Behavioral Interviewing

For best results, prepare a list of interview questions and a ratings system prior to meeting the candidate.

Think hard about what the job entails, and which skills (other than academic) are essential to guarantee success in the role. The questions should go beyond the scope of prepared answers to prompt the candidate to think in detail about different scenarios and outcomes. Follow-up questions are a good way to discover more about the candidate, while multiple questions that tackle related issues from different angles enable the interviewer to better identify behavioral patterns. All of these techniques provide a more well-rounded picture of the individual, their attitude, conduct, and mindset.

It is also recommended to take the time to make the candidate feel comfortable before diving into the prepared questions.

After all, behavioral interviewing may be new (and perhaps daunting) for some individuals, making it all the more important to set them at ease from the beginning — this will encourage them to open up about mistakes, difficult situations, and problematic colleagues or customers.