If you want to find candidates who match your business goals, work ethic, and retention needs, behavioral interview questions work. What are the benefits? And how can you get the most out of this technique?
Understand the Benefits
Behavioral interview questions require candidates to provide specific examples of their past work experiences. Their responses can provide insight into how they react to certain situations and how they will perform in your work environment. You can also ask questions that reveal candidates’ knowledge and skill level.
This technique promotes fair interviewing practices because it evaluates candidates based on their ability to perform specific job duties. The technique can also help protect your business against discrimination claims related to the interview process.
Prepare to Interview
Prepare standardized questions for each open position.
For each candidate, ask the questions in the same order.
Have a template ready with sufficient space to record clear and accurate notes.
Listen closely to each candidate’s responses.
If you need clarification or more details, ask for it.
Formulate Behavioral Interview Questions
Your goal in asking behavioral questions is to get information about a candidate’s qualifications for the job, including:
Competency
Skill level
Experiences that relate to the job role
Knowledge
Ability to handle situations that occur in your workplace or that are specific to the position
Some examples are below:
Describe a situation where you had to speak with a patient who intentionally failed to take medication as prescribed, or who might otherwise seem uncooperative with a doctor’s instructions.
What did you find most challenging about your previous position? How did you handle the challenge?
Tell me about a time when you disagreed with a decision made by a manager or doctor. What was the outcome?
Describe a time when there was a patient emergency in the practice/unit and how the team handled it. What was your role?
Describe a time when your responsibilities became overwhelming. What did you do?
Tell me about a time when you had to speak with a patient’s family members who were upset or angry.
As you prepare, keep in mind that effective interviews include questions specific to job responsibilities, competencies, and your workplace. Be consistent with each candidate.
Get Help from Experts
At WSi Healthcare, we’re experts at interviewing job candidates. We use behavioral interview questions to find the right candidates for your healthcare facility. We’ll ensure you have access to talented professionals who offer the skill, experience, and behaviors needed to deliver exceptional patient care. Learn more about why our staffing solutions work.