Behavioral Based Interviewing

Have you ever been blind-sided by who you thought was a perfect hire, but turned out to be a total disaster? Or had the feeling you missed out on a great fit because you overlooked someone who was too quiet or too shy?

Behavior-based interviewing can help you avoid some of those mistakes by helping candidates reveal their true colors – for better or worse. This technique is built on the idea that how someone has behaved in the past predicts how they will continue to behave in the future. If you know what questions to ask and how to interpret the answers, you can see through the attractive picture a candidate paints for you and see their true competencies and the areas where they need improvement.

Proper utilization of behavior-based interviewing techniques can dramatically improve your chances of hiring the right people. Avoid candidates who look great on paper and even sound great in the room but have little to offer behind their smiles and résumés. Stop overlooking those people who are less polished on paper, in person or who don't perform as well in standard interview processes. The behavior-based interview also tends to lower the chances that you or a member of your staff accidentally committing legal or ethical breaches during the hiring process, as questions focus on scenarios rather than on sensitive personal topics.