When hiring managers evaluate candidates, they typically focus on what the job seeker has achieved during their career. Then, they try to select the candidate with the right skills and accomplishments that suggest they could provide value to the company if they are hired.
However, how a professional behaves on the job may incidentally be neglected by using this approach. Since how a person acts impacts not only their work but also how they interact with co-workers and their manager, overlooking their behavior can lead to a serious hiring mistake.
Behavior plays a significant role in how a candidate performs on the job. It affects how people react to them, how they act in various situations, and more. As a result, evaluating how a job seeker acts is critical, ensuring that they are a fit for the role, team, and company as a whole.
Evaluating the Position’s Needs
In order to successfully determine whether how a job seeker acts is a good fit for a position, you first have to identify the behavioral traits that best align with the role. For example, do you need a highly adaptable professional or a candidate who is more process-driven? Is your ideal new hire extroverted or introverted? Should they be a big-picture thinker or focused on the details?
The goal is to figure out what behaviors are best-suited for the core duties associated with the job. Then, you can identify behavioral interview questions that help you discover who has the ideal traits based on what the position requires.
Interviewing for Behavior
Behavioral interview questions allow you to gain insights into how a candidate acts in specific situations. Often, the process involves presenting the job seeker with a scenario and asking them to describe how they would handle it or how they managed a similar one in the past.
Typically, behavioral interview questions allow you to learn more about how a candidate thinks. Not only will you find out about various soft skills, but also their preferred approaches and what they need from a manager or their team.
Additionally, you can learn about their various habits and how open they may be to changing them. When a candidate is more flexible, their behavior can be molded. However, if their behavior is more ingrained or rigid, it may be harder to get them to change if the need arises.
Once you complete the behavioral portion of the interview, you can more easily determine if how the job seeker acts is a good fit for both the job and the team you are looking to augment. This helps you ensure a better match, increasing the odds the candidate will be successful in the role.
If you would like to learn more about the importance of evaluating a job seeker’s behavior, at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our experienced recruitment specialists today and see how our interviewing expertise can benefit you.
