Behavioral Interviewing Skills
Behavioral Interviewing Skills Training Workshop
Selecting High-Quality Employees
What is Behavioral Interviewing?
Behavioral Interviewing is the most proven and accurate selection interviewing methodology. This workshop teaches a practical, systematic approach to selection interviewing techniques and making hiring decisions. Designed for high flexibility, it can be used at all organizational levels to hire any type of employee.
How Behavioral Interviewing Works
Behavioral Interviewing works by homing in on the three processes crucial to successful hiring and promotion:
- Identifying selection criteria by determining the critical competencies required for job success
- Gathering key data about each job candidate
- Evaluating data and making selection decisions
Identifying the Right Selection Criteria
Successful selection decisions are based on using the right selection criteria. The first step of Behavioral Interviewing is to identify those criteria -- competencies. By analyzing the job, the critical “make-or-break” skills and abilities required for job success can be determined.
Gathering Key Data About Each Candidate
Successful hiring decisions depend on effectively gathering complete behavioral information for each candidate. Behavioral Interviewing accomplishes this through interviews using customized interview guides and behavioral simulations (where appropriate).
Interviews are the primary source of candidate information, so your selection system is only as good as your interviewers and the techniques they use. Behavioral Interviewing training teaches your interviewers how to gather complete behavioral data.
Evaluating Data & Making Selection Decisions
Finally, successful hiring decisions depend on thorough analysis and sharing of candidate data gathered by all interviewers. Each interviewer individually rates each competency, then all interviewers meet to share the data. This enables interviewers to make an informed selection decision.
Benefits of Behavioral Interviewing
Cost Savings – The price of poor selection decisions quickly adds up when you consider the costs involved in filling an open position: advertising, recruiting, interviewer time, candidate travel costs, etc. Add in the long-term costs of hiring the wrong person: wasted training, decreased productivity, lost opportunities (sales not closed, objectives/goals not met), morale of co-workers who have to pick up the slack, dissatisfied customers, etc.
Accuracy – Behavioral Interviewing focuses on gathering the most meaningful, job-relevant information from candidates. Every interview is designed around the job, and customized interview guides help interviewers to zero in on the most important information quickly. Selection decisions are based on candidates’ actual past performance and demonstrated skills and abilities, rather than on “gut feelings.”
Efficiency – Behavioral Interviewing saves time and effort. Interviewers are able to:
- Focus on the most critical competencies
- Get the most out of limited time with each candidate
- Prepare for interviews easily and quickly
- Eliminate unnecessary overlap with other interviewers
- Efficiently evaluate and share candidate data with other interviewers
Legal Credibility – Behavioral Interviewing training teaches interviewers the critical legal requirements of interviewing and selection. The Behavioral Interviewing methodology eliminates inconsistent selection criteria and minimizes the impact of individual biases, assumptions, or preferences.
Behavioral Interviewing Interviewer Training Workshop
The format of the Behavioral Interviewing interviewer training workshop is flexible. Typically, the workshop is delivered in a 1- or 2-day format.
Behavioral Interviewing Implementation Options
Leadership Associates will provide consulting assistance in addition to delivering Behavioral Interviewing training, if desired.
Leadership Associates can design entire selection systems, or the individual components of the selection system. This may include the design of application forms and procedures, reference check process, background check process, recruiting methods, advertising methods, testing methods, behavioral simulations, etc.
Leadership Associates can also perform a competency analysis for individual jobs in order to create Behavioral Interviewing interview guides, as well as incorporating them into job descriptions, performance appraisal forms, etc.