Behavioral Interviewing

Behavioral interviewing is one of the latest and most successful types of employment interviews. It has grown in popularity as more companies switch to a behavioral approach, since it focuses on past behaviors that show potential for future success. The behavioral approach provides a more efficient way to find the right match by separating candidates into more likely and less likely categories. Current and future employees can then be screened for their present abilities, as opposed to an interview that is largely based on past performance.

Behavioral interviews allow employers to identify how a candidate will perform in the current job role, or how well he or she would fit into a new position due to changes in the company, office or department. The ideal interviewer should focus on what a potential recruit can do today as opposed to what they might have done years ago. This allows employers to prevent hiring mistakes, such as hiring someone with poor time management skills. One of the key aspects of behavioral interviewing is that it focuses on past experience, which allows interviewers to discover exactly how a candidate would respond to future situations.

Behavioral interviewing technique is used with the aim of identifying candidates who are a good fit for the company, and not just good at the skills required for that particular job. The process does not use standard questions or a fixed form, but instead there might be some general areas that require discussion during an interview which can include:

By creating a standard set of questions or areas for discussion, an employer can compare candidates. This comparison is based on the motivations, behaviors and achievements that are obtained from each candidate's answers. The standard questions or areas of discussion allow candidates to be placed into a category of "high" or "low" depending on their responses. Candidates who do not fit into either of these categories may need more information and may be asked additional specific questions, or they may simply be eliminated as a potential hire.

There are two main approaches to behavioral interviewing:

Behavioral interviews are commonly conducted during the late stages of the hiring process, after the company is sure that there are sufficient internal candidates to fill open positions. The goal is to find the best possible match for future positions that may arise in the next six months. The process is best suited for mid-level, mid-skilled and certain entry level positions. The most common types of behavioral interviews are situational, behavioral and skills based interviews.

Mainly used in the public sector to screen prospective employees for a particular position or for the purpose of specific recruiting. A situational interview consists of three different parts:

Person interviewers also use behavioral interviewing techniques to decide whether potential employees are fit for a particular function within their companies. Also called an "if-then" approach, this involves asking questions about previous tasks which employees have performed in order to gauge their abilities for future work with similar schedules and time constraints. It is appropriate for use by job candidates who have extensive experience and a proven track record.

Another situation in which behavioral interviews are used relates to the decision of how to fill a position. Many businesses may have similar positions that are difficult to separate such as human resource officer. If they decide to fill the opening, they will ask different interviews questions related to the general responsibilities of this position, instead of asking questions that show how each candidate would resolve different situations that may arise in their job.

In the U.S., a job interview is an important rite of passage for a new college graduate approaching the workforce. In some countries, such as Germany and the Netherlands, interviews are not used because the recruitment process is very fast. However, in France, it is the norm to have interviews at the time of application, although it's not clear what this actually leads to in terms of hiring. 

There are many factors that affect how and when candidates will be asked for an interview (or whether they will be interviewed). There are several factors that contribute to whether or not employers interview during their hiring process:

Numerous studies report that interviewed candidates get more job offers than "non-interviewed" candidates. It has been found that for the same level of experience and qualification, an interview makes candidates significantly more attractive to employers. Even when researchers controlled for a variety of skills, personality traits, and other factors (such as pleasantness), employers were willing to pay more for candidates who were interviewed. It has been suggested that this is because interviews provide information about candidates that cannot be obtained elsewhere (for example, empathy) which can be difficult to evaluate in applications. 

Research has concluded that interviewers can discriminate between applicants with identical qualifications by the way they interact with each other during an interview. It was found that applicants who shakes hands firmly and make direct eye contact are more likely to receive an offer than those who do not. This has been attributed to the interviewers' desire for applicants who are self-confident and assertive.

When applying for a job, there is a certain amount of consideration that candidates must give towards their own image. The way in which people present themselves during an interview directly impacts how they are perceived. A candidate's image can reinforce the impression they make during an interview or even create a new, more positive impression unrelated to the actual content of their responses. Because interviews can often be quite stressful, it is important that candidates learn how to control their body language in order to give off an air of confidence and trustworthiness when speaking with hiring managers.

There are several factors that play a role in how people feel when interacting with others. These include: 

Because the purpose of an interview is to formulate an impression of candidate's suitability for a role, it is paramount that they present themselves in a favorable light. There are certain techniques that candidates must be aware of when preparing for or engaging in an interview. It is important to practice a welcoming and approachable manner, particularly as many interviewers have formed opinions about candidates before they even come into the room.

Up until the 19th century, most people applied for jobs by writing letters to their potential employer. This typically included their CV, references and any other relevant information regarding previous work experience.

Conclusion: HR has a variety of potential candidates to choose from. Some interviews should be held, while others can be eliminated. Factors that need to be considered are:

Through careful observation, an employer may calculate certain characteristics of the person being interviewed. These could include: 

The purpose of behavioral interviewing is to draw out the particular attributes that a candidate wishes to exhibit during their search for a job. By describing past experiences where they have been forced to face difficult situations, candidates can demonstrate how they handled conflict and also reveal any professional values that they hold to be important (such as honesty or self-reliance).