The Business of Behavioural Interviewing

OVERVIEW: This article gives an overview of behavioural interviewing: the techniques behind it, the benefit of doing it and the situations under which you would use it.

TAKEOUTS:

Behavioural Interviewing seeks to measure and assess specific behaviours through directed questions that require the candidate to give answers drawn from their previous work experience. It is largely designed to objectively assess a potential hire’s non-technical expertise.
Good interviewing questions are tailored to the unique demands of the role and based on actual situations that a candidate would confront in the role.

Poor hiring decisions cost businesses millions of dollars each year. They impact not only profits, competitiveness and market share, but can also have a detrimental affect on employee retention and morale. Conversely, research shows that high performing employees can deliver up to 12 times the value of mid-level performers. It is clear that the stakes in making the right hiring decision are high.

By the time a candidate reaches the interview stage, they have probably passed a number of first level ‘check-points’ (e.g. telephone screening, mandatory recruitments, etc) that means that, on paper at least, they have the ability to do the job. As such, the challenge at interview is to measurably discern the difference between a good candidate and a great one. To do this, you must employ a method of interviewing that digs below the waterline to reveal the actual “fit”. One interview technique increasing in use is called structured behavioural (or competency-based) interviewing.

What is Structured Behavioural Interviewing?

Behavioural interviewing is based on the premise that the most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in similar situations . The candidate’s past performance in the workplace is assessed through a process of structured questions that focus on the core competencies and key result areas required in the role. As a recruitment technique, behavioural interviewing is deemed to be 55% predictive, while traditional interviewing is said to be only 10% predictive .

In industries such as IT, it is ironic that while most hiring is done around technical skills, most staff retention issues arise based on softer skills such as attitude or personality conflicts . A technical question would rarely reveal such a potential behavioural flaw. When competency-based behavioural interviewing forms the framework for the recruitment process, interviewers are able to make much more effective hiring decisions.

Why Use Behavioural Interviewing?

Implemented properly, behavioural interviewing offers many advantages:

Systematic process
Interviewers follow a structured format, including standardised questions and objective rating scales. This increases the reliability and consistency of outcomes.
Acquiring relevant and objective information
The questions asked in a behavioural interview are designed to evaluate only the competencies that have been shown through job analysis to be required for successful job performance. This prevents interviewers from assessing irrelevant knowledge or skills.
A behavioural interview can also help reveal if a potential hire has not been entirely truthful on their resume. It is much harder for an interviewee to fabricate stories ‘off the cuff’ when asked for specific examples demonstrating particular qualities (e.g. “Can you tell me of a time when you had to resolve conflict to ensure a software upgrade was completed on time, and you were unsuccessful?”).
Minimises prejudices
With many IT candidates coming from non-western countries and cultures, prejudices relating to ethnicity, gender, religion or any other non-work related issue must not be allowed to create interviewer bias that negatively impacts on hiring decisions.
In every interview, all candidates are asked the same questions, assessed against the same set of job-related competencies, and rated using the same method. This keeps the interview focussed on what is most relevant, with the end result being that all candidates are treated the same way.
Providing “best match” between candidate and job
Quantative ratings are used to measure candidates against an objective job-related competency profile. This prevents interviewers from comparing candidates to each other or from using other irrelevant criteria.
Reducing training time and turnover
If a candidate can be proven to already have the majority of necessary skills required, they can more quickly become a profitable and productive worker. New hires not properly matched to roles may not only require additional training, but also quickly become frustrated with the demands of a job they cannot perform. This can ultimately contribute to increased staff turnover.

How to use Behavioural Interviewing

An effective structured behavioural interviewing program requires an employer to develop job-related competencies, write behavioural questions regarding those competencies, and train interviewers to use the system.

Step 1: Analyse the Job

Review the job description, performance standards and business plans which impact the position. Developing competencies involves identifying a list of capabilities and characteristics – the knowledge, skills, abilities and personal style – that distinguish the top performers in the position . Determine which competencies are mandatory for the role and which the incumbent must have, as opposed to those which can be developed after the hire. These essential competencies become the foundation for the interview and selection.

Step 2: Plan the Interview

This step involves planning the interview process and developing interview questions for all mandatory competencies. Interview questions should be directive and probing . Directing questions are designed to assess specific competencies. They are usually used to ask a candidate to describe an actual past situation in which they were involved. Probing questions dig deeper and elicit details. They can involve asking a candidate for their thoughts, feelings, actions taken, results achieved and conclusions or lessons learned.

Step 3: The Interview

The candidate is asked a series of standardised questions designed to elicit examples of behaviours that are used to assess the candidate’s proficiencies in one or more job-related competencies. For each question, the interviewer is hoping to hear a “S.T.A.R.” answer, that includes all of the following:
a) The Situation in which the behaviour or action occurred
b) The Task that the situation required or their ideas for resolving the situation
c) The Action – what the candidate did or obstacles that had to be addressed
d) The Result – the outcome of their behaviour.

For example, to assess leadership ability, an interviewer might ask a candidate to “Describe a time when you had to persuade someone to do something that he/she did not want to do. What did you do and what was the result?”

Step 4: Evaluate Candidates

The interviewer then evaluates the answers to each question and submits a quantitative rating for each of the targeted competencies.

When Not To Use Behavioural Interviewing
As with any recruitment technique, competency-based interviewing has its limitations. The most common instances when you would not use it are:

Too Many Applicants/Urgent Hiring Needs
IBM receives over 40,000 job applications a month, and has an average of 5000 vacant positions each month . In a high volume recruitment environment, time may simply not permit the use of an interview technique that by its nature lengthens the process.
The Candidate has Successfully Acted in the Role
This is especially important if the candidate’s experience was gained in your organisation or department. Using behavioural interview questions in this scenario can be an unnecessary requirement at best, and insulting to the candidate at worst. If someone has already proven themselves suitable, don’t waste time and money asking them to do it again.
Most of the Role is Technical
Information technology normally has two career development tracks – technical (programming, hardware, software) and “managerial” (sales, marketing, strategy, HR, Training). Until employees progress to front-line management or client-facing roles, their suitability can largely be assessed via their technical ability.

Conclusion

Traditional interviewing – based on “gut” feeling or other subjective criteria – is a poor predictor of future job performance. A well-designed behavioural interviewing program can help managers more accurately predict a candidate’s potential for success on the job. While not a ‘magic bullet’, having managers trained to a high level (i.e. able to formally prepare questions as well as develop them ‘off the cuff’ in an interview situation) is a valuable skill to possess in nay hiring situation. The many benefits of competency-based interviewing more than outweigh the investment required to up-skill staff in its proper use.

Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of absoluteIT.

This article was licenced by absoluteIT for the absoluteIT client newsletter. Article Written by Victoria Small, and edited by Paul Quinn, Quinntessential Marketing Consulting Pty Ltd.

References:
Aberdeen Group Report, 2001

Making the Case for Behavioral Interviewing -

Competency-based Interviewing

Behavioral Interviews - A Job Candidate's Toughest Obstacle

Behavioural Interviewing: Hiring The Best

University of Wellington Job Preparation

Structured Behavioral Interviewing

Other resources:
Interviewing Tips