There are three basic types of questions.

1. Closed-ended questions
2. Open-ended questions
3. Leading questions

Close-ended questions can be answered with a yes or no response.

Open-ended questions require more detail and information

Leading questions provide an opportunity for elaboration of previous responses to gather more detail.

This lecture includes a short exercise to ensure you can identify the different types of questions.

Traditional hiring practices usually begin with the screening process.

Common elements of the screening process are:

1. Resume & Application
2. Online Assessments
3. Phone/Online Interview
4. Second Interview

Traditional interviewing relies interview questions that have been proven to be ineffective for identifying and hiring the best candidate.

The traditional screening process evaluates candidates based on work experience, education, references and similar criteria.

Traditional hiring interviews often depend on the interviewer’s “gut” reaction, and are highly subjective, thus prone to poor hiring decisions.

Often, decisions on hiring are made in the first 90 seconds of a traditional interview, and this is entirely subjective.

The two activities in this lecture will assist you in identifying the real and hidden costs of making bad hiring decisions.

Study after study and statistic after statistic provide overwhelming evidence that the traditional methods of hiring and interviewing produce poor results, often no better than flipping a coin.

Forty years ago, the idea of Behavior Based Interviewing was born.

The central idea is that past and present behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. When you ask questions to find out how someone has performed, or behaved, in the past, you can best predict how they will perform, or behave, in the future.

Behavior Based interviewing relies upon linking job competencies with interview questions to drill-down into specific examples and skills that applicants possess, and measuring the applicants response according to those competencies.

This provides more objectivity and consistency to the hiring and interview process.

Companies that use Behavior Based Interviewing report more consistent hiring of top performers.

In this lecture you will learn the key elements of using Behavior Based Interviewing to create a process for hiring the best.

The basis for that process for hiring depends upon four tasks:

1. Compiling a job profile
2. Developing Core Competencies for each job
3. Developing levels for each Core Competency
4. Creating metrics to measure Core Competence performance

By completing these tasks, you will be able to write effective and objective interview questions.

Behavior Based Interviewing uses competencies and metrics to write questions for interviews.

In most cases, job competencies used in interviewing and hiring are ranked on a five point scale.

Competency charts for positions in a company allow for a clear path for promotion, performance reviews and salary increases. An example is included here for a Sales Executive position.

It includes specific metrics, an important part of measuring success in a particular position.

In the activity in this lecture you will have the opportunity to create a job profile for a Sales Trainer position.

In the previous section you filled out a competency chart for a Sales Trainer.

In this lesson, you will create a competency profile for a position you are hiring for in your own organization.

Behavior Based Interviewing uses competencies and metrics to write questions for interviews.

There are 3 parts to the design of every question.

1. The question construction
2. The drill-down questions/prompts
3. What to listen for in the person’s response to the questions

The STAR format is used as a guide to create the initial question.

STAR stands for Situation/Task, Action and Result.

STAR sets up a situation, asks for an action response and provides the interviewer with prompts to listen for in the candidate’s response.

You also use the STAR format to create the drill-down questions, or follow-up questions, in order to elicit more information from the candidate.

All of these questions are elicit actual behavior, the key element to Behavior Based Interviewing.

The activity in this lecture provides you with practice in writing interview questions using the STAR format.

Before you begin the interviewing process, it is best to set up the interview for success:

• Consider using a pre-screening process to narrow your list of candidates
• Decide on an interview format, whether it will be online, on the phone or in person
• Make sure you have a complete applicant file
• Select an appropriate location and invite the relevant participant

Behavior Based Interviewing works best when you keep these parameters in mind:

• Make sure you have sufficient time for all of the questions AND the responses
• Allow time for those follow-up questions
• Make sure you include everyone who needs to be involved
• Be prepared for things to go off plan

There are several signs your interview has failed. The most common one is a failure by the candidate to fully answer the question(s). This is where the drill down/follow-up questions can remedy the situation.

All of the questions in a Behavior Based interview should be scored by the panel of interviewers.

Each question should ideal responses and a rating scale.

Using an objective rating scale greatly increases the likelihood that you’ll make objective decisions and hire the best candidate.

This course provided you with the essential skills to develop a Behavior Based interviewing program in your company and conduct successful Behavior Based interviews.

Implemented properly, Behavior Based Interviewing will lead you to hiring the right candidate and getting A-players on your team.