Asking Questions In A Behavioral Job Interview
The form in which you ask questions in your behavioral job interviews is extremely important if you are going to get the maximum relevant information in a short amount of time.
Your interview questions should be open-ended. That is, questions that can't be answered with a simple yes or no. Open-ended questions require the applicant to elaborate and share meaningful information.
"Can you handle working under pressure?" is a leading, close-ended question that can be answered with a simple yes or no - and who in their right mind would answer no?
"How do you feel your personality changes working under pressure?" is an open-ended question that requires the applicant to explain how. Most open-ended questions begin with "how, why, what, when, describe for me, or tell me," - all of which ask for elaboration.
Go From Generalities To Specifics In Your Questions
Ask layers of questions in your behavioral job interviews around themes, going from general to specific. A useful method of questioning that's sometime called the funnel, or inverted cone technique is where you begin with a broad question about the applicant's work history, then ask increasingly specific questions that focus in on revealing details.
Envision a funnel or cone standing on its tip, with questions first establishing the broad body of information, then becoming more sharply focused as you descend and get the facts.
For example, take some noteworthy accomplishment on their resume and ask them to tell you how they did it. Their answer not only reveals content, but shows how they organize their thoughts to accomplish an objective.
It gives you a frame of reference to ask increasingly specific questions beginning with "why, how, where..." so the applicant clarifies details as you layer question upon question.
Going from generalities to specifics has the applicant state their position to the general question before the more specific probing may reveal your intent. It helps get at the truth behind the applicant's initial answer.
In a behavioral job interview always look for an internal consistency in the answers when going from generalities to specifics. Beware when this type of probing reveals a different impression than the answer to the first general question, or the first reading of their resume.
Dig For Specifics
Remember, you don't have to accept an candidate's first answer to any of your questions. You'll frequently have to dig to get answers that are specific and meaningful rather than answers that are general and vague.
If something doesn't sound quite right, if there's some waffling or reluctance to answer a particular question... or if the non-verbals say something different than what you're hearing, dig deeper by simply asking "Tell me more about that," or mirroring back their last statement followed by a pause.
Use Of The Pause In Behavioral Job Interviews
One of your most powerful tools for uncovering information that sometimes yields surprising results is the use of a pause or silence in the behavioral interview. It can feel awkward and may make the candidate feel threatened, but don't feel compelled to speak right after hearing something you'd like to know more about.
A pause generates psychological pressure to fill the gap. Without words, silence asks "What else do you have to say about that?" Simply nod. Show you're listening and with them, waiting for a point to be elaborated on more fully.
Experienced behavioral interviewers tend to pace the interview slowly as a conscious technique. The use of a pause or silence can reveal a lot of meaningful information that otherwise might not have been said.
Hypothetical Questions
Hypothetical or situational questions can be very useful in revealing how a candidate thinks. Take an unusually difficult problem that they are likely to encounter on the new job, and ask them how they'd solve it.
Unlike questions a well-prepped applicant may know from studying interview books, hypothetical questions are difficult to anticipate and can be good for getting gut level responses.
In fairness, always be very careful to keep hypothetical questions realistic and close to an actual situation they will be facing on the job.
Self-Assessment Questions
Self-assessment questions can be good for getting a balance between positive and negative information. Self-assessment questions ask "What is your best... What are you most proud of..." first allowing the applicant to shine - followed by a query about "What was your worst... what do you know you need to work on...".
Losing Control Of The Job Interview
A problem you'll probably encounter asking open ended questions is that it can lead to the candidate taking control of the behavioral job interview and taking too long to answer questions. If you have a candidate who tends to ramble in response to questions there are some easy ways of handling that.
You can insert yourself into their monologue with "You know, that's interesting..." and direct the interview to another topic. Or you can interrupt the applicant and state, "You know with time short, I think we should move on to another subject, don't you?" You can bet the applicant will agree.
About the Author
Steve Penny author of Hiring The Best People has been asked to speak on the Best Interview Questions at the largest human resource conferences in the world. Video clips of this presentation and 7 Ways To Motivate People That Don't Cost A Penny may be viewed at http://hiringthebestpeople.com
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