Hiring a new member of your team is exciting — and daunting. When you post a job opening, you might hear from lots of candidates … or a handful … or just one. No matter how many people apply, your goal is to hire the right one. A bad hiring decision will cost you time, energy, and money. The average cost of a single bad hire is nearly $15,000 — ouch!
The ideal candidate has the skills to succeed in the job. Just as important, this person also shares the values you and your company hold dear. How can you gauge if a candidate’s values align with yours? The answer is surprisingly simple. You need to reframe the all-important interview process by asking behavioral-based questions.
What are behavioral-based questions?
Behavioral-based questions focus on how someone has navigated actual situations in previous jobs, not on how they might respond to a hypothetical challenge or problem. It’s an important distinction to make and requires a language shift. Instead of asking, “Tell me how you would handle …,” say, “Tell me how you handled ….” The difference is subtle, but it’s a powerful way to get insights into prospective employees’ real values.
The truth is, most people know how to give the “right” answer to questions about theoretical scenarios, and those answers don’t always reflect their true values or beliefs. (This explains why someone who nailed the interview might still be a disaster on the job.) Since past performance is the best indicator of future performance, you need to learn everything you can about an applicant’s actions and decisions in previous roles before you make an offer.
Why behavioral-based questions are so powerful
Here’s an example of an effective behavioral-based question: “Tell me about a time when you exceeded a customer’s expectations.” Let’s figure out why such a straightforward question is loaded — in a good way.
- You learn about the job candidate’s values: This concrete question encourages applicants to provide specific examples of how they conduct themselves with customers. Since people-skills are paramount in virtually every business, any future employee must be willing to build and maintain positive relationships with everyone they interact with.
During the interview, listen for specific examples that reflect past values-based behaviors and decisions. You might hear things like, “I always greet people with a smile,” or “I take the time to learn a customer’s name.”
Don’t hesitate to probe further. Can the interviewee describe the specific instance or scenario they’re recalling? Can they talk about the thought process behind their actions? The more details, the better. Not only will you get insights about the person and their experience, but you may also weed out folks who may be guilty of exaggerating their past success.
You can learn even more about your candidate by asking behavioral-based follow-up questions like, “Tell me about a time when you were able to anticipate a customer’s needs.”
- The job candidate learns about your values: In this example, asking about exceeding customer expectations lets the applicant know that customer service is a core value for both you and your business. (If it wasn’t, you wouldn’t be asking about it.) You convey your expectation that employees put people first. It’s important information to provide, and for the candidate to hear, as you both consider working together. By clearly laying out such values, you also help boost a candidate’s odds of succeeding in your workplace.
Learn more on Kristen’s tips and tricks for finding the right person for the job.
All this from one behavioral-based question? You bet.
That’s why we’re such fans of the approach. Remember, while this interview technique helps you separate the grain from the chaff when you have multiple candidates, it’s just as useful if you only have one or two options. The more you know about a job applicant’s values and how they align with yours, the more likely you are to build a lasting workplace relationship based on mutual trust and respect.
Next steps
Need guidance about making great hires or keeping your current employees motivated and engaged? Shoot us an email, and we’ll assess what’s good, and what could be better, in your business.
