May 12, 2009

Behavioral Style Interview QuestionsChuck Tomasi

Time Description Person(s)6:00 Introductions All6:20 Behavioral style interview questions Chuck Tomasi

7:15 Future topics Chuck Tomasi7:30 Open discussion All

Check with your organization for info◦ Hiring process◦ Fair and legal hiring practices◦ Your company EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission) policy

Get a consistent interview experience Target a specific skill, knowledge,

competency, or ability Avoid legal issues

Start with the job description Identify the Skill, knowledge, competency,

ability, or other (SKAO)◦ What do your best people do that you like?◦ What do I expect them to do?◦ What does your team require to be effective?

Create a lead-in or setup statement Ask for an example of a situation◦ What behaviors are you looking for?

Accountabilities/Responsibilities◦ Responsible for troubleshooting and maintaining

servers at 5 remote locations Duties/Tasks (consider tools)◦ Maintains tracking log for all system maintenance

issues Work Environment◦ Multiple temporary offices; varying work conditions

Relationships◦ Operates with little or not supervision

Competencies◦ A set of demonstrated behaviors (technical or

leadership) Skills◦ What a person does on the job◦ Combines knowledge with action

Knowledge◦ What a person needs to know to be able to do to a

job◦ Involves information

Abilities◦ Aptitude or capability to do or learn to do the job “Can do”, not necessarily “will do” the job

Other personal characteristics◦ Related to attitudes or personality traits

Express a time frame◦ Periodically, occasionally, from time to time…

What is it you do (or need to do)?◦ We need to travel to work in different locations

Start with an open ended question◦ Tell me about a specific situation…◦ Explain your experience in…◦ Give an example to illustrate how you…

Gather data about the:◦ Circumstances of the Situation and Task Who was involved in the situation?◦ Past Actions specific to the SKAO defined What strategies did you use to sell your position?◦ Results What was the outcome?

Position: Administrative Assistant Job Requirement: Create PowerPoint

presentations for executive level audience Critical Knowledge: Advanced knowledge/use

of PowerPoint

Questions:◦ This position frequently requires one to prepare

presentations for the senior executive team. Tell me about a time you used PowerPoint to create a high profile presentation.◦ What kinds of features did you incorporate?◦ How did those features reinforce the points you were

trying to make?◦ Describe the most complex presentation you’ve

created. ◦ How well-received was the presentation?

Good to get “other side” of one-sided evidence

Gain a balanced view of skills and experience Seeking positive information◦ Susan, describe a situation in which you were able to

make a critical decision with limited information. What were the consequences of an incorrect decision? What was the outcome?

What would you do? Premise: Intentions are related to behavior Use when candidate has no prior experience Example:◦ You received a call from an angry client. She has

been trying to obtain a report recently prepared by your supervisor. However, her calls have not been returned. She askes you to send her the report. What would you do?

Can be open or close ended Used to gain insight to experience Example:◦ What experience do you have with preparing

executive presentations?

0 1 2 3 4 5

Manager Tools is working on one◦ http://www.manager-tools.com◦ ETA later this year◦ Available to Premium Members

Podcast◦ How to create simple behavioral style interview

question◦ http://manager-tools.com/2008/06/how-to-create-a-simple-behavioral-interview-question

On-boarding/training process ideas

LinkedIn◦ http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1819730

Facebook◦ http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=67519844111

Date TopicJune 9 Conflict Management – Ryan KehlJuly 14 Thank you NotesAugust 11 Presentations Made BetterSeptember 8 Say It Well With E-mailOctober 13 Email managementNovember 10 Personal productivity (GTD intro)December 8 Non-verbal communications

2nd Tuesday of Each Month

We appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule and spending it with us to improve yourself and your organization