In my last article, I discussed the importance of soft skills in hiring. In this article, I’m going to discuss a specific interviewing technique that is particularly useful for assessing soft skills.
What are behavioral based questions?
Behavioral based questions ask candidates to describe real situations they have experienced in the past, rather than hypothetical situations. They are also called behavior-based interview questions or behavioral assessment questions. The idea behind them is that by asking about how someone has acted in the past, you can get more detailed responses than with traditional interview questions. Traditional questions tend to focus more on skills and qualifications.
The predictive logic behind behavioral interviewing
Past behavior is the single best predictor of future behavior, so employers use behavioral interviews to objectively measure past behaviors as a predictor of future results. This approach is backed up by a huge amount of evidence. According to a job outlook report:
87% of employers use behavioral interviews as their primary method for skills-based hiring.
Behavioral-based questions ranked #1 among all assessment approaches at the interviewing stage.
According to a talent solutions report:
92% of talent professionals rate soft skills equally or more important than technical abilities.
As a result, it’s not surprising that employers increasingly rely on behavioral based questions to assess candidates’ ability to perform the job. Behavioral based questions typically target a range of competency areas, including communication, leadership, decision-making, teamwork and collaboration, and problem-solving. Communication consistently ranks among the top three assessed competencies. Leadership and decision-making are a core category of competencies; organizations with strong leadership are 13x more likely to outperform competitors. Teamwork and collaboration are usually assessed when the role involves supervision or working in a team-based environment. Behavioral questions are designed to elicit answers that describe situations typical for the role.
A recommended way to answer behavioral questions
When answering behavioral questions, the STAR method is a great structure to follow. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. Here’s what each of those components means:
Situation: Describe the situation you were facing.
Task: Explain what you needed to do.
Action: Describe what you did.
Result: Tell what happened.
The key here is to give a specific example, not just a generalized answer. Specific examples give your interviewer insight into your potential. There isn’t really a right or wrong answer to these questions—they’re simply meant to provide context on your past behavior and its fit for the organization.
Preparing for behavioral interviews
There are several ways to prepare for an interview using behavioral based questions. First, prepare a few stories based on the job description. Preparation reduces nervousness and increases readiness. Second, tailor your answers to the role. You should choose examples that demonstrate experiences, behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities that relate to the competencies the role requires. Finally, address the interviewer’s specific concern directly rather than giving cookie-cutter answers. For example, if the interviewer is concerned about your ability to improve company culture through training, you could explain how training improves both company culture and operational efficiency.