How to Conduct Behavior-Based Interviews

Learn the "SOAR" method for creating Behavioral based questions

What is the cost of a bad hire? Imagine the impact poor selection has on customer care, annoyed and irritated coworkers, possible litigation, rehiring cost, damaged reputation, not to mention lost sleep. A short interview with a poor hiring decision can lead to months and years of frustration. There are no guarantees but there are best practices that help hire great employees and manage risk.

The interview is our most important selection tool yet traditional interviewing has only a 10% success rate of predicting on-the-job behavior – apparently we aren’t as good at judging behavior as we think. Fortunately we can improve this predictability by over 500% with Behaviorally Based Interviewing. Our hiring decisions ultimately determine our business success and it is critical that we maximize our efforts.

Behavioral based interviewing is a wonderful technique that aims to show that past behavior predicts your future behavior. Traditional interviewing focuses solely on hypothetical questions, but fails to analyze the candidate’s past behavior under a different employer, but under a similar job role.

The SOAR method on the other hand works flawlessly in extracting behavioral attributes of the candidate by asking him/her situational questions that helps employers to pre-determine that candidates core competencies that fit perfectly into that particular job’s requirements.

The SOAR method works like this:

• Situation: Briefly contextualizing a real life situation that you actually experienced in your past employment.
• Obstacles/Opportunities: Defining the problems that came in your way while chasing a goal/target.
• Action: The specific workarounds you formulated to overcome those obstacles/opportunities.
• Results: Sharing the quantifiable and qualitative outcomes of your decisions and actions.

This webinar by expert speaker Wes Pruett provides a specific and simple model for improving interview success that leads to reduced employee turnover and increased retention that eventually leads to effectiveness in hiring and better use of company time. Moreover, by hiring the best employee, you ensure that you boost overall business outcomes  in the long run.

The Session will cover Key Topics such as:

• The basics of behavioral-based interviews
• Why traditional interviews are not suited for all jobs
• SOAR Fundamentals and how to apply SOAR in your interview
• Preparing for a behavioral-based interview
• 338 Behavioral based questions for practice
• Top 10 Tips for Interviewers
• 15 Key Competencies to Add to Your Job Description and Include in Interviews
• 34 recruiting ideas
• Understand source of interviewer rater errors
• How to link corporate values to employee selection
• Conduct thorough, targeted interviews to maximize hiring success
• The secret formula to formulating the perfect Behavioral-Based Interview questions
• Learn how to remove subjectivity from hiring decisions
• Obtain a clear, concise and effective interview structure
• Making objective selection decisions based on responses to your behavioral interviewing techniques

Handouts include:

• 43 Behavioral Based Interview Questions
• 338 Behavioral Based Interview Questions
• Competencies for Job Descriptions and Interviewing
• Acceptable and unacceptable inquiries

Who Should Attend?

• Directors
• HR Professionals
• Generalists
• Employment specialists
• Company leaders
• Managers
• Front-Line Supervisors

Wes Pruett

Wes Pruett is the owner of HR Advisors LLC, a consulting practice that provides service to clients who seek to align their business and employees, creating successful outcomes and excellent work environments. After 20 years in senior leadership within the Mayo Health System, he founded HR Advisors.

Wes Pruett provides solutions to companies for a wide variety of HR issues including compensation, compliance, policy development, performance management, and employee relations. He regularly facilitates employee training related to communication, leadership, coaching and strategic planning. He is a certified business coach credentialed by the International Coach Federation and an authorized provider of Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team and Everything DiSC.

Wes Pruett earned a Masters in Healthcare Administration at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management and an M.S. in Psychology.