Best Practices for Behaviour-Based Interviewing

Introduction to
Behavioural Interviewing
April 2014 WWW.HADFIELDHR.COM 1

Gayle Hadfield, CHRP
for Charity Village

Objectives….
 Know the core principles and concepts of
behavioural interviewing
 Know the types of behavioural questions
and when to use them
 Avoiding discriminatory questioning
 Gain knowledge, skills and tools to conduct
optimum interviews
 Confidently hire top talent!

Our Path…
Principles
Vacancy Preparation
Questions
Interviewing

Select the statement that best describes your top challenge:
a.I’m getting similar responses from each candidate
and don’t know how to differentiate them.
b.I am not comfortable relying on interviews to make
selection decisions.
c.I don’t want to make the candidate feel
uncomfortable so I avoid asking some questions.
d.We’ve hired individuals who did not meet objectives
and this disrupts the team(s).
Your Input

Productivity
Turnover
Morale
Success
Poor Selection Leads to:
“She’ll have to do; we don’t have
other good candidates”
“If he has a pulse, hire him!”

To consistently hire the best candidate available
To meet your organization’s objectives by
having the right people in the right job
Align candidate values with your org’s culture
and values
More than ‘qualifications’, hiring for overall fit
To avoid mis-hires (costly, challenging)
Recruiting Objectives

Technical
WHAT a candidate needs to know: knowledge,
skills and abilities gained through education and
experience.
Technical abilities are typically examined
through knowledge tests, assessments, references.
Technical and Behavioural = role

Behavioural
HOW they to perform the work. Observable
abilities, attitudes, and values required to perform
effectively.
Our time today focuses primarily on assessing
candidate proficiency in behavioural (the HOW)
aspects of the role.
Our Focus

“Past behaviour is the best predictor
of future behaviour”
Interviewer’s objective is to assess and predict
future performance based on the candidate’s past
performance.
To assess their Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
applied through their experiences
Principle of B. Interviewing

They are intended to elicit a more honest
response from candidates. Realistic view.
To give you insights about each candidate’s
skills, abilities and interests that are important
to the role and your specific company culture.
To best predict future performance.
Why Behavioural

Module 1
Summary
1. Source behavioural
information about the
candidate’s experiences.
2. Use a behavioural selection
process to best predict
future performance.

Your questions?
Principles
Vacancy Preparation
Questions
Interviewing

Vacancy Preparation
What first step do you take when a vacancy is
identified?
a. We advertise using our standard job posting.
b. We discuss the requirements of the role considering
our organization’s future plans.
c. We consider our top performers, their skills and
attributes.
d. We develop a selection profile that defines the
technical and behavioural competency required.

1. Assess the role.
2. Determine the ideal candidate.
Telephone and in-person interview questions
Develop an exercise to assess current skills
References using behavioural questions
Assess the candidates and make the decision
Preparation Steps
*Resource
Document

Develop a Selection Profile*:
Part 1: Technical Competency
• Education
• Knowledge
• Experience
• Skills
Define the Ideal Candidate: Part 1
*Resource
Document

Part 2: Behavioural
• Motivation and Initiative
• Change/Adaptability
• Openness
• Empathy, Personable
• Self-management
• Organization Culture/Values
Define the Ideal Candidate: Part 2

Selection Profile
Education and Experience C 1 2 3
Diploma, 2 years related experience
Has completed 2 fundraising courses
X
--
Technical Knowledge and Skills
Proficiency: databases, MSOffice,
spreadsheets; Raiser’s Edge an asset
X
--
Abilities
Ability to build and maintain trusting
relationships
X
Ability to make informed decisions X
Personal values/interests alignment X

Through all touchpoints with a candidate:
1. Enquiry questions from the candidate
2. Telephone screening
3. In-person interviewing
4. Team meeting
5. Follow-up emails
6. Reference checks
Behavioural Touchpoints

Module 2
Summary
1. Assess the role
requirements; define the job
requirements for your ideal
candidate
2. Develop a Selection Profile
that will be your guide
developing questions and
assessing candidates.

Your questions?
Principles
Vacancy Preparation
Questions
Interviewing

Select the process your organization uses for
developing questions.
a.We have a set of standard questions for all
vacancies, then add additional ones based on the
vacancy.
b.We use a more informal process and don’t have
a formal set.
c.I haven’t been involved in developing questions
Your Input

Question Principles
 To elicit behavioural information
about past experience and
accomplishments.
 To understand more than just
‘previous actions’.
 Curiosity…hearing their story
 Tell me more…

Situation they were involved in
Tasks they were assigned
Action(s): What were the specific actions they
actually took?
Results: What was the result of their actions?
Were they successful?
Behavioural S.T.A.R.

Develop questions for each role requirement.
Open
Closed
Leading
Situational
Probing
Types of Questions

Used to get the candidate talking and to cover the
topic in depth.
Usually begin with “what, why, how, please explain,
and when”.
Examples:
“Why are you looking to leave your current position?”
“Tell me about the responsibilities of your current job.”
“What process did you go through to decide on your
current career path?”
Open Questions

To solicit specific information through a definitive
response.
Examples:
“ Are you able to work the full shift and each day of the
schedule?
“ Are you currently a member of the Association of
Professional Fundraisers?
“Do you have a current driver's license?
◦ What class of license do you have?
◦ Do you have any driving restrictions?
Closed Questions

 Leads and encourages a candidate to provide the
answer you want to hear.
 Does not allow for the candidate’s preference.
 Candidates want the job, not necessarily the ‘best fit’
job.
Examples:
“You enjoy working with budgets don’t you?”
“We’re very team focused. Do you prefer working alone
or as part of a team?”
Leading Questions – Avoid!

 Asks how they would handle a particular situation:
“How would you deal with a difficult client?”
Behavioural version:
Tell us about a time you dealt with a difficult client this
past year? Probing: What do you think provoked
them? What did you say to the client? Did you ask
anyone else for support? What was the outcome?
Situational are often done as an exercise to assess
how they would deal with a situation
Situational / Hypothetical

Questions?
Principles
Vacancy Preparation
Questions
Interviewing

Follows any question type
 Sources more information for a clearer picture of the
past.
 Includes clarifying, reflecting and paraphrasing
Example:
“Of the responsibilities you just mentioned, which did
you most enjoy?” Which was your least favorite? Why
was that?
Probing Questions

You mentioned you were part of a team that wrote the
newsletter:
What were your specific responsibilities as a writer?
What were some of your article ideas that were elected
for publication?
Are you able to provide us with copies of 2-3 of those
articles?
What strengths did you bring to the team – were you
primarily a writer; did you edit others work, etc?
Probing Questions

Discriminatory Questions*
Race, ethnicity, color, religion,
age, sex, marital/family status,
disability, pardoned conviction,
sexual orientation.
“Do you have childcare
responsibilities?”
“How old are you?”
“Where were you born?”
*Resource
Document

“This role requires travelling twice per month,
often unplanned.”
Do not ask: Do you have children?
Ask: This role requires one or two
overnight trips per month, often
with only 24 hours notice. Are you
able to fulfill this requirement?
Avoiding Discriminating Questions

Confusing to the candidate to
remember all questions.
It is difficult to sort out what’s being asked.
“Can you tell me how you dealt with an angry
customer. What was the situation; what did you do,
and what was the outcome. What did you learn
from this experience?
Multiple Questions – Avoid!

1. Introductions, Setting the stage
2. Overview of their education, work experiences
Questions:
 Motivation, technical skills aligned to our role
 Strengths, development, accomplishments
 Interpersonal, teamwork, conflict, stressors
 Aspirations, final questions
 Closing, their questions, next steps, reference list
Ordering of Questions

Motivation
 What is it about our this role that caught your eye and
prompted you to apply?
 How would you describe the services our organization
provides?
 If currently working: What are you looking for in a new
job that you aren’t getting in your current role?
 What will you need from our organization in order to
be fully satisfied and productive in the role?
Some key questions

Module 3
Summary
1. Develop structured sets of
behavioural questions to
address all criteria on your
Selection Profile.
A. Telephone Screening Set
B. In-person interviewing Set
C. Reference Checks

Your questions?
Principles
Vacancy Preparation
Questions
Interviewing

Behavioural Interviews
Structured behavioural
questions with 2+
interviewers is the most
reliable interviewing
process.
Allows for listening, note
taking, probing, discussion,
finding consensus

Interview Perspectives
Interviewers Objectives
Predict Future
Performance:
 Assess their knowledge,
skills, abilities and fit
Best represent your
organization
Provide the candidate an
opportunity to showcase
their strengths
Candidate’s Objectives
Provide a positive
impression of their skills and
abilities
To find out more about the
job, responsibilities, duties,
and a typical day/week
To secure a job

1. Maintain professionalism
2. Be open to hearing their full
story; avoid quick judgments.
3. Candidate talks 80%, interviewer
20%
4. Obtain sufficient information to assess the
candidate against the selection criteria.
5. Provide the job overview, expectations, what’s
important--near the end of the interview
Interview Processes

Some I/View Process Details
Introduction
Thank them for their interest
Setting the stage
Beverage; establish rapport and
comfort level
Advise them of the interview process
in a general way
Ask if they have any questions before
proceeding

Questions
◦ Begin asking questions.
◦ You are directing the candidate and process; candidate
is telling you their story.
◦ You’re using the STAR technique for each question.
◦ Probing questions will differentiate candidates.
Interview Processes

Ask the formal question: “Tell us about a conflict you had
with a colleague or manager.”
Listen to what they say, not what you think they might
say. Based on their answer:
Probe (as relevant)
◦ How did the conflict arise?
◦ What were your views and their views?
◦ How did the situation resolve?
◦ Looking back, do you wish you had handled it differently?
◦ What did you learn from this situation?
Skilled Questioning

During the interview, a candidate may:
Keep asking for clarification about the role and our
organization.
Get off track in their answer
Begin providing too much detailed information
Not provide enough input
Seems introverted and uncomfortable
Interviewer Challenges

Sourcing their knowledge, experience
and skills aligned to what you require
in the role.
They provide more real information
and can clarify your findings from
the interview.
Gain a full picture of their current
abilities as they relate to your needs.
Exercises and Assessments

Using “gut instinct”
Ranking candidates
Making hasty decisions
Getting stuck on one perceived negative answer
Failure to evaluate beyond competencies
Depending too much on the interview itself
Interviewer skill
Interviewer bias
Common Interviewing Mistakes

Selection Assessment
Education and Experience C 1 2 3
Diploma, 2 years related experience
Has completed 2 fundraising courses
X
--
Technical Knowledge and Skills
Proficiency: databases, MSOffice,
spreadsheets
X
Behavioural Competencies
Ability to build and maintain trusting
relationships
X
Ability to make informed decisions X
Personal values/interests alignment X

Probe further on areas you want more information on, either
for clarification, to confirm positive or negative views.
Example
After the interview, you aren’t fully clear about the level of
decision making the candidate had in the previous role.
“We’d like to know what types of decisions she made.”
“Was she an effective decision maker for complex issues?”
References Checks

51
References
1. Source candidate authorization
2. Source candidates’ direct managers (even
if they have left the company).
3. Confirm role and responsibilities
4. Have a core set questions to better understand
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Motivations
5. Ask questions in areas you may have had concerns; or,
to verify the candidate’s input.
References

Module 4
Summary
1. Use a structured formal
interview process.
2. Create an environment for
the candidate to
comfortably provide input.
3. Listen well and ask probing
questions.
4. Build skills through practice.
5. Confidently hire top talent!

Your questions?
Principles
Vacancy Preparation
Questions
Interviewing

Resources
1. Charity Village
2. “Recruitment and Selection in Canada”, Victor Catano
3. Input for top theme questions
4. Webinar resources:
Sample Recruitment Plan and Selection Profile
Avoiding discrimination in your recruitment
practices.
5. Follow-up questions? gayle@hadfieldhr.com
Additional Resources

Resources Thank you
www.hadfieldhr.com

Best Practices for Behaviour-Based Interviewing

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