“Are you hiring the right candidates for your team, or merely hoping for the best?” Every recruiting choice is based on this question because companies want to assemble teams of people who have the necessary abilities and display the behavioral traits necessary for success.
A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that behavioral interviews were significantly more effective than traditional interviews in predicting future job performance, highlighting the critical role of structured behavioral assessments in the hiring process.
As organizations seek to optimize their hiring decisions, it becomes imperative to craft interview questions that align with the identified behavioral competencies crucial for success. With this in mind, let’s delve into a step-by-step guide on preparing interview questions that not only assess candidates’ skills but also delve into their behavioral attributes, ultimately ensuring the selection of candidates who are truly the right fit for the team and poised for success within the organization.
Effective Ways to Prepare Interview Questions
Preparing interview questions requires careful consideration of the job role, the organization’s needs, and the desired competencies and behaviors of candidates. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to prepare effective interview questions:
Review the Job Description
- Start by thoroughly reviewing the job description and identifying the key responsibilities, requirements, and qualifications for the role.
- Note down the essential skills, competencies, and behavioral attributes crucial for success in the position.
Understand Organizational Culture and Values
- Familiarize yourself with the organization’s mission, vision, and core values to ensure alignment with the candidate’s attributes.
- Consider how the candidate’s attitudes, behaviors, and work style will fit into the company culture.
Identify Key Competencies
- Based on the job description and organizational needs, identify the core competencies or behavioral indicators that are critical for the role.
- Common competencies include communication skills, problem-solving abilities, teamwork, leadership potential, adaptability, and initiative.
Develop Open-Ended Questions
- Frame open-ended questions that allow candidates to provide detailed and substantive responses.
- Avoid yes/no questions or leading questions that may restrict the candidate’s ability to showcase their abilities and experiences.
Diversify Question Types
- Include a variety of question types to assess different aspects of the candidate’s skills and competencies.
- Mix situational questions (hypothetical scenarios), behavioral questions (past experiences), and technical questions (job-specific knowledge) as needed.
Ensure Relevance and Fairness
- Ensure that each question directly relates to the requirements and competencies outlined in the job description.
- Avoid asking questions that may be discriminatory or irrelevant to the candidate’s ability to perform the job effectively.
Test Questions for Clarity
- Review each question to ensure clarity, specificity, and relevance.
- Avoid using jargon or overly complex language that may confuse candidates.
Consider Probing
- Include questions that allow you to dig deeper into the candidate’s responses and gain a better understanding of their thought process and decision-making abilities.
Seek Input from Stakeholders
- If possible, seek input from hiring managers, team members, or other stakeholders to ensure that the interview questions adequately cover all relevant aspects of the job role.
Finalize and Organize Questions
Once you have developed a comprehensive set of interview questions, organize them in a logical sequence and finalize the list for use during the interview process.
Use the STAR Method
- Structure your questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Results) to elicit specific examples of past behaviors and experiences.
- Craft questions that prompt candidates to describe real-life situations they have encountered, the tasks they were required to complete, the actions they took, and the results they achieved.
Let’s break down the components of conducting a Behavioral Event Interview (BEI) using the STAR model:
Situation (S)
Before conducting the interview, prepare by researching the position and the candidate’s background. Understand the specific situation or context in which the candidate will be working. Develop a list of behavioral interview questions tailored to the competencies and behaviors required for success in the role.
Task (T)
Start the interview with an icebreaker to establish rapport and put the candidate at ease. Then, ask the candidate specific questions about their past experiences and behavior in work-related situations. These questions should focus on tasks or challenges the candidate has faced in previous roles.
Action (A)
Encourage the candidate to provide detailed and specific examples of their actions in response to the situations described. Prompt them to explain the actions they took, the decisions they made, and the strategies they employed to address the challenges they faced.
Result (R)
Listen actively to the candidate’s responses and evaluate the outcomes or results of their actions. Assess how well their past behavior aligns with the competencies and behaviors required for the job. Take notes as needed to capture key points and insights.
Once preliminary lead questions are developed in association with the competencies, it is recommended that you test their performance by interviewing position incumbents or employees who apply similar competencies in their daily work. This will help to evaluate the appropriateness of questions and will also help to develop potential probing questions to gain more insight into the candidate’s behaviors.
How to Create Rating Scales?
Creating rating scales for behavioral interview questions is essential for evaluating candidates consistently and objectively. Here’s how to create effective rating scales:
Define Rating Levels
- Start by defining the different levels or categories of performance on the rating scale. These levels should reflect varying degrees of competency or effectiveness.
- Consider using descriptive labels for each level to communicate the expectations associated with each rating.
Keep it Simple, Yet Meaningful
- Strive to strike a balance between simplicity and comprehensiveness in your rating scale.
- While a simple scale with binary options (e.g., satisfactory/unsatisfactory) may be straightforward to use, it may lack the nuance needed to differentiate between candidates effectively.
- Conversely, overly complex scales with multiple points may lead to confusion and inconsistency among interviewers.
Consider Using Likert-Type Scales
- Likert-type scales offer a middle ground between simplicity and complexity. These scales typically range from 1 to 5 or 1 to 7, allowing for a more nuanced assessment of candidate responses.
- Each point on the Likert scale should be clearly defined to ensure consistency in interpretation across interviewers.
Provide Clear Definitions
- Clearly define each rating level on the scale, specifying the criteria or behaviors associated with each level.
- Use concrete examples or descriptors to illustrate what constitutes performance at each level.
Align with Job Requirements
- Ensure that the rating scale aligns closely with the job requirements and competencies assessed through the behavioral interview questions.
- Tailor the scale to reflect the specific skills, knowledge, and behaviors critical for success in the role.
Encourage Consistency
- Promote consistency in rating by providing guidelines or training to interviewers on how to use the scale effectively.
- Encourage interviewers to calibrate their ratings by discussing sample responses and reaching a consensus on appropriate ratings.
Test and Refine
- Before implementing the rating scale in actual interviews, pilot test it with a small group of interviewers to identify potential issues or ambiguities.
- Solicit feedback from interviewers and make adjustments to the scale as needed to improve clarity and reliability.
Document and Communicate
- Document and distribute the rating scale to all interviewers involved in the hiring process.
- Ensure that interviewers understand the meaning of each rating level and how to apply the scale consistently during interviews.
By following these steps, you can create rating scales that facilitate fair, accurate, and reliable evaluations of candidate responses in behavioral interviews.
Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS)
They are specialized rating scales designed for behavioral interviews. Unlike generic rating scales, BARS focuses on specific job-related behaviors rather than broader characteristics like personality or experience.
In BARS, each point on the rating scale is anchored to specific behavioral criteria that are deemed essential for effective job performance. For example, a superior response to a behavioral interview question should exhibit certain behaviors (X behavior), while a satisfactory response should demonstrate different behaviors (Y behavior), and an unsatisfactory response should display yet another set of behaviors (Z behavior).
Here are two examples of Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) for a Behavioral Event Interview:
Example 1: Communication Skills
Behavior: Active Listening
“Can you provide an example of a time when you had to listen actively to a customer or colleague? How did you ensure you understood their needs, and how did you minimize interruptions during the conversation?”
Level 1: Rarely pays attention to others, frequently interrupts, and fails to ask clarifying questions.
Level 2: Sometimes listens actively but occasionally interrupts or fails to seek clarification.
Level 3: Generally listens attentively, and asks clarifying questions, but may interrupt occasionally.
Level 4: Actively listens, seeks clarification when needed, and minimizes interruptions.
Level 5: Exceptional active listening skills, consistently seeks clarification, and never interrupts.
Example 2: Problem-Solving Skills
Behavior: Creative Thinking
“Describe a situation where you faced a complex problem at work. How did you approach it, and what creative strategies did you employ to find a solution? Can you walk me through your decision-making process?”
Level 1: Rarely demonstrates creativity in problem-solving, often resorting to traditional approaches.
Level 2: Occasionally shows creative thinking but tends to rely on conventional methods.
Level 3: Sometimes demonstrates creative problem-solving, yet may default to standard solutions.
Level 4: Consistently applies creative thinking to find innovative solutions to challenges.
Level 5: Exceptional at generating creative solutions, consistently surpassing expectations with innovative approaches.
The development of BARS involves the critical incidents technique, where current job requisites provide examples of effective and ineffective behaviors in various work situations. These examples serve as “anchors” for the rating scale, ensuring that it accurately reflects the behaviors required for success in the role.
By tying each point on the scale to specific job-related behaviors, BARS helps interviewers evaluate candidates’ responses more consistently and objectively. This approach enhances rating reliability and ensures that assessments align with the job requirements.
Businesses can enhance the accuracy and fairness of their hiring processes by aligning interview questions with the quintessential competencies. Investing effort and time in preparing strategic interview questions ensures the selection of candidates who possess the required skills and evaluates their behavioral attributes, giving way to long-term success.
https://eddy.com/hr-encyclopedia/behaviorally-anchored-rating-scale-bars/
https://hr.university/shrm/performance-management/behaviourally-anchored-rating-scale/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/best-way-crack-behavioral-event-interview-its-need-prerna-tripathi/
https://hbr.org/resources/images/article_assets/2021/10/A_Nov21_12_1333625894-1.jpg
Written By: Dr. Jimmy Jain
Edited By: Afreen Fatima
Society of Design Thinking Professionals
