He aced the interview, but…
“Tell me about a time when you were faced with a difficult customer.”
“What is your greatest weakness?”
The Old Process- Behavior-Based Interviews
These are the typical questions that pervade most, if not all interviews. The questions are designed to ascertain specific qualities that are either desirable or undesirable for a candidate. The problem with these types of questions is they miss the bigger picture.
There is a group of people who are fast-talkers and can quickly come up with the desired answer out of thin air. There are others who will have done their research ahead of time and come up with an answer that demonstrates capability in a particular area. Then there are still others who will fail miserably, despite having practiced the answers thoroughly.
So what’s wrong with behavior-based interviews? They are based on prior situations, and may or may not be indicative of future behavior.
There is yet another group of people who have not experienced a situation, but have a strong idea of what strategies to employ if given the opportunity. It is this subset of people that is often overlooked.
When you hire someone for a job, you have a reasonable expectation they have the KSAO’s required to complete the tasks that make up the job. How much of your interview process is dedicated to evaluating the candidate complete the tasks required of the job?
The New Process- Performance Based Hiring
While assessing fit with corporate culture is important, there is too much focus on a specific type of answer and not on the ability of the candidate to fulfill the job role. “Performance-based hiring means hiring people based on how they perform a job and not how they present themselves on paper or in an interview.” You can also read my post here about hiring based on potential.
Your company needs more than performance-based hiring. You need a comprehensive program that enhances retention and engagement. Click here to learn more.