Interviewing employees

Best practice interviewing involves structured interviews with ‘behavioural questions’.

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These are questions, which ask that the applicant draws on their prior experience to demonstrate capability in a particular area. This has been shown to be the most effective way to assess an applicant’s capabilities, experience and knowledge against those required for the position.

Behaviourally-oriented competency interviews ask applicants to draw on past behaviour that has demonstrated the particular competency in question. For example, it might be asking a candidate to describe their behaviour when working with a difficult colleague.

An easy way to use behavioural based questions is to use the STAR Method. When using the STAR method, interviews should look for specific examples in response to the suggested questions that outline:

Situation/task Action Result
the background/context in which the candidate took action; what specifically did the candidate do or say; what were the effects of the candidate’s actions.

 

Scoring behavioural responses

Interviewers should assess applicant responses using a descriptively anchored rating scale. This helps align interviewers’ scores and removes some of the subjectivity of rating.

Rating Description
1 Much less than acceptable. Applicant did not at all demonstrate how they measured against key selection criteria
2 less than acceptable. Applicant insufficiently demonstrated how they measured against key selection criteria
3 acceptable. Applicant demonstrated sufficient evidence of how they measured against key selection criteria
4 more than acceptable. Applicant demonstrated detailed evidence of how they measured against key selection criteria
5 much more than acceptable. Applicant significantly demonstrated in great detail how they measured against key selection criteria