CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

LITERATURE KEY FINDINGS

Using Behavior-Based Structured Interviews

Finding 1: Research suggests that due to the alignment with job responsibilities,
types of questions used, and consistency across candidates, structured interviews
provide a more valid assessment tool than traditional interviews and as a result
increase quality of hire.
According to Workforce.com,
a majority of Fortune 500
companies and government
agencies use some form of
behavior-based structured
interviewing during the
3
recruiting process.

Increase quality of hire and reduce productivity lossesWhile structured

interviews can prove costly and time-consuming to implement, they ultimately reduce
1,23
costs because they bring top-performers to the organization.

Link to organizations core competenciesMany organizations define

competencies that employees should demonstrate in their role, but few align their
interview process with their core competencies and thus miss opportunities to bring
desired actions and behaviors into the organization. A structured interview builds
questions based on job competencies, therefore allowing companies to assess
4
candidates ability to perform in the role more effectively.

Research suggests that there is a 48 percent difference in high-performing and

low-performing manager personal productivity, which for an organization with 20 $60,000-ayear managers would amount to a $576,000 annual productivity loss that may be avoided by
hiring candidates with the best fit.

Wilsons Leather developed a behavior-based interview system to test a candidates integrity

and work ethic, two core recruiting criteria, and then develops a customized structured
interview based on a candidates responses. Stores run by managers with high assessment
scores report 14 to 20 percent higher-than-average sales.

Use questions that effectively evaluate performanceAccording to the

Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, the types of questions asked
during structured employment interviews increase the interviews validity and reliability.
5,6
Examples of question types include the following:
Table 1: Structured Interview Question Types
Question Type
Description

Behavioral
Questions

Situational
Questions

Job Knowledge
Questions

Research suggests that past performance both in and out of

the workplace accurately predicts a candidates future
performance, therefore behavioral questions can help
recruiters and hiring managers select candidates with the right
skills.
Critics of behavioral questions note that applicants can distort
their responses; however, research has found that using
descriptive rating scales helps interviewers achieve valid
answers from applicants.
Hypothetical situation-based questions allow applicants with
varied work experience to respond to questions they may have
never faced in the workplace.
These questions help recruiters to benchmark applicants job
knowledge against standardized criteria.
These questions assess applicants basic or technical
knowledge needed to perform the position.
Organizations can adjust questions difficulty level based on a
jobs skill requirements.

Assess candidates consistentlyTraditional interviewing often produces the

halo effect, where recruiters hire candidates similar to their own personality or work
style, resulting in possible discrimination issues and organizational groupthink.
Structured interviews ensure that recruiters evaluate and select candidates based on
7
uniform, job-related criteria.

2004 Corporate Executive Board

CATALOG NUMBER: CLC12N73XL

CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

USING BEHAVIOR-BASED STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS

PAGE 2
KEY FINDINGS

Finding 2: To use structured interviews effectively, companies should perform a

thorough job analysis, develop behavioral-based questions and assessment criteria
based on that analysis, and provide training to interviewers.
Research suggests that
organizations can use structured
behavioral interviews for a
variety of reasons, including
9
those listed below:

Implement structured interviews methodicallyDr. Del Still, author of High Impact

Hiring, developed the following structured interview process to help HR and hiring
89
managers increase the quality of hire:
Step 1: Job Analysis

Evaluating applicants on job-based

core competencies prevents
recruiters from assessing unrelated
knowledge or skills.
Organizations can increase the
depth of their applicant pool by
interviewing candidates based on
behaviors rather than vocational
experience.
Organizations reduce legal risks by
asking applicants the same
questions, assessing them against
the same criteria, and rating them
using the same method.

Prepare
Questions

HR should work with hiring managers to perform a thorough job analysis to

identify specific competencies and work habits candidates should
demonstrate. Then, HR and hiring managers should create a job description
and experience-based questions around the job analysis.
Step 2: Interview Process

Conduct
Interviews

Evaluate
Candidates

HR should review all questions for illegal inquiries and determine how to
structure the interview. The recruiter and hiring manager should ask and
assess all candidates using the same question roster.
Step 3: Candidate Evaluation
HR and the hiring manger should rank all candidates on their demonstration of
required competencies and work habits to make employment decisions.

Design interview questions according to the job description and its relevant
functionsEffective structured interviews assess candidates previous relevant job
experience. Organizations should develop questions around job characteristics to
10
assess candidates qualifications systematically.

Select assessment tools to score interviews and select candidatesWhen

developing structured interview questions, hiring mangers and recruiters should
develop a rating scale on a continuum of possible answers ranging from a great
answer to a poor answer. These ratings should link directly to job criteria and rank all
11
candidates ability to perform necessary job duties.

Train interviewers to ensure that structured interviews are uniform among

candidates so the interviews remain a valid hiring toolA recent Duke University
study found that many interviewers assist candidates by avoiding hard questions or
overlooking negative employment history. Managers should train interviewers to not
coach applicants, stray from the interview agenda, provide verbal or non-verbal
12,13
signals, or favor one applicant over another.

Literature suggests that organizations should provide training in the following:

o
Behavioral questioning style
o
Focus on the why, how, and what candidates learned from their experiences
o
Listening skills to assesses candidates credibility and genuineness

2004 Corporate Executive Board

CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

USING BEHAVIOR-BASED STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS

PAGE 3
KEY FINDINGS

Finding 3: Organizations can develop structured interview questions around

candidates experience, job level, and work habits to assess candidates skills,
ability, and cultural fit in the organization.
Structured interview questions
can help interviewers elicit
job-related competencies and
behaviors from candidates that
help interviewers assess
candidates experiences in the
15
following categories:

SituationThe context in which

the behavior or action took place
ActionWhat the candidate
actually did in the situation
Result The outcomes of the
candidates actions or behaviors.

Assess and benchmark candidates skills through specific interview

questionsHiring managers can ask a variety of questions to assess candidates
ability to perform specific job responsibilities based on their previous experience,
1415
as detailed below:

Past Work Experience

o
Describe a time when you had to criticize or discipline the performance of someone
who worked with you or for you. How did you handle the situation? What was the
result?
o
Recall a time when you made what you consider a mistake or a bad decision on the
job. How did you handle the situation?
o
What approaches worked best for you in the past in communicating with your boss?
With your co-workers? With your subordinates?

Previous achievements and future goals

o
Describe a time when you set specific work goals for yourself. What was the result?
o
Describe the major highlights of your career so far and describe your future goals.
o
Describe a work emergency or crisis of some kind in which you were involved.
What was your role? What did you do?
o
Describe a situation when you felt you went beyond the call of duty in helping a client.
o
Describe a challenge you faced in a previous situation and how you responded.
o
In your most recent position, what did you learn? How did you apply this learning?
o
What are examples of work-related situations that you find stressful? How do you
typically handle such stress?

Ability to work in teams

o
Describe a situation when you took charge as a leader in a work situation without being
formally assigned to that role by your supervisor.
o
In your past work experience, how have you worked with difficult clients or co-workers?
o
Was there a time when you fostered a team environment among a previous group of
co-workers?

Previous Managers
o
Describe what you liked and disliked about management styles you have observed in
previous jobs.
o
Describe a work situation in which you delegated responsibility successfully.
Alternatively, discuss a time when your delegation of responsibility did not work out
well. How did you handle that situation?

2004 Corporate Executive Board

CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

USING BEHAVIOR-BASED STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS

PAGE 4
KEY FINDINGS

Finding 3 (continued)
Organizations can include
cultural assessments throughout
the entire recruiting process,
18
including the following areas:

Candidate selectionTarget
candidates at organizations with
similar organizational culture and
values.
Job postingWrite job
advertisements that reflect
organizational culture. Ensure that
internal and external recruiters
know the organizations culture
and values.
Interviewing Ask candidates
behavioral questions based on
organizational culture to gain
insight into cultural fit.

Assess candidates ability to work within an organizations cultureWhen using

structured interviews, many organizations question candidates technical skills,
core business skills, and behavioral competencies. However, to help ensure that the
successful candidate will be engaged in the organization, hiring managers should also
assess candidates for cultural fit. Examples of cultural traits that customer- and
16,17 18
process-focused organizations may want to address include the following:
Table 2: Possible Cultural Traits to Assess During Structured Interviews

Customer-Focused
Organizations

Ability to respond to change

Approachability
Compassion
Creativity

Customer focus
Interpersonal savvy
Listening skills

Process-Focused
Organizations

Cautiousness
Detail orientation
Organizational agility
Planning capabilities

Priority setting
Process management
Problem solving
Thoroughness

Question managerial candidates about their experienceFor management

positions, interviewers should ask candidates specific questions that avoid generalities
19,20
and assess job-specific skills that can be adapted to different industries:
Table 3: Behavior-Based Interview Questions for Managers
Question
Rationale for Asking

Tell us about a best-in-class

standard or practice that you have
introduced.
Describe a situation when a
subordinate was able to change
your mind.
Tell us about the most unpopular
decision you have made.
Describe a time when you were
faced with a challenging situation
that involved balancing competing
interest in your personal life with
workplace issues.
Who was your best/worst boss or
mentor?
What are two areas of professional
development you are working on?

Demonstrates strong competency in results

orientation
To adapt to lower-level managers, ask about a
stretch goal candidates established for their
team

Identify candidates who excel in team leadership

Demonstrates skills in leadership and

negotiation

One large pharmaceutical company uses this

question to allow candidates to show when they
were effective, creative, and found solutions
beyond the norm during difficult situations

Allows the candidate to describe the skills they

admire and may emulate
Assesses a candidates capacity for growth both
personally and professionally
This question shows if candidates panicked,
acted on incomplete information, communicated
effectively, and prioritized actions while leading
their team through crisis
This question helps candidates define moral
boundaries by showing how they think about and
communicate questions of integrity
This question ensures that candidates
expectations of the position are accurate
This open-ended question helps a candidate
describe what drives them to succeed

Describe a crisis and how you

managed it.

When is it OK to lie?
Describe the job you are applying
for.
Why are you interested in this
position?

2004 Corporate Executive Board

CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

USING BEHAVIOR-BASED STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS

1
Society for Human Resource Management, "Behavioral-Based Interviews Take Many Forms," www.shrm.org
(November 2002/ Revised January 2004). [Accessed 16 November 2004].
(Due to copyright restrictions, a copy of this article cannot be provided.)
2
Author Unknown, "Human Resources Department Management Report," IOMA (September 2002).
(Obtained through Lexis-Nexis, a division of Reed Elsevier, Incorporated).
3
Arthur Bell, Ph.D., "How to Use Behavior-Based Structured Interviewing," www.Workforce.com (Date Unknown).
(Obtained through http://www.workforce.com). [Accessed 16 November 2004].
4
Blake Lowry and Perry Alter, "Applying Core Competencies to Selection Interviews," www.HR.com (Date Unknown).
(Obtained through http://www.hr.com). [Accessed 16 November 2004].
5
Paul J. Taylor and Bruce Small, "Asking Applicants What They Would Do Versus What They Did Do:
A Meta-Analytic Comparison of Situational and Past Behaviour Employment Interview Questions,"
Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology (2002). (Obtained through EBSCO).
6
Author Unknown, "The Structured Selection Interview: A Sound Method of Assessment,"
Public Service Commission of Canada (Date Unknown). (Obtained through http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca).
[Accessed 16 November 2004].
7
Arthur Bell, Ph.D., "How to Use Behavior-Based Structured Interviewing.
8
Mary Joki Ebb, Esq., "Structured Interview: Powerful Retention Tool," CFG Update (January/February 2001).
(Obtained through http://www.cfginsurance.com). [Accessed 16 November 2004].
9
Society for Human Resource Management, "Structured Behavioral Interviewing: Oldie But Goodie," www.shrm.org
(November 2002/ Revised January 2004). [Accessed 16 November 2004].
(Due to copyright restrictions, a copy of this article cannot be provided.)
10
Author Unknown, "The Structured Selection Interview: A Sound Method of Assessment."
11
Arthur Bell, Ph.D., "How to Score a Behavior-Based Structured Interview," www.Workforce.com (Date Unknown).
(Obtained through http://www.workforce.com). [Accessed 16 November 2004].
12
Arthur Bell, Ph.D., How to Use Behavior-Based Structured Interviewing.
13
Author Unknown, "Using Behavioral Interviewing to Help You Hire the Best of the Best," HR Focus (1 August 2004).
(Obtained through Factiva).
14
Arthur Bell, Ph.D., "Examples of Behavior-Based Questions and Follow-Ups," www.Workforce.com (Date Unknown).
(Obtained through http://www.workforce.com). [Accessed 16 November 2004].
15
Catherine Neiner, "Making the Case for Behavioral Interviewing," Wetfeet.com (December 2000).
(Obtained through http://www.wetfeet.com). [Accessed 16 November 2004].
16
John Miraglia, "Recruiting in the Fourth Dimension," Electronic Recruiting Exchange (11 February 2003).
(Obtained through http://www.erexchange.com). [Accessed 16 November 2004].
17
John Miraglia, "Using Corporate Culture in Recruiting and Selection," Electronic Recruiting Exchange (20 May 2003).
(Obtained through http://www.erexchange.com). [Accessed 16 November 2004].
18
John Miraglia, "Using Corporate Culture in Recruiting and Selection."
19
Sarah Hood, "Hire Echelon," Canadian Business (7 June 2004). (Obtained through EBSCO).
20
Arthur Bell, Ph.D., "Examples of Behavior-Based Questions and Follow-Ups," www.Workforce.com (Date Unknown).
(Obtained through http://www.workforce.com). [Accessed 16 November 2004].

2004 Corporate Executive Board

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KEY FINDINGS