It all starts at the interview

Behavioural interviewing is a style of interviewing that was developed in the 1970's by industrial psychologists. Behavioural interviewing asserts, "the most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in a similar situation." Behavioural interviewing, in fact, is said to be 55 percent predictive of future on-the-job behaviour, while traditional interviewing is only 10 percent predictive.

Unlike traditional interviews, which include such questions as:

1. Tell me about yourself?
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
3. Why are you interested in working for us?

Behavioural interviewing emphasises past performance and behaviours where candidates must rely on past experiences as opposed to predicting how they would behave.

Typical behavioural-based interview questions include:

• Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way.
• Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills.
• Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
• Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it.
• Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree.
• Tell me about a time when you had to go beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
• Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritise your tasks.
• Give me an example of a time when you had to make a split second decision.
• What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example.
• Tell me about a difficult decision you have made in the last year.

While the behavioural interview is able to focus on the way in which the candidate dealt with situations in the past, indicating how they would deal with similar situations in the future; there still needs to be a way for the interviewer to determine how the candidate will react in a future situation. This is where the ‘performance-based’ interview comes in.

Rather than focusing purely on questions that guide the candidate through a review of their skills and experience, the performance-based interview asks the candidate to describe two or three of their accomplishments, and, with the aide of the interviewer, discuss these accomplishments in detail. By allowing the candidate to choose the accomplishments to discuss, the interviewer is effectively asking the candidate to discuss those aspects of their working lives that they feel they achieved the most, and have the greatest pride.

This discussion, however, should not be brief. While the candidate will be able to give an indication of their performance within their accomplishment, it is up to the interviewer to actively listen to what is being said, and delve into those areas where more information is needed. Deep questioning should allow the interviewer to uncover indications of candidate commitment, motivation, cultural fit, interest, motivation, experience, and willingness to learn; and allow the interviewer to evaluate how the candidate will work in a similar environment.

Further depth can be gained by asking the candidate to describe their accomplishments in chronological order; again, through in depth questioning, the interviewer should be able to extract an understanding of the candidate’s progression and improvement over time.

By allowing the candidate to discuss specific accomplishments or failures, and by developing questions from these examples, the interview is less likely to follow a pre-determined format, removing the smokescreen that can be thrown up by a pre-prepared candidate. This sort of questioning will allow the interviewer to make the recruitment decision in light of what is best for the business, rather than by how well the candidate was able to perform at interview; a key factor in an increasingly competitive industry.

“In the competitive candidate market, it is crucial that employers are able to make the best recruitment decisions for the organisation, particularly as a ‘bad’ hire can result in more than just the loss time spent in selection and training. Matching the needs of the job to the skills and behaviours of the candidate is clearly vital so that your business can gain and maintain a competitive edge,” says Peter Davis, Managing Director, Frontline Recruitment Group.

The interview is one of the most powerful tools that you have to ensure that the person you hire is suitable for the role and for your business. While it is not possible to gain the full measure of the candidate’s ability as a result of the interview, it is critical that the interviewer is able to ensure that the interview process is as vigorous as possible. By using an interview technique that draws on both behavioural and performance based methodologies you will have a better chance of securing the right person for your organisation.

Please feel free to contact us at Frontline Retail. with any recruitment requirements - we are here to help.