“The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.”
Many of us have read the above quote or some version of it, yet thanks to the internet I discovered that we really don’t know who first said it! It is often attributed to the psychologist Albert Ellis, while others give credit to Mark Twain and even Shakespeare is believed to have made a similar comment.
What we do know is that using a structured behavioral-based interview gives you the best chance of making the right hiring decision the first time. Big data analytics at Google and multiple published studies confirm that asking candidates to describe what they actually have done and the outcome is the best predictor of success on the job. And bringing the right person onboard is a key part of building and sustaining an effective work team.
The steps to develop behavioral-based interview questions are:
- Identify the critical job related competencies required for success on the job.
- These include the knowledge, skills, abilities and characteristics necessary to do the job and to be a contributing member of the work team.
- Write questions that require the candidate to describe what they have actually done or said in a previous situation that demonstrates the application of each critical competency.
- Plan probing and follow-up questions to clarify what you are asking or to verify the answer provided.
- Probing and follow-up questions are based on the original question.
- Probing and follow-up questions are used to help the candidate understand the question and competency or to help you understand their answer.
- Establish a common criteria or rubric to be used in evaluating responses.
- The criteria will rate the quality of using the required competency or the actual demonstration of the competency.
- The criteria must be observable and applicable across candidates and interviewers.
We have created a set of behavioral-based interview questions that you can use as examples or a resource to develop your own – Behavioral based questions.
It takes work to develop and conduct effective structured behavior-based interviews but increasing your odds to get the right person the first time to join your team is a great payoff.
Todd Thorsgaard
Higher EDge 