A Guide to Performance Based Interviews
Interviewers are often faced with the navigation of unnecessary, sometimes pointless questions when interviewing a new candidate – and when the interview is over, it can leave you wondering if you have actually gained enough understanding of the applicant and whether they are truly right for your company.
However, have you ever considered interviewing based purely on performance and potential? Known as “Performance Based Interviews” (or PBI’s for short), this type of interview can be hugely beneficial – the least of which being that you can get a real indication as to whether the candidate is going to suit the role.
Research show that the best predictor of future behaviour is identifying their past behaviour – so, digging into the true nature of your candidate is essential in finding out if they will be the right fit for your company’s culture and ethos.
In-Depth Answers
The very nature of PBI questions forces the candidate to give in-depth answers about their previous jobs, and most importantly, the situations they faced within those roles. This ensures the interview process doesn’t dominate the conversation and can instead flow naturally by not allowing for simple “yes” and “no” answers.
Measuring Success & Stresses
Another benefit of PBI means that you can concentrate on finding out more about the candidate’s past successes, how they problem solve and how they handle high-intensity, time-critical situations. By asking about specific situations encountered in their previous job roles, you can build a clearer understanding of how the applicant is likely to act in any given situation.
PBI Interview Example Questions
We’ve provided a few of our favourite PBI based interview questions below – hopefully you find them useful in improving your technique, and, fingers crossed, will lead to a more productive and efficient use of your time with the candidate.
- Describe the most challenging negotiation in which you were involved. Was it successful?
- Tell me about an occasion where you were responsible for getting others to improve on productivity. What role did you play and what actions did you take?
- Tell me about two suggestions you’ve made to your supervisor in the past year. How did you come up with the ideas? What happened?
- There are times when we work without close supervision or support to get the job done. Can you describe to me what you’ve done previously when in that situation?
- In your current job, what organisational changes have you made or contributed to that you are proud of?
- Can you provide an example of a time when you used good judgment and decision-making to solve a problem?
Start Interviewing!
Now you’re armed with this new-found knowledge and some of our favourite example questions, all that’s left is to put it into practice in your next interview!
Remember to bring a pen and paper to take notes – these will provide you and your team with a clear understanding of how the candidate will fare in the role, as well as their compatibility with the established company culture.
