Behavioral Interviewing

An Evidence-Based Approach to Hiring the Right Candidate

Formats:  Self Paced, Live, Guided Learning

How You Will Benefit

A survey by CareerBuilder found that 69 percent of organizations have been adversely affected by a bad hire in the past year. A bad hire was considered someone with any of the following issues: poor performance, failure to get along with others, negative attitude, attendance problems, and complaints from customers. The consequences included any of the following: lost productivity, time required to hire and train another person, drag on morale throughout the department or organization, loss of sales, and legal issues.

A survey by Robert Half Finance & Accounting found that poor performance was the number one reason that resulted in a failed hire. A poor skills match was the second most-cited reason. In addition, failed hires result from a “culture clash,” where the new hire doesn’t fit in with the company culture. Behavioral interviewing is an evidence-based approach for ensuring you hire the right person for the job, effectively minimizing all of these potential problems.

Course Objectives

Successful completion of this course will increase your ability to:

• Identify general competencies and translate them into performance criteria.
• Recognize the characteristics of and effectively develop behavioral-based questions.
• Explore useful techniques for reviewing resumes.
• Identify the elements to look for in candidates’ answers to behavioral-based questions.
• Follow a structured method for evaluating candidates objectively.

Key Topics Covered

This course explores the following subjects in depth:

• Developing a list of general competencies needed for the position.
• Translating general competencies into detailed performance criteria.
• Using general competencies and performance criteria to develop behavioral-based questions.
• Recognizing the characteristics of effective behavioral-based questions.
• Developing behavioral-based questions according to the competencies necessary for the position and the organizational culture.
• Knowing when and how to develop appropriate follow-up questions.
• General tips for reviewing resumes, including how to apply the “SPOT” process.
• Targeting areas on a resume that will need further explanation or clarification during the interview.
• General tips for interviewing candidates and conducting an interview with colleagues.
• Identifying the three most important elements to look for in a candidate’s answer to a behavioral-based question.
• Understanding the behavioral interview process from multiple perspectives.
• Using a structured method for evaluating candidates objectively.
• Creating a candidate evaluation form.