You already know that hiring the right talent is crucial for your organization's success. But the traditional interview process often falls short in assessing a candidate's true potential. Behavioral interview questions have emerged as a popular technique to explore a candidate's past experiences and behaviors, providing valuable insights into their suitability for a role.

But are you maximizing the effectiveness of these questions, or could you be inadvertently sabotaging your results? Let's learn more about what behavioral interviewing is and explore the pros and cons.

Understanding Behavioral Interviewing

Behavioral interviewing involves analyzing candidates based on their behavior in past work situations. By asking open-ended questions, employers aim to uncover how candidates handled specific scenarios, thus predicting their future performance. This technique focuses on soft skills and cultural fit, which are often as critical as technical competencies.

Some examples of behavioral interview questions are, "Tell me about a time when you had to successfully balance multiple responsibilities," "Tell me about a time you successfully persuaded someone to see things your way," and "Tell me about a time you adapted to a difficult situation."

The Pros of Behavioral Interviewing

• It's an accurate predictor of future behavior. Behavioral questions can reveal how candidates are likely to respond in similar situations in the workplace, providing valuable predictive insights.
• It encourages specificity. Candidates are prompted to provide detailed examples, offering a clearer picture of their abilities and experiences.
• It reduces bias. By focusing on behaviors rather than personal characteristics, behavioral interviews help mitigate bias in the hiring process.

The Cons of Behavioral Interviewing

• It can emphasize negative situations. Some questions may inadvertently highlight negative experiences, affecting candidates' perceptions.
• Behavioral questions are challenging to prepare. Crafting effective behavioral questions requires time and effort from interviewers, while candidates can prepare canned responses.
• Behavioral questions are limited in accuracy. While generally reliable, behavioral interviewing may not accurately predict future behavior due to individual circumstances.

Avoiding Pitfalls: Reframing Interview Questions

Traditional interview questions often reveal the desired answer, undermining their effectiveness in assessing candidates' suitability as team players. Questions like "Can you provide an example of collaboration?" or "Tell me about a time you successfully led a team," paint a clear picture of what the interviewer is seeking: success stories. And while success stories are undoubtedly valuable, they only offer a glimpse into one facet of a candidate's abilities and experiences. To truly gauge a candidate's suitability as a team player, interviewers need to delve deeper.

So, how can you reframe traditional interview questions to avoid these pitfalls?

Let's explore an example. Take a common behavioral interview question: "Tell me about a time when you had to successfully balance competing priorities." The problem with this question is that it gives away its answer. The interviewer is looking for a success story, and the person being interviewed knows that right away, so there is no real value to their answer.

A better way to frame this question is: "Tell me about a time when you faced competing priorities." This framing is more open-ended; gone are loaded words like "successfully" and "balanced." This question doesn't divulge the answer, allowing interviewees to share their successes or failures candidly - and reveal more about themselves as a candidate.

Ensuring Effective Assessment

To ensure you're not sabotaging your results, diversify your questions. Incorporate a mix of behavioral and situational questions to gain a comprehensive understanding of candidates' capabilities.

When asking behavioral interview questions, frame them in such a way that the question doesn't give away the answer you're looking for. Get rid of loaded words, like "successfully," that guide the interviewee toward the answer. This approach gives you a better picture of the candidate's true attitudes, work style, and organizational fit.

You also want to make sure to focus on positive situations, not negative ones. Balance questions that explore challenges with those that highlight successes and achievements. And remember to assess cultural fit through the questions you're asking. Tailor questions to evaluate candidates' alignment with your organization's values and work culture because it's just as important as technical or "hard" skills.

Find the Right Fit With a Staffing Partner

Struggling with the complexities of interviewing and hiring? Your staffing partner can help.

A staffing firm can handle the recruitment process on your behalf, including screening and interviewing. Stringent vetting methods ensure your company receives the talented people you need - people who possess both the skills and cultural fit to make your team successful. Reach out today to get started.