniform fashion to produce an objective assessment of the candidate’s suitability based on specific job related factors. Reminder, candidates that are interviewing are qualified candidates.
5 Interview InformationDuring an interview, hiring managers are looking to answer the following: Skills/Abilities Work Ethic Fit Does the applicant have the skills and abilities to perform the job? Does the applicant possess the work ethic that the employer expects? Will the applicant be a team player and fit into the organization?
6 Traditional InterviewPros Popular Easy to administer Comfortable, familiar Cons Interview response validity is low Interviewee may talk excessively Some interviewees naturally answer well Can produce a ‘Halo’ or ‘cloning’ effect*
7 Traditional Interview Question ExamplesWhere do you see yourself in 5 years? How would you handle a customer complaint? What steps would you take to diagnosis a problem with a chiller?
8 Video
9 Behavioral Based InterviewingTechnique used to evaluate a candidate's experiences and behaviors so they can determine the applicant's potential for success. The interviewer identifies job-related experiences, behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities that the County has decided are desirable in a particular classification. Premise: past experiences are the best indicators of future actions Greater reliability Behavioral interviewing, in fact, is said to be 55 percent predictive of future on-the-job behavior, while traditional interviewing is only 10 percent predictive. Behavioral-based interviewing is touted as providing a more objective set of facts to make employment decisions than other interviewing methods. Traditional interview questions ask you general questions such as “Tell me about yourself.” The process of behavioral interviewing is much more probing and works very differently. In a traditional job interview, you can usually get away with telling the interviewer what he or she wants to hear, even if you are fudging a bit on the truth. Even if you are asked situational questions that start out “How would you handle XYZ situation?” you have minimal accountability. How does the interviewer know, after all, if you would really react in a given situation the way you say you would? In a behavioral interview, however, it’s much more difficult to give responses that are untrue to your character. When you start to tell a behavioral story, the behavioral interviewer typically will pick it apart to try to get at the specific behavior(s). The interviewer will probe further for more depth or detail such as “What were you thinking at that point?” or “Tell me more about your meeting with that person,” or “Lead me through your decision process.” If you’ve told a story that’s anything but totally honest, your response will not hold up through the barrage of probing questions. Employers use the behavioral-interview technique to evaluate a candidate’s experiences and behaviors so they can determine the applicant’s potential for success. The interviewer identifies job-related experiences, behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities that the company has decided are desirable in a particular position.
10 Types of Questions Warm-Up Experience Self-Evaluation Behavioral Based
11 STAR
12 Creating Structured Interview QuestionsReview the job specs Perform skills analysis of the job Identify technical job skills needed Identify performance skills and competencies that should be evaluated during the interview (core competencies)
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14 Finding your S.T.A.R.s Evaluate Candidates responsesWas the situation provided relevant and recent Candidates responsibilities/duties for related tasks Did candidate perform tasks appropriate for the situation? Did candidate perform tasks independently or with team? Judgment? Results – positive or negative – can be informative Listen for key words: Usually, typically Vague references Theoretical responses
15 Let’s Explore Why does this position interest you and what in your background makes you believe you would be good in this role? I have worked in a County environment for 5+ years, and in my current organization, I have been denied the opportunity to promote. I have been sought out to train and assist others in the department, and have been selected to present in community meetings. Despite my outspoken and direct style, I am a highly sought after trainer. I operate with the highest of integrity and take pride in doing my job to the highest standards. I come to work to do the best job for my clients – not to win popularity contests. This position would afford me the ability to use my skills in an organization where they will be valued and where I can continue to grow and promote.
16 Let’s explore “Tell me about a time you had to handle a difficult customer. Explain your role in diffusing the situation.” A customer came into the office upset. He had spent 15 minutes looking for a parking spot, only to find he had been told he was in the wrong location. He was clearly frustrated. I told him I understood how frustrating that can be and asked him to explain what services he was looking for. He explained he needed to get some County records. I explained to him that he was not in the correct building, but that I would help him get to where he needed to be. Even though it was not my fault, I apologized for the mix up. I contacted the correct office and got the name of someone for him to ask for when he arrived at the correct location. Although he was still not happy about being sent to the wrong location, he was satisfied that he had the name and contact information of someone who would help him when he arrived at the correct location.
17 Let’s explore “Tell me about a time when you had a difficult problem to fix and you had to admit to your supervisor you weren’t able to figure it out.” Well, that’s pretty difficult because I am usually able to figure out all of the problems that I am faced with. Besides, my supervisor is pretty new to the field and can’t find his way to a problem, even with a diagram.
18 Let’s explore “Tell me about a time when you saw a problem that needed to be fixed, but you weren’t asked to fix it. What did you do?” Part of my job as a stationary engineer is to do preventative maintenance. We have a schedule and it rotates depending on equipment. We noticed a problem with some staining on a ceiling panel. The condensing unit wasn’t due to be looked at for another 3 months, but we didn’t recall seeing the water stain previously. We called our supervisor to tell him we would be running late. We got the ladder and went up into the ceiling and found a hose had come out of the drip pan and was creating a slow leak. Fortunately, we fixed the problem before it became an even bigger issue.
19 Teamwork Tell me about a time you worked on a team and didn’t agree with the direction the project was going in. How did you handle it? Tell me about a project you worked on with a team that you found rewarding. Include your role, and what you found rewarding Tell me about a time you had to resolve a difference among team members who didn’t agree?
20 Problem solving Tell me about a time you identified a problem and the steps you took to solve it. Tell me about a difficult performance issue you had to address and what you did to address it. Tell me about a time when you attempted to resolve an issue and your solution backfired. What lessons did you learn from the experience and how have you applied those lessons?
21 Initiative Tell me about a project you initiated at work. Please include how you determined there was a need, how you garnered support, the tasks you completed, and the results. Tell me about a time you improved workplace procedures. What was the old procedure and what changes did you make? What was the result?
22 Customer Focus Tell me about a time when you were faced with a difficult customer. What made him/her difficult and how did were you able to help him/her? Provide some examples of how you have been able to address a customer’s concerns, while not being able to do exactly what s/he originally asked?
23 Leadership Describe a time you had to make an unpopular decision. What was the decision, and describe the steps you took to gain acceptance. Describes steps you have taken on a project to ensure timely completion. We are not always successful. Tell me about a time you failed at something significant and what you learned from it.
24 Flexibility Describe a time when you had to change course in the middle of a project. What were the circumstances and what steps did you take to adjust course? Describe a time when you had to change your approach because of other individuals involved? Describe a time when you were unable to proceed as planned because you weren’t able to convince someone on your course of action.
25 Need a little help with Questions?Google is your friend Do internet search on “Behavioral based interview questions for
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