Using Behavior-Based Interviewing Techniques

To find top employees and hire the right job candidates, you need to use smart interviewing tactics to uncover a candidate's true skills, strengths, and weaknesses. This means going beyond standard

questions such as "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" and focusing on the work habits of the candidate sitting in front of you. One effective way to do this is to conduct behavior-based interviews.

Behavioral questions require a candidate to relate real situations, and demonstrate how their strengths and weaknesses are manifested on the job. For example, rather than asking a customer-service candidate to describe their people skills or problem-solving abilities, ask them to explain a recent problem or situation they experienced with a difficult customer and how they handled it. The real-life answer is much more useful than a skill description because it provides insight about how the candidate applies their skills.

Behavior-based interviewing requires practice and preparation, but the results are well worth the time and effort. The following steps can help you compile a list of questions that will enable you to assess whether a person is a good fit for a particular position and for your organization.