The Behavioral Interview Technique

1. The Behavioral Interview Technique Presented by Jill Douglas & Candra Garrett

2. Why do we interview? • Hiring is a Costly Decision • Cost of wrong hire is: • Salary • Lost or Damaged Relationships • Severance • Learning & Development • Lost Productivity/Morale • Recruitment of New Hire • Cost of a wrong hire can be 1-2.5x of that employee’s annual salary

3. The Importance of Good Hiring Almost 75% of all litigations against corporations today involve employment disputes. • Employment related lawsuits are the fastest growing type of civil case in the U.S. • Over 40% of all Employment Practice claims are filed against private employers who have between 15-100 employees.

4. Interviewing: Back to Basics • Do your Homework • Have Presence • Document, Document, Document • Be on Guard - Topics to Avoid • Post Interview Tips

5. Interviewing Basics Do your Homework Have Presence • Skills, Education, & Experience • Examine candidates’ public web profile • Pre-screening methods • Be timely & Prepared • Welcome, Accommodations & Itinerary • Prevent Interruptions • Comfortable Atmosphere • 80/20 Ratio

6. Interviewing Basics Documentation Topics to Avoid • Detailed Notes • Structured Forms used by all Interviewers • Standardized • More Objective • Can be reviewed • Race, color • Religion, creed (BFOQ @ Moody) • National Origin, citizenship • Gender, marital status, child care • Name, age, birthplace • Disability, Handicap • Photograph/Physical Attributes • Criminal background • Date & Type of Military Discharge • Language

7. Interviewing Basics Bona-fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ) Post-Interview Tips • An exception that allows discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, and national origin (but not race or color) if the very nature of that job requires them to do so. • Examples: Casting characters for a play or hiring a bathroom attendant. • Share next steps • Review notes and make overall ratings based on your informed complete assessment • Consult with hiring team

8. What is Behavioral-based Interviewing? Behavioral Based Interviewing is based on the theory that past behavior predicts future behavior. The Behavioral Interview is a systematic way to assess whether a candidate will be successful in a future job based on information the candidate provides about their actual behavior in the context of specific situations from the past.

9. Question Design Competency + Open Ended Question = Behavioral Interview Question • All questions in a Behavior-based Interview are based upon competencies directly related to the vacant position. • Competencies include all the related knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes that form a person’s job. • Usually questions are open-ended • Tell me about a time when… • Describe for me… • Give me an example of a time when…

10. Activity 1: Which Qs are Behaviorally Based? Determine which questions are behaviorally based, you have 5 minutes. • Are you a team player? • Tell me about a time when you were in charge of a task or project, describe your leadership style. • What interests or concerns do you have about the position or about working here at Moody? • What was your greatest challenge in a particular leadership role you have had? • What idea have you developed and implemented that was particularly creative or innovative? • What characteristics do you think are important for this position?

11. Activity 2: Question Conversion • Convert questions so they are behaviorally based, you have 5 minutes. • Are you a team player? • How do you motivate people? • What motivates you to excel? • How would you react to having your credibility questioned?

12. Activity 3: Which Competency? Answer Bank: Teamwork Management Ambition Cooperation Interpersonal Commitment Follow-through Collaboration Communication Determine which competencies are assessed with the following questions, you have 5 minutes. • Describe a time you worked with a team? • Tell me about a time when you had to motivate a group of people to meet a deadline. • Give me an example of a time you had to motivate yourself to get a project done, how did you do this?

13. Benefits of Behavioral Interview • Reduces Bias • Questions are job-related • Lawful & Defensible • Structured • Standardized • Harder for candidate to exaggerate or fake responses • Obtains fact vs. opinions

14. Behavioral Interview 4 Steps • Overview: • Preparation • Step 1: Understand Core Competencies • Step 2: Determine Interview Questions • The Interview • Step 3: Get the Best Possible Answers • S.T.A.R • Probing Questions • Documentation, Discussions & Decisions • Step 4: Take & Compare Notes

15. Preparing for the Behavioral Interview • Step 1: Understand Core Competencies for Job • Top Performers • Job Description • “must-haves” vs. “nice-to-haves” • Step 2: Determine Interview Questions • Questions should : • Relate to competencies • Be open-ended • Elicit detail/specific examples • Be positive & negative • Be consistent across candidates

16. Activity 4: Case Study Sales Decision Making Problem Solving Resourceful Caution Courage Teamwork Time Management Persuasion • Project Manager - IT • Review the Job Description for this position and choose 5 related competencies from the bank on the left – you have 10 minutes.

17. Activity 4: Case Study Sales Decision Making Problem Solving Resourceful Caution Courage Teamwork Time Management Persuasion Position: Project Manager - ITS Job Description: Function of Job Under general supervision of the Programming Support Department Manager, to plan, organize and control projects and handle all phases of system design and project administration. Job Characteristics and Responsibilities • 1. Determine user requirements by understanding user’s business rules. • 2. Analyze current systems for functionality. • 3. Design and implement new application programs for user requirements. • 4. Control large projects where the project includes multiple users and a team of Information Systems personnel. • 5. Coordinate design and programming work with consulting groups. • 6. Assist in implementing new technologies as they pertain to the user community. • 7. Perform related and special duties as assigned.

18. Activity 4, part B: Case Study Decision Making Problem Solving Resourceful Teamwork Time Management • Determine which competency these questions target? • Tell me about a time when you had to handle a kind of project you hadn’t handled before. • Tell me about a time when you were under a great deal of pressure to deliver on time. • Describe a time when you had to choose between product delivery & quality. • Describe an unpopular decision you had to make. • Describe the most effective team that you were part of or led.

19. The Behavioral Interview • Step 3: Get the Best Possible Answers • Get a S.T.A.R. Answer Every Time • S.T.A.R. – Situation or Task, Action, & Result • When and Where? • Behavioral Theory says the more recent the past behavior the more likely one is to repeat it • The key to getting a STAR answer is probing questions

20. Preparing for the Behavioral Interview • Probing Questions are follow-up questions related to the original question that solicits more detail and clarity from the candidate that the original question accomplished. • Can provide information candidate may not have supplied otherwise • Can be as simple as repeating a phrase or word the candidate used • “Disagreements?” • Examples: “What do you mean by ___________”, “Tell me more about that…” & “Can you elaborate here?”

21. S.T.A.R. Strategies Obstacle: lacks relevant example Obstacle: Uses group language • Encourage candidate to take more time • Ask the question in a new way • Ask a different question in the competency group • Ask candidate about their specific role in the situation/task • Wait until you hear “I” language

22. S.T.A.R. Strategies Obstacle: Provides Vague Results Obstacle: Not sure what to ask next? • Ask candidate to quantify or specify their results • Paraphrase/Summarize what candidate has already said • Pre-plan probing questions for all main questions

23. S.T.A.R. Strategies Obstacle: Reason for Action Unclear S.T.A.R • Ask candidate why they took specific action • Shows insight, perceptiveness, and problem solving • Situation • Task • Action • Result Make sure you get a S.T.A.R. answer every time

24. Activity 5: Probing Question Scripts Read the Script and suggest next probing question – you have 5 minutes. Competency: Teamwork • Interviewer: Tell me about a time when you worked with a team. • Candidate: In college, I worked on a group project in my Intro to Psychology Class • Potential Probing Questions:

25. Activity 5: Probing Question Scripts Read the Script and suggest next probing question – you have 5 minutes Competency: Composure • Interviewer: Describe a time your credibility was questioned, how did you react? • Candidate: At my last job, during a research project I had a disagreement with my supervisor who didn’t believe I could meet my deadline. • Potential Probing Questions:

26. Activity 5: Probing Question Scripts Read the Script and suggest next probing question – you have 5 minutes. Competency: Creativity • Interviewer: What is one of the most imaginative or innovative things you have done in your present position? • Candidate: *Long Pause* Sorry I can’t think of an example. • Potential Probing Questions:

27. Documentation After 20 minutes only 58% of data is likely to be recalled from memory. • Step 4: Take & Compare Notes • Taking notes ensures accurate & complete record • Tell candidate you will be taking notes • Refrain from making premature ratings

28. Discussion & Decision • Compare notes • Data integration refines information • Protects from bias, non-job related decisions • Provides comprehensive documentation supporting your final decision

29. Learning Summary • Interview Basics • Behavioral Interview Technique • Preparation • Question Design • Competencies • The Interview • S.T.A.R. Strategies • Probing Questions • Post-Interview • Documentation, Discussion, & Decision

30. Activity 6: Real Playing • Get into groups of 3 • 3 rounds of interviews • 7 minutes each • Roles: • Interviewer • Candidate • Observer • InterviewsRounds: • Round 1:Departmental Administrative Assistant • Round 2: Social Media Specialist • Round 3: Customer Service Manager

31. Activity 6: Real Playing • Step 1:Determine 3 key competencies • Step 2: Prepare 2 behavioral-based questions, 2 probing questions • Step 3: Conduct Interview – • 7 minutes each round • Step 4: Observer takes notes, provides feedback to interviewer *Repeat steps for each round*

32. Additional Resources & Tools • Visit MyMoody.edu > Human Resources Homepage > Recruitment > Hiring Manager • Recruiting & Interviewing Toolkit • Behavioral Interviewing Questions by Competency