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S.t.a.r.
Behavioral-based interviewing
is touted as providing a more objective
set of facts for employers to make
objective employment decisions.
Successful employers use a behavioral
interview technique coined STAR
to evaluate a candidate’s experiences
and behaviors so they can determine
the applicant’s potential for success.
The interviewer identifies job-related
experiences, behaviors, knowledge,
skills and abilities that the company
has determined as desirable for a
particular position. Some statistically
common and desirable characteristics
for contact center, customer service
professionals (CSPs) include:
H Listening
H Conscientiousness
H Team Player
H Professionalism, Articulation
and Voice Quality
H Reasoning
H Stability
Many contact centers may not spend
the time necessary to really interview
CSPs using a behavioral interview
technique. This is quite a mistake.
Why? Because that CSP is the front line
to your customer. Not you. Whether
CSPs are taking inbound or making
outbound calls, you want to seek out
past behaviors that predict future
actions. By taking the time to get to
know a candidate in a 30-45 minute
in-person, behavioral interview, you
mitigate turnover and increase KPI
performance in the long run.
Interviewers should always start
out questions with open-ended
questions such as, “Tell about a time
when...” or “Describe a situation...”
so practice these types of phrases for
all questions. And be quiet. If you
talk more than your candidate, you
aren’t learning anything about your
future CSP. Interviewers should have
the attitude that the interview is their
responsibility, not the other way
around. Why? Because you are the
one accountable in making the right
hiring decision. You own the decision,
not the candidate. Yes, the candidate
is there to share past experiences
and earn the position but you, as the
interviewer, are ultimately responsible
for the contact center performance
and that happens through CSPs. So
creating an attitude that you own
that interview process is key to
interviewing success and key to
your center’s future performance.
As the interviewer, you should
be equipped with the skills to
present questions thoroughly for
your candidate, again, because the
interview is your responsibility. You
are seeking specific answers from
by Michellesims
The Recession-
Proof Interview –
Hire the Best in Any
Economy with a STAR
1. S/T – Situation or Task
(also known as a problem to solve,
the issue at hand)
Interview asks, “Share a
situation where…”
Candidate should describe
the situation or task at hand.
2. A - Action
Interview continues to ask, “What
happened?” “What did you do?”
Candidate should provide specific
actions that he/she personally dealt
with relating to the situation or task
at hand.
3. R – Result
(or outcome to the situation/task)
Interview asks, “What was the
result of that action?”
Candidate needs to express
what was learned, what was
missed, what he/she would do
differently. If you miss this piece
of the answer, you have no
performance to assess in order to
make an objective hiring decision.
S.T. A .R.S.T. A .R.

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your candidate and it is your job to ask questions in a
manner that sets up the candidate to answer in the STAR
format. Candidates who tell you about particular situations
that relate to each question will be far more effective and
successful than those who respond in general terms. So
asking the question properly will allow you to make a better
hiring decision because you have better answers from your
candidates to make objective hiring decisions.
Ideally, you want the candidate to describe the situation,
what specific action he/she took to have an effect on the
situation, and the positive result or outcome. Solid answers
are framed with a STAR. Why frame it in this manner?
Because past behavior predicts future performance. As the
interviewer, you can make a decision on the future success
(or not) of this candidate in your contact center based on
past situations, actions and outcomes that the candidate
shares with you. For all questions, follow this pattern:
1. S/T – Situation or Task
(also known as a problem to solve, the issue at hand
Interview asks, “Share a situation where…”
Candidate should describe the situation or task at hand.
2. A – Action
Interview continues to ask, “What happened?”
“What did you do?”
Candidate should provide specific actions that
he/she personally dealt with relating to the situation
or task at hand.
3. R – Result
(or outcome to the situation/task)
Interview asks, “What was the result of that action?”
Candidate needs to express what was learned, what
was missed, what he/she would do differently. If you
miss this piece of the answer, you have no performance
to assess in order to make an objective hiring decision.
With this pattern, the interviewer controls the flow of
the conversation and guides the candidate in providing
solid answers. This pattern results in solid data of past
performance of the candidate in order for you to make a
good hiring decision.
Finally, many behavioral questions can seek out positive
and negative outcomes; ask your candidate for a positive
and negative result just to gain more insight in order to
make a good hiring decision. You want to see if your
candidate made the best of any situation and learned from
all situations during the interview.
Now, here is some insight into candidate advice on
behavioral interviewing. Why should this matter to an
interviewer? Because if it is apparent that your candidate
didn’t prepare, then you have just made a good hiring
decision to not hire that candidate for your contact center.
Candidates should:
H Identify six to eight examples from their past
experience on their resume where they demonstrated
top behaviors and skills that employers typically seek.
They should think in terms of examples that will
exploit the skills or the characteristics listed above.
H Half of your examples should be positive, such as
accomplishments or meeting goals, and how they
met these goals.
H The other examples should be situations that started out
negatively but either ended positively or they made the
best of the outcome and have learned a valuable lesson
that has furthered your career. They should be prepared
to explain how this lesson has furthered their career.
H Varied examples; candidates should not take them all
from just one area of life. Jobs 10 years ago taught us
valuable lessons that we still reference today.
H Did they describe examples in story form that follows
the pattern Situation- Action- Result/Outcome
(remember STAR).
H In the interview, did they listen carefully to each
question and discuss an example that provides an
appropriate description of how they demonstrated the
desired behavior.
H Did they take in your resume and your notes to reference
during your interview – this shows preparedness.
H Pre-determine questions regarding the position and the
company, do they ‘wing it’ when it comes to questions;
candidates that don’t ask well thought-out questions
don’t get the job!
H Did they ask about salary, incentives or benefits in the
first interview – a cardinal rule not to break.
H We don’t get what we don’t ask for – did they close the
interview! Did they tell you they are interested in the
next step of the interview process and ask the what the
next step is to remain in the interview process.
Michelle is Spherion Staffing’s Regional Vice President in the western
US territory that encompasses ten states. Michelle has 20 years of human
resources experience in various industries including hospitality, consumer
products, and managed services.