Finding the right fit for the job
To fill stressful positions, ask behavioral questions
Have you ever hired a person you think is perfect for the job, only to find they aren’t able to handle the daily pressures? "Sometimes we allow someone who is not appropriate for the job to convince us that they are during the interview," says Gerald Olson, president of Leading Edge Consulting Group, a human resource and organizational development firm in Naples, FL.
Often people are more reserved during their interviews because they don’t want to be rejected. But a manager is not doing the applicant any favor by hiring him or her if the person isn’t right for the position. To determine how well a job applicant can work under the stress of the position, use behavior-based interviewing techniques when hiring, says Olson. This interviewing method consists of a series of questions that require the interviewee to be introspective.
"During the interview you’ll make all sorts of assumptions, but you don’t test them. With behavior-based interviewing you mirror back your conclusions and tentative judgments so the applicant can correct misunderstandings," says Olson.
Here’s how it works:
• Layer the questions.
Begin with a general question, then continue to question the applicant on the topic until you have obtained specific examples of how a person might behave in a situation. A series of behavioral-based questions might include:
How do you handle stress?
Can you give me a specific example?
What did you do or say to successfully relieve your stress in that situation?
If the applicant can’t remember a stressful situation, provide a scenario, and ask the applicant to describe how he or she would respond. Get the applicant to be specific. "If you can get people to talk more in terms of their behavior, you have more reliable information upon which to make your decision," says Olson.
• Mirror back your assumptions.
If, after listening to the applicant, you determine that he or she had a difficult time handling stress in the situation described, mirror back your impression. For example, the interviewer might say, "It seems that situation was difficult for you."
"Behavior-based interviewing increases the likelihood that you will hire someone who will fit the position. By asking behavior-based questions you will find out what types of coping strategies the person has developed," explains Olson.
[Editor’s note: For information on training for behavior based interviewing contact: Gerald Olson, Leading Edge Consulting Group, 200 Aviation Drive N., Suite One, Naples, FL 34104. Telephone: (941) 643-7760.]
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