1. Susan Gafner and Sarah Olson City of Madison Human Resources
Behavioral Interviewing
How to hire the best person for the job
Susan Gafner and Sarah Olson City of Madison Human Resources

2. What you will learn… The behavioral interviewing technique
How to create effective interview questions and benchmarks
How to assess whether a candidate is a good fit
Strategies to dig deeper in an interview
Put into practice

3. Why this material matters
Using the behavioral interviewing technique gives us more information to make an informed decision
You need colleagues you can rely on; bring skills lacking
Strong interview questions/benchmarks can increase your chance for a successful hire
Minimizes employee performance issues and potential problems after hire

4. How the City uses this approach
Hiring managers view position description
Identify core competencies needed
Create behavioral interview questions with benchmarks (rating criteria)
A balanced panel of interviewers select the new hire
A database of behavioral interview questions is available

5. Outcomes the City has Experienced
More information in the interview leads to better assessment of qualifications
Benchmarks ensure consistent and fair scoring, and less personal bias in the interview
Higher employee retention due to smart hiring

6. Before the Interview Review that Application/Resume
Basic rules to remember with follow-up questions:
Be consistent…. With ALL applicants
Review applications/resumes and don’t be afraid to ask specific questions regarding:
Lapses in employment?
Questionable reasons for leaving?
Resignations in lieu of termination?

7. Interviewing The Basic Principle
“If you fail to plan, plan to fail”
Key components of an effective Interview Process:
Providing a thorough and friendly introduction;
Asking behavioral interview questions;
Being prepared to respond to candidates questions;
Closing the interview in a courteous way.

8. Definition and Purpose of BI
Questions designed to get specific information on how a candidate handled or reacted to situations in the past
Based on the premise that past behaviors is the best predictor of future behavior
The key to successful behavioral interviewing questions are driven by the ability to identify essential competencies needed to perform the job

9. Behavioral Interviewing What are Core Competencies?
Identify the core competencies needed to succeed in the vacancy by looking at the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA’s) in the PVL.
Some examples:
Technical Skills, Analytical Skills
Organizational Skills, Managerial Skills
Communication/Presentation Skills
Interpersonal Relations, Problem Solving

10. Behavioral Interviewing Developing the Questions
Once key competencies are identified, they should be translated into interview questions that will require candidates to respond by drawing on previous experiences.
Example: Someone in this position must have the ability to remain calm in a volatile situation.
Sample Traditional Question: “How would others say you handle volatile situations?
Sample BEHAVIORAL Question: “Tell us about a time when you had to remain calm and professional in a volatile situation?”

11. Avoiding Danger
The dangers involved in asking candidates inappropriate questions can usually be avoided by applying these two tests: 
Is this information necessary to assess the candidate’s competence for the performance of this particular job?
Does this question tend to have a disproportionate effect in screening out members of people of color, women, older people, veterans, or people with disabilities?

12. Behavioral Interviewing Got benchmarks?
Establish benchmarks to help evaluate and assess candidate responses with the previously established core competencies associated with the job.
Sample BEHAVIORAL Question: “Tell us about a time when you had to remain calm and professional in a volatile situation and how did you do that?”
Sample BEHAVIORAL Question Benchmarks: (10 pts each)
Ability to explain a volatile situation (1 pt)
Exhibited the ability to remain calm and professional (1 pt)
Adaptable (3 pts)
Ability de-escalate the situation (3 pts)
Followed policies and procedures (1 pt)
Other related response (1 pt)
Why benchmarks are important

13. Group Engagement: Creating Benchmarks
Review the interview question
Do the benchmarks you just created line up with what was asked? Would it be expected that someone would hit the benchmark based on the question asked?
Everyone will have a different answer when it comes to behavioral interview questions.
How to use the total scores as it relates to upcoming activity at 8 pm

14. Making sense of your benchmarks
Weight your benchmarks (if certain benchmarks are more important, give higher points).
Use “other related response” as a benchmark for a response that wasn’t already included but is relevant.
The overall score will differentiate the candidates but it does not always indicate the top candidate.

15. What to look for in an answer
Behavioral Interviewing uses the “STAR” approach:
Situation
Tasks
Actions
Results
Interview panel members should be able to identify potentially successful candidates by getting candidates to identify specific “Situations” which required them to complete specific “Tasks.” Panel members are then able to evaluate candidates based on the “Actions” they took, and the “Results” of those actions.

16. Digging deeper
What if you are not getting enough information in the interview?
Follow-up with more direct questions
Restate the answer you receive
Echo key words or phrases
Pauses
Comments

17. Putting into Practice
We will watch a short video using the behavioral interviewing technique. This is great advice for both the Interviewer and the Interviewee.

18. Putting into Practice - Watch
Role Play
Susan and Sarah

19. Putting into Practice - Activity
Create Benchmarks

20. Role play Triad role plays Observer Interviewer Interviewee
Traditional vs. Behavioral Interview Questions
Without benchmarks and with benchmarks
What are your observations?

21. Susan gafner and Sarah Olson City of Madison Human Resources
Questions?
Susan gafner and Sarah Olson City of Madison Human Resources