Behavioral Event Interview (BEI)

Summary

This video explains the Behavioral Event Interview (BEI) technique, a structured interview approach that gathers evidence of a candidate's past behavior to predict future job performance. BEI focuses on evaluating competencies by exploring specific situations where candidates demonstrated key skills. The process involves detailed probing into past experiences, using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to uncover how candidates have handled critical work challenges. It emphasizes the importance of empathy, listening, and providing closure to the interview process, aiming to identify candidates with the right competencies for success in the role.

Takeaways

• 😀 BEI (Behavioral Event Interview) is a structured interview technique that focuses on gathering evidence of past behaviors to predict future performance in the workplace.
• 😀 The core principle of BEI is that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, particularly in high-stakes or critical work situations.
• 😀 BEI helps reduce the chances of candidates providing rehearsed or fabricated responses, as the focus is on actual past experiences.
• 😀 The technique is based on competencies, which are defined as the combination of skills, knowledge, and attitudes that drive high performance in a role.
• 😀 BEI emphasizes exploring competencies such as leadership, technical expertise, and core competencies, depending on the job and organizational context.
• 😀 Competency models often include a competency dictionary with specific definitions and performance levels for each competency.
• 😀 BEI interviews consist of structured questions designed to explore specific situations and tasks the candidate has faced in the past.
• 😀 The STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is commonly used in BEI to guide candidates in describing their past experiences in a detailed, structured way.
• 😀 Effective BEI questions require candidates to recall specific events, describe their actions and decisions, and explain the outcomes or results of their behavior.
• 😀 The interview process includes steps such as introduction, triggering questions, event structuring, probing, and closure, each with a clear purpose to guide the flow of the conversation.
• 😀 BEI is an effective way to assess a candidate's problem-solving, decision-making, and interpersonal skills in addition to technical capabilities.

Q & A

What is Behavioral Event Interviewing (BEI)?

Behavioral Event Interviewing (BEI) is a structured interview technique designed to collect evidence about a candidate's past behaviors when facing critical situations in their job. The focus is on gathering concrete examples of past actions to predict future behavior, as experience is considered the best predictor of future performance.

Why is past behavior considered a strong predictor of future performance in BEI?

Past behavior is considered the best predictor of future performance because it demonstrates how a candidate has handled similar situations in the past. If they were successful in the past, it increases the likelihood that they will perform similarly in the future, especially in comparable situations.

What are the key principles of BEI?

The key principles of BEI are: 1) Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, 2) BEI helps to assess candidates' competencies through real-life examples, and 3) The interview process aims to minimize rehearsed or fabricated answers by focusing on actual experiences.

What types of competencies does BEI focus on?

BEI focuses on three main types of competencies: 1) Core competencies, which are essential for all employees within a company; 2) Leadership competencies, which are necessary for managerial roles; and 3) Technical competencies, which are specific to certain jobs, such as accounting or welding.

What is the STAR technique in BEI?

The STAR technique is used to structure responses in BEI interviews. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. It helps candidates describe a specific situation, the tasks they were responsible for, the actions they took, and the results of those actions.

How does BEI reduce the chances of receiving rehearsed answers from candidates?

BEI reduces the chances of rehearsed answers by focusing on past experiences, which are more difficult to fabricate. Candidates are asked to describe specific situations they faced, their actions, and the results, which requires them to draw from real-life examples.

What is the importance of competencies in BEI?

Competencies are important in BEI because they reflect the skills, knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes that enable a person to perform well in a job. By identifying a candidate's competencies, the interview process assesses their potential to succeed in the role they are applying for.

What is the difference between a traditional interview and a BEI?

The main difference between a traditional interview and BEI is that BEI focuses on a candidate's past behaviors in real situations, using specific examples to assess competencies. Traditional interviews, on the other hand, may rely more on hypothetical or general questions that do not focus on concrete past experiences.

How should questions in a BEI interview be designed?

Questions in a BEI interview should be designed to assess how a candidate would behave in specific situations related to the job. These questions are usually based on past experiences or hypothetical situations that reflect the challenges the candidate may face in the role.

What are the stages of a BEI interview?

The stages of a BEI interview include: 1) Introduction, to build rapport and explain the interview's purpose; 2) Trigger, where the interviewer asks for specific past experiences related to the competency being assessed; 3) Structure of the event, where the candidate explains the details of the situation; 4) Probing, to explore thoughts, feelings, and actions during the event; and 5) Closure, where the interviewer thanks the candidate and asks if they have any additional information to share.