Recruitment/interview strategies for recruiters and candidates centred on behavioural interviewing

The use of behavioural interviewing as a recruiting strategy is on the rise. The strategy involves the interviewer asking the interviewee a series of open-ended questions designed for the candidate to provide as much detail as possible on previous work experience. The technique is based on the theory that past behaviour is likely to predict future behaviour, thus ensuring a more accurate fit between positions and applicants. CMS Vocational Training (CMSVOC), specialists in providing training courses and programmes, explores some recruitment and interview strategies for recruiters and candidates participating in this increasingly popular interviewing strategy.

What is behavioural interviewing

Behavioural interviewing (BI) is essentially a technique employers use to find out about a candidate’s past behaviour in specific situations. In learning about a candidate’s past behaviour, the idea is that this interviewing technique is a more accurate predictor of the future, compared to speculative questioning about how a candidate might act/perform in a hypothetical future situation.

Benefits of behavioural interviewing

The biggest benefit of this style of interviewing is that it enables an employer to gain insight into the proficiencies of a candidate. Instead of having to rely on guesswork and speculation, the interviewer has ‘confirmation’ that the candidate has already successfully been in a specific situation or successfully demonstrated some skill or action and will therefore be able to act equally as proficiently in the position they are hiring for.

As Quantum Learn writes in its overview of Behavioural Interviewing:

“As a result, a more objective assessment of the candidate’s strengths and development needs can be achieved. Although it may not be a crystal ball, it provides a much higher likelihood of making more informed hiring decisions.”

BI helps to eliminate any misunderstandings that might occur during an interview. As it is easy to misread people during an interview and let personal opinions override the ‘facts’, this interviewing technique helps to prevent personal impressions from affecting an accurate evaluation of a candidate.

What questions should be asked in BI?

Instead of asking potential yes or no type questions, such as “Do you like working with people?”, the BI question tends to be more statement-driven than a conventional question that encourages the interviewee to speak about past experiences.

For example, if the employer asked: “Tell me about a time when you had to deal with an awkward customer at work”, the statement calls for a response and relies on the candidate drawing from their past experiences.

The interviewee’s response will then give the recruiter a more accurate picture of how experienced and well-practiced the candidate is for the job and how they are likely to react if a similar situation occurred in their future role.

Virginia Tech notes some examples of types of effective behavioural interviewing questions, including:

“Describe a time when you were faced with problems or stresses at work that tested your coping skills. What did you do?”

“Give me an example of an important goal you had to set and tell me about your progress in reaching that goal.”

How recruiters can prepare for a behavioural interview?

Employers can prepare for a BI by formulating the past experience-driven questions they are going to ask the interviewee. The recruiter should think of questions that are relevant the role they are recruiting for and how knowing someone has experience in a particular activity or situation will mean they are more likely to be successful in the job and be a valued member of the team.

Monster talks about the power of storytelling in these types of interviews and the goal of the recruiter to “elicit stories that reveal how candidates respond to situations they’ll face in the job.”

It is therefore important that a hiring employer prepares to ask questions that evoke storytelling from the candidate during the interview.

How can candidates prepare for behavioural interviewing?

From researching the company to dressing for success, when it comes to preparing for an interview, candidates can’t do enough.

Part of this preparation should include thinking about answers for any BI questions that might crop up. Whilst this might sound a little like finding a needle in a haystack as how can candidates possibly know what questions they are likely to be asked, candidates can prepare by thinking of past experience that might be relevant to the job.

It is also important to be aware that an interviewer using the BI method can often follow up a candidate’s initial response by asking more probing questions to gain greater details from the interviewee. It is therefore far better to have prepared a real case scenario answer that a candidate has been involved in rather than making one up.

As the Art of Manliness informs, there is effectively a STAR process involved when being on the receiving end of a behavioural job interview, which includes:

The Situation or Task the candidate was involved with, the Action they took and the Result on that action. It is therefore important, when preparing for a BI interview, the STAR response is bared in mind.

This blog post was written by CMS Vocational Training (CMSVOC), specialists in providing a vast range of courses and training programmes across diverse sectors. CMSVOC is committed to helping people of all ages, backgrounds and industries, find the right course and training programme so they can progress in their chosen career or embark on a new career. CMSVOC’s professional and talented staff have specialist knowledge in a wide range of industries and work with learners to help them achieve their career dreams.