by Rolando Lopez

Over the past few years, I have spoken to many recruiters who claim to be expert behavioural interviewers.  They are quick to mention that they regularly conduct "behavioural interviews" and are familiar with the popular phrase that "past performance are good indicators of future performance".  When I "probe further" (watch for a future article on probing) on their technique, I discover that a majority aren't really conducting Behavioural Interviews but merely asking smart, thought provoking situational questions that typically start off with the question,  "Tell me about a time when...."   To determine the real behavioural interview (BI) experts, I typically ask for additional details like "what behaviours or competencies do you specifically look for when you conduct a BI?", or "does your organization have common attributes that you use as a benchmark" and "what methodology do you follow to find evidence of behaviour?".  Recruiters' response to these questions typically gives away their expertise (or lack thereof). 

Behavioural Interview: a Science and an Art

Behavioural Interviewing, in my opinion is both a SCIENCE and an ART.   It is a science because ultimately, you are interviewing someone to prove whether or not you can see evidence of “behaviour” from a detailed interview or not.  It is an art because a skilled BI interviewer can conduct the scientific analysis while carrying on a very engaging interview.  True and effective BI interviewers have found a balance of both the art and the science.   This first installment will focus on the SCIENCE of the Behavioural Interview.  First, a quick disclaimer:  this is very basic, “high level” information.  Those who want to really become experts should look into BI courses offered by many credible training vendors.  

The Science behind BI: 

The motive behind a BI is to measure behavioural fit between candidate and company and/or candidate and job.   Recruiters should be able to provide documented evidence that they were able to identify whether or not a candidate possesses the attributes and behaviours prescribed by either the organization or the position.  The methodology is simple: 

1. Establish the desired attributes/behaviours that will be used to measure a candidate;
2. Use a well structured evaluation technique to assess against this criteria; and  
3. Analyze and document results

Step 1: Establish the Attributes and Behaviours

Non-experts always give themselves away if they claim to conduct a behavioural assessment, yet have no targeted objective, which usually involves a desired list of competencies or attributes. 

Typically, most companies have a corporate listing of desired behaviours or attributes that define the enterprise wide list of behaviours commonly found in their top performers.  Your first task is to locate this listing in your organization.  This list may be called a number of things, from “attribute library”, “core competencies” or “success factors”. 

Your first task as a BI interviewer is to take this prescribed list and verify with your hiring manager the “top behaviours” from within this list that is important for the job in question.  When the “top behaviours have been established, you should then be conducting a detailed session with your manager to have them provide you details about how each “behaviour” looks or is played out in the context of the position that you are recruiting for.  When you have worked through the manager’s priority, the list you have come up with should be desired list of behaviours - your criteria that candidates will be measured against.  

Some companies do not have the luxury of a predefined list.  If you find yourself in this situation, you need to start from scratch and work with your hiring manager to establish a list of prescribed behaviours for the job in question. 

Step 2: Assess your candidate 

Armed with your data, you are now able to conduct the behavioural interview.  This is where true BI interviewers demonstrate their craft:  strong probing techniques.  Most vendors who provide BI training focus on technique because it requires practice to develop strong probing skills.  BI interviewers don’t just become experts by reading a book - they hone their craft, and willingly accept the critique of a skilled BI interviewer. 

This is also the step in the process where the ART intersects with the SCIENCE.  On one hand, BI interviewers are busy listening, probing, documenting and looking for evidence of the behaviours that they have in their hiring manager’s wish lists.  On the other hand, skilled interviewers are also keeping the conversation going, ensuring that the interviewee is going down the right contextual path that leads to the evidence of behaviour, and also trying to keep engaged in the conversation.  Multitasking at its finest!  

Step 3: After the Interview:  Analyze and correlate 

Another analytical process needs to take place at this phase:  documentation.  When the interview is finished and the candidate has left, a BI interviewer is armed with their notes – the data needed to determine whether or not the candidate possesses the behaviours needed for the role.    

In this stage, BI interviewers are looking for one of the following:

1. Evidence of prescribed behaviours;
2. Lack of evidence or prescribed behaviours; or
3. Opposite, or converse behaviours.

Candidates who show evidence of prescribed behaviours during the interview are likely successful behavioural candidates for the role, and the BI interviewer will complete their summary with a strong recommendation to “pass” the candidate to the next round of interviews.  Those with evidences of  #2 or #3 are likely not ideal behavioural candidates for the role, and the BI interviewer will likely recommend against passing the candidate to the next level.

Final step:  Consistency

Strong BI interviewers know that consistency is key to an objective and fair process.  Carrying out Steps 1 through 3 of the BI is meaningless unless it is applied to all candidates.  Only then can you provide a strong, credible short list to your hiring manager. 

Is this yesterday's news to you?  Then you are probably a seasoned BI interviewer.  Did you understand for the first time the “big picture” in terms of the science behind a BI? Then watch for the next installment of this article, where you will get a bird’s eye view of the ART of the BI.