Behavioral Interviewing & Assessment Techniques Flashcards

What is the main purpose of behavioral interviewing?

Answer: To evaluate a candidate’s past behavior to predict future success

Behavioral interviewing is founded on the principle that past behavior is the most reliable predictor of future performance. By asking candidates to describe specific situations and their actions, interviewers gain concrete evidence of their skills, competencies, and decision-making abilities in real-world contexts. This method provides objective insights into a candidate's potential for success.

Which technique is commonly used in behavioral interviews?

Answer: STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result)

The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is a widely used technique in behavioral interviewing to elicit comprehensive and structured responses. It prompts candidates to provide a complete narrative of their experiences, ensuring interviewers receive all necessary details to evaluate specific competencies. This structured approach helps assess how candidates have handled challenges and achieved results in the past.

Why is consistency important in behavioral interviewing?

Answer: It promotes fairness and unbiased evaluation

Consistency in behavioral interviewing, achieved through standardized questions and evaluation criteria, is crucial for promoting fairness and unbiased evaluation. It ensures all candidates are assessed against the same benchmarks, reducing the potential for interviewer bias and increasing the objectivity and validity of the hiring process. This leads to more equitable and legally defensible hiring decisions.

Which question best aligns with behavioral interviewing?

Answer: Tell me about a time you led a team through a challenge

This question directly aligns with behavioral interviewing by asking for a specific past experience where the candidate demonstrated leadership skills in a challenging context. It prompts the candidate to use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide concrete evidence of their abilities, rather than offering hypothetical or generalized answers. This allows for a deeper understanding of their actual performance.

What is a common pitfall in behavioral interviews?

Answer: Providing the desired answer in the question

A common pitfall in behavioral interviews is leading the candidate by embedding the desired answer within the question itself. This can prompt candidates to simply agree or provide what they believe the interviewer wants to hear, rather than offering an authentic account of their own experiences and actions. Questions should be neutral and open-ended to encourage genuine responses.

What role does documentation play in behavioral interviewing?

Answer: It ensures accurate and fair evaluation of responses

Thorough documentation of candidate responses during behavioral interviews is essential for ensuring accurate and fair evaluation. It allows interviewers to recall specific details, compare answers against established criteria, and justify their hiring decisions objectively. Good documentation also helps mitigate bias and provides a reliable record for future reference or legal review.

How should interviewers evaluate behavioral answers?

Answer: By using a scoring rubric aligned to STAR elements

To ensure objective and consistent evaluation, interviewers should use a scoring rubric that clearly defines what constitutes an effective response for each competency, often aligned with the STAR elements. This structured approach helps assess the quality and completeness of a candidate's answer against predefined criteria. It minimizes subjective impressions and promotes fairness in the assessment process.

What is one way to improve the effectiveness of behavioral interviews?

Answer: Train interviewers on question framing and evaluation

The effectiveness of behavioral interviews heavily relies on the skills of the interviewers. Training them on how to formulate effective behavioral questions, probe for details, and objectively evaluate responses using consistent criteria significantly improves the quality and reliability of the hiring process. This ensures a standardized, fair, and insightful assessment of candidates.

Why are behavioral interviews effective?

Answer: They help predict future behavior based on past actions

Behavioral interviews are highly effective because they operate on the principle that an individual's past actions and decisions are the strongest indicators of how they will perform in similar future situations. By focusing on concrete examples of past behavior, these interviews provide tangible evidence of skills and competencies, leading to more accurate predictions of future job success.