JOBTALKS A Primer on Behavioral Interviews Indiana University

JOBTALKS A Primer on Behavioral Interviews Indiana University Kelley School of Business C. Randall Powell, Ph. D Contents used in this presentation are adapted from Career Planning Strategies and used with the permission of the author.

A Primer on Behavioral Interviews

OBJECTIVES OF BEHAVIORAL-BASED INTERVIEWING (BBI) z Gather new data and samples of past performance not present on candidate resume, application or through pre-screening and testing. z Successfully interview candidates for any position. z Successfully evaluate job candidates’ technical/ functional knowledge, leadership competencies, experience, and educational qualifications, and ability to learn, change, and gain from exposure, feedback, successes and failures. z Increase quality of candidates selected by separating candidate from image he/she is trying to present. z Make decisions on consistently gathered job-related data/considerations.

BEHAVIORAL-BASED INTERVIEWING (BBI) z Behavior-Based Interviewing - A selection process that can reveal the job worthiness of candidates with considerable accuracy leading to hiring/not-hiring decisions. y. Best predictor of future performance in similar circumstances: x. More recent past behavior has greater predictive power x. More long-standing behavior has greater predictive power x. Samples of past performance are better predictors than indicators of personality traits.

WHY BEHAVIORAL-BASED INTERVIEWING The desired outcome is a bottom-line result which is to ultimately hire the best candidate who is the best fit for the position and the culture of the organization.

THE HIRING PROCESS z Hiring Is An Important Business Decision: y A recent survey asked managers to identify their most important business decisions. . . 90% put hiring decisions at the top of the list. y The importance and risk associated with a hiring decision is very high but often the planning and execution by managers doing the hiring. . . Is poor. y Planning better prepares you for making an important decision and reduces the risk associated with a mishire. y Cost of a mishire is two to four times the person’s salary. y Six steps in the hiring process. . .

THE HIRING PROCESS z Six steps in the hiring process: y. Step #1: Planning y. Step #2: Determine Search Strategies y. Step #3: Determine Screening Strategies y. Step #4: Determine Selection Strategies y. Step #5: The Offer Package y. Step #6: Transitioning the New Employee

THE HIRING PROCESS z Candidate Profile: Identify The Criteria and Leadership Qualities for the Ideal Candidate: y. Education Requirements and Technical Qualifications y. Experiences and Accomplishments: x. What are the experiences the candidate should bring to the job? • Specific Experiences • Specific Accomplishments • Specific Sector y. From list of 67 competencies, identify the competencies needed for the job and why. y. This creates the leadership criteria for the selection decision.

WHAT IS A COMPETENCY? z. A competency is a cluster of knowledge, skills and attitudes. y. What to do (knowledge) y. How to do it (skills) y. Why to do it (attitude)

THE HIRING PROCESS z The Interview Questions Explore 4 Dimensions of the Competency y Type 1: Has the candidate used the competency in the recent past? Can the candidate describe a negotiating experience? y Type 2: Can the candidate describe how he/she has seen others use the competency? Can the candidate describe someone else who negotiates effectively? y Type 3: Does the candidate know how to use the competency? Does the candidate understand how negotiating works? y Has the candidate integrated the competency. . . negotiating. . . into how he/she approaches the situation? z With each competency there is evidence to listen for in the answers. z Use follow-up or probing questions. z Probes allow you to get more detailed information from the candidate about how he/she did something or why he/she did it that way. . . and what he/she learned.

THE COMPETENCIES IDENTIFIED WILL: z Guide the interview by focusing on information about the candidate that will be most predictive of his/her performance. z Provide legal credibility for the selection process. z Help define and maintain standards during the selection process: y. The candidate will be evaluated based on how he/she performed in the various competencies. y. The hiring decision will be based on how well the candidate matched the requirements of the position.

If you would like to learn more, Career Planning Strategies textbook will supply additional information on this topic.