Behavioral Interviewing an Effective Tool for Organization

and Job Fit

Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC)

Annual Meeting, HersheyOctober 7th – 9th

Organization and Job Fit

Matching People and Jobs: Why?

• Recruitment & Selection – Attraction and selection of individuals who possess

basic competencies and attitudinal requirements

• Selection Goal:– Person-job fit: Identification of required

individual competencies (KSAOs) for job success through job analysis and then matching them with the competencies of the candidate.

– Person-organization fit: Identifying cultural requirements of being a successful member of the organization match them with the values and personality of the candidate.

Consequences of Hiring the Wrong Person

• Lost productivity and revenue• Over extending other resources• Training time and money• Recruitment expenses

AND…

• Lower team morale • Unhappy patients and customers• Increased turnover and employee relations

issues• Impact to hiring manager’s reputation

Interview as a Hiring Tool

Post Interview Preparation

• Review job description and perform a thorough job analysis

• Identify and prioritize the common critical job requirements (Competencies and attitudes/behaviors)

• Prepare points or statements to inform the candidate about the position and the organization

• Use your best people who are also trained and skilled interviewers

• Develop behavioral questions and exercises• Create rubrics and standards for evaluating

candidate replies• Know what not to ask

What you Can and Cannot Ask

CAN Questions specifically related to job requirements and job performance

All questions should focus on determining:

- Does the candidate have the core skills to do the job? - Can the candidate thrive in our culture?

- Does the job and the culture meet the candidate’s needs.  

Contact someone in HR or Recruiting if you are not sure

RULE OF THUMB: If You’re Not Sure – Don’t Ask!

CANNOT Age or anything that would indicate it  Marital status Sexual orientation Children or children’s ages Worker’s compensation claims filed Arrests Place of birth or present residence Citizenship Length of residence in a particular location Other languages spoken or written Child-care arrangements Disabilities Religious, political, or organizational affiliations Type of car owned/driven Credit or financial status  Maiden name

Interviewer Tips and Techniques

• Try to build an early rapport• Be an effective listener• Accept silences• Candidates will be interviewing you; allow time for their questions• Avoid quick judgments• Maintain control…keep the applicant on track• Take notes!

What is a Behavioral Interview?

Definition

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Be-hav-ior \bē-‘hā-vyer

1.a: the manner of conducting oneself 1.b: anything than an organism does involving action and response to stimulation 1.c: the response of an individual, group or species to its environment

2.: the way in which something functions or operates

Definition

Behavioral Interviewing is a structured interviewing strategy built on the premise that past behavior and

performance is the best predictor of future behavior and performance in

similar circumstances

How do we get more reliable data?

Candidates demonstrate their knowledge, skills and abilities, (collectively known as competencies), by giving specific examples from their past experiences.

Other Advantages• Help manage personal biases• Reduces turnover• Higher employee engagement• Ensures a fair interview process

What is the Goal?

• Can the person do the job?Ascertain if they possess the required skill and

experience?

• Will the person do the job?Assess overall levels and triggers of their motivations?

• Is the person a team player and will align with our culture?

Match their personality traits, motivational triggers, and aspirations with organizational culture

Questions: Traditional vs. Behavioral

What are your goals in the next five years?

How do you make decisions?

Are you a team player?

Tell me about one of your personal goals and something you’ve specifically done in the last year to achieve this goal.

Describe a situation where you had to research and review information for the purpose of making a decision or recommendation.

Describe a situation in which you had a peer that wasn’t cooperating.

Using Open-ended though Provoking Questions

• Tell me about a time you had a major conflict with a manager, coworker, or client

• Tell me about a time you missed a major deadline

• Tell me about a time you failed to meet customer expectations

• Tell me about a time you lost a valued employee

Asking Difficult Questions

• Why were you fired?• You have a track record of being

caught in layoffs—why?• You seem to be overqualified for this

role. Why are you interested?• The position for which you are

applying is in an entirely new field/industry for you. Why are you applying?

Obtaining a Complete SAR Ask Probing / Follow-Up Questions

Situation Tell me more about that

What happened next?Can you be more specific about…?What were the circumstances…?

ActionWhat did you contribute to the effort?What did you specifically do?Describe your specific role in the situation?Walk me through the steps you took

ResultWhat was the result?How did it work out?What successes or problems resulted from…?What feedback did you receive?

Interviewee Mistakes

• Can’t isolate specific work achievements• Doesn’t answer questions• Reveals confidential information about current or former

employer• Lacks enthusiasm• Angry about prior employment• Doesn’t sell self• Only interested in salary and benefits• Monopolizes the conversation• Says something off the wall• Not researching the company/position before interview • Inability to articulate your own skills, needs, and desires • Talking the negative

Techniques and Examples

• Consider beginning your questions with:– Tell me about a time…– Give me an example of when…–Walk me through…– Describe for me…

• Quality of Work (Produces acceptable work, which may require some checking)

– Tell me about a time when your boss was not satisfied with an assignment you completed.

Techniques and Examples

• Flexibility (Adjusts to changes with average instruction. Handles changing priorities well)– Give me an example of a time when priorities

were shifted on you. How did you react?

• Organization/Planning/Time Management (Usually organized; sets priorities and makes effort meet deadlines. Completes assignments in acceptable amount of time)–Walk me through last week and tell me how

you planned the week’s work.

Caution: all will tell their greatest stories?

• Major accomplishments• Achievements• How they excelled• How they differentiated themselves• How they went“ where no one has

gone before”

Additional Questions• Tell me about a time when you were part of a team for a project or assignment.

What was your role? What was the result?• Tell me about a time when you had to work with a colleague whose work ethic

was different than yours.• Tell me about a time when you had to surmount an obstacle to reach a goal.• Describe an accomplishment that you are especially proud of.• Give me an example of an important goal you set and how you took steps to

achieve that goal.• Tell me about a time you were faced with a major change in your workplace.• Give me an example of a time when you had to go beyond the call of duty.• Tell me about a time when you had to do work that was clearly beneath your

level of expertise.• Tell me about a recent tough decision you had to make.• Tell me about a time when you had to inspire your team to achieve a major goal.• Tell me about a time when you faced an ethical dilemma.• Tell me about a time you had to bend the rules to achieve a desired result.• Tell me about a recent tough decision you had to make.• Tell me about a time when you had to inspire your team to achieve a major goal.• Tell me about a time when you faced an ethical dilemma.• Tell me about a time you had to bend the rules to achieve a desired result.

Evaluation

Evaluation

• This is the final phase of the interviewing process. Review your standards for evaluating to create an objective tool to evaluate each candidate

• Requires coordination and training• Need to reduce personal biases by

involving multi-raters

Evaluation ExampleCandidate:_______________________________ Interviewer:_________________________Position: _______________________________ Date of Interview:____________________

Rating Scale: Use to represent your evaluation of areas below (5 = excellent, 1= poor)INDICATOR (Circle Rating)OVERALL IMPRESSION–e.g. neatly/professionally presented, updated 1 2 3 4 5resume, cover letter, on time, interested in position, provided professionalreferences.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------BACKGROUND –e.g. relevant experience, education, credentials, 1 2 3 4 5related training, licenses, workshops, seminars etc.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------COMMUNICATION–e.g. answers questions thoughtfully, gives 1 2 3 4 5appropriate answers, listens carefully, able GENERAL SKILLS–as preferred for the position e.g. working with others 1 2 3 4 5(team work), attention to detail, prioritizing, independent judgment, conflict resolution, customer service skills.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------REQUIRED COMPETENCIES & SKILLS–as required for the position, 1 2 3 4 5e.g. prioritization, attention to detail, ability to supervise, mentoring skills, leadership, multi-tasking, punctuality.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------OVERALL RATING –summary 1 2 3 4 5 TOTAL ________

Thank you & Questions