# National Institutes of Health

# GS-1101 Grants Management

# Behavioral Interview Guide

## Behavioral-Based Interview Overview

Behavioral-based interviews focus on discovering how a candidate
performed in specific work related situations. This interview technique
seeks to uncover how a potential employee actually did behave in a given
situation; not on how he or she might behave in the future. The premise
behind this technique is that a good predictor of future performance is
how someone performed in the past in a similar situation.
Behavioral-based interviews are becoming more common throughout industry
and government and many candidates are familiar with this technique and
are well prepared for these interviews. Candidates can and should draw
on previous work related experiences as well as non-work related
experiences (e.g., school projects, community involvement) that are
relevant to the interview questions.

### Behavioral Interviewing Suggested Protocol

1.  As much as possible, all questions should relate to experiences that
    have occurred in the last 2-3 years (best for recollection of
    behavioral details).

2.  All behavioral interview questions should focus on what the
    interviewee did, said, felt or thought in the past. The interviewer
    should be looking for phrases such as "I did....", "I said...." etc.

3.  Do not ask questions about what the interviewee would do in a given
    situation or what they would have done differently. The focus is on
    what the interviewee actually did/said/thought/felt in the past. If
    the interviewee uses such phrases as "I would," the interviewer
    should probe by saying, "What did you actually do at that time?"

4.  The interviewee should focus on what he/she did, rather than what
    "we" did. While working as part of a team is very common and
    desirable, it is important to understand what the candidate's
    individual role was. The interviewer should probe the interviewee if
    "We" is used in describing actions. For example, if the interviewee
    says "We implemented the new payroll system by...", it is the
    interviewer's job to ask the interviewee what his/her role was and
    what he actually did (as an individual).

5.  Prior to delving into the detail of each question, ask the
    interviewee to provide a brief (30 second) overview of the situation
    by highlighting the beginning, middle, and end. This helps the
    interviewer to keep the interview on track. For example, if you feel
    lost in the discussion, you can pause the conversation by asking the
    interviewee where you are in the story (beginning, middle, or end).

### Suggested Introduction to the Interview

-   This is a behavioral interview, which may be different from
    interviews you have had in the past. A behavioral interview focuses
    on what you have done, said, felt and thought in past experiences.
    Please use the first person as much as possible because I am most
    interested in what you have done, said, thought and felt in the
    situations. So if you use the term "we" rather than "I", I may
    interrupt you to clarify what you did in the situation versus what
    others did.

-   I am going to ask you specific questions about your experiences and
    will ask that you try, as best as you can, to only discuss
    experiences that have occurred within the past 2 or 3 years so that
    you will be able to recall the details of the situations.

-   I will ask follow-up questions to get as many of the details around
    what you were doing in the situation. Imagine that I am making a
    movie of what you were doing in the given situation. I am interested
    in everything you did, said, thought and felt.

NOTE:

The information provided above offers suggestions for conducting
behavioral-based interviews. Interviewers should use this information as
a tool and tailor the interview to meet the needs of the individual
organization.

  --------------------- -------------------------------------------------
  **Grants Management** 

  Competency            Definition

  **Financial           Acquires and applies critical financial concepts
  Management**          and practices, based upon a thorough
                        understanding of the Federal Government

  **Grants              Administers grants and cooperative agreements,
  Administration**      applying knowledge of organizational needs and
                        deadlines

  **Procedural and      Maintains standards and adheres to regulatory
  Regulatory Compliance guidelines and requirements with regard to
  Management**          processes and procedures

  **Process             Develops and monitors processes and organizes
  Management**          resources to achieve desired results

  **Quantitative        Examines and evaluates numerical data to manage
  Analysis**            and achieve results

  **Project             Creates and maintains an environment that guides
  Management**          a project to its successful completion
  --------------------- -------------------------------------------------

## Financial Management

Acquires and applies critical financial concepts and practices, based
upon a thorough understanding of the Federal Government

### Key Behaviors:

-   Establishes and maintains realistic budgets

-   Draws accurate conclusions from financial information

-   Uses financial and other quantitative information to manage
    resources provided for a project

-   Interprets and analyzes the meaning and implications of key
    financial indicators

-   Understands overall financial performance of the organization and
    the resulting capacity to manage supported projects

-   Uses financial analysis to evaluate strategic options and
    opportunities and recommend effective and practical alternatives

### Interview questions:

1.  **Share an example of when you used information from a financial
    plan or budget to make recommendations for your office or
    organization.** How did you approach this endeavor? How did you gain
    support for this effort? What challenges did you face and how did
    you handle them?

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6.  **Describe a time when you had to establish a budget for your office
    or organization.** What was your strategy for resolving competing
    interests? What challenges did you encounter? How did you overcome
    those challenges?

7.  **Share an example of when you used external financial information
    or indicators to make strategic recommendations for your office or
    organization.**  How did you approach this endeavor?  How did you
    gain support for this effort? What challenges did you face and how
    did you handle them?

### Candidate Response:

### Interview Summary:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **Summarize the situation, behaviors demonstrated and outcomes. Then
  provide an overall proficiency rating for the competency as defined in
  the Administrative Officer competency model.**

  Situation:

  Behaviors:

  Outcome:

  Overall Competency Proficiency Rating: 0 1 2 3 4
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

## Grants Administration

Administers grants and cooperative agreements, applying knowledge of
organizational needs and deadlines

### Key Behaviors:

-   Understands and executes the various stages of the grant lifecycle
    including pre-award review, grant progress monitoring, and award
    closure

-   Recognizes factors that influence the grants process

-   Completes steps involved in the solicitation process

-   Coordinates actions with program officials regarding administrative
    and programmatic issues

-   Develops guidelines for handling and/or adhering to grant changes

-   Determines when a grantee should be referred to enforcement actions

-   Communicates expectations and reinforces requirements with grantees

-   Leads activities to ensure grantee compliance with the established
    grant

-   Analyzes requested budgets and determines awarded budgets

### Interview questions:

1.  **In this job role, you will be required to demonstrate your ability
    to apply knowledge of organizational needs and the ability to meet
    set deadlines.** Describe a time when you were required to seek help
    from an outside party to perform a certain job function within a set
    timeframe. How did you go about soliciting the individuals with the
    desired experience to perform the job? How did you evaluate their
    capabilities?

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8.  **Describe a situation where you had to take adverse action against
    an individual or organization because of lack of compliance with
    established guidelines or regulations.** What difficulties did you
    face? Looking back on the situation, what guidelines would you
    develop to communicate expectations and ensure compliance?

9.  **Describe a time that you evaluated candidates to receive a
    grant.** What factors did you consider? How did you make your
    decision/recommendation?

### Candidate Response:

### Interview Summary:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **Summarize the situation, behaviors demonstrated and outcomes. Then
  provide an overall proficiency rating for the competency as defined in
  the Administrative Officer competency model.**

  Situation:

  Behaviors:

  Outcome:

  Overall Competency Proficiency Rating: 0 1 2 3 4
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

## Procedural and Regulatory Compliance Management

Maintains standards and adheres to regulatory guidelines and
requirements with regard to processes and procedures

### Key Behaviors:

-   Applies comprehensive knowledge of occupation-specific policies,
    legislative processes, authorization laws, procedures and
    regulations

-   Analyzes, understands and complies with existing and new
    regulations, policies, laws and guidelines

-   Analyzes and evaluates existing policies, procedures, and internal
    controls to ensure compliance with Federal requirements

-   Interview questions:

-   All institutions and organizations are governed by policies,
    procedures, and regulations to maintain standards and ensure
    compliance of mandated requirements. Describe a time in which you
    had to understand, analyze, and maintain standards in order to
    comply with a policy, guideline or regulation. How did you resolve
    conflicts between the task and the policy or regulation?

-   Discuss a specific occasion when you had to reevaluate an internal
    organizational control to ensure compliance with a new regulation,
    policy or guideline. What challenges did you face and how did you
    address them? Looking back, what could you have done differently
    that would have improved the outcome?

### Candidate Response:

### Interview Summary:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **Summarize the situation, behaviors demonstrated and outcomes. Then
  provide an overall proficiency rating for the competency as defined in
  the Administrative Officer competency model.**

  Situation:

  Behaviors:

  Outcome:

  Overall Competency Proficiency Rating: 0 1 2 3 4
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

## Process Management

Develops and monitors processes and organizes resources to achieve
desired results

### Key Behaviors:

-   Evaluates efficiency and effectiveness of resources utilization and
    results accomplishment

-   Establishes clear, well-defined processes necessary to achieve the
    desired outcomes

-   Organizes people and activities to accomplish results

-   Identifies and addresses process problems promptly

-   Delineates complex processes into more simple tasks and functions

-   Creates a work flow that effectively coordinates and integrates
    tasks and functions

-   Identifies and takes advantage of opportunities to accomplish
    multiple objectives and obtain synergies through process development
    and management

-   Effectively communicates and coordinates with other stakeholders in
    the process

### Interview questions:

1.  Describe a time when you had to identify, monitor and coordinate
    resources to achieve a desired result. How did you achieve the
    desired outcome? What would you have done differently?

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10. Describe a time when you had to create/develop a workflow to
    accomplish a task. What was your approach? What was the result?

### Candidate Response:

### Interview Summary:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **Summarize the situation, behaviors demonstrated and outcomes. Then
  provide an overall proficiency rating for the competency as defined in
  the Administrative Officer competency model.**

  Situation:

  Behaviors:

  Outcome:

  Overall Competency Proficiency Rating: 0 1 2 3 4
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

## Quantitative Analysis

Examines and evaluates numerical data to manage and achieve results

### Key Behaviors:

-   Analyzes data in order to make comparisons and draw conclusions

-   Uses established data analysis models and tools for analyzing
    quantitative data

-   Identifies cause and effect relationships to solve complex problems
    for the organization

-   Gathers and interprets pertinent data from a variety of sources and
    identifies trends available through regular channels and alternative
    sources

### Interview questions:

1.  Describe a time when you were faced with a complex problem and the
    steps you took to simplify it to achieve the desired result. What
    were the major roadblocks in simplifying the problem? What was the
    outcome?

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11. Organizations gather and interpret numerical data in order to make
    comparisons and be able to solve complex problems. Provide an
    example of how you used data from a variety of sources to create a
    tool for analyzing quantitative data and identifying trends.

### Candidate Response:

### Interview Summary:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **Summarize the situation, behaviors demonstrated and outcomes. Then
  provide an overall proficiency rating for the competency as defined in
  the Administrative Officer competency model.**

  Situation:

  Behaviors:

  Outcome:

  Overall Competency Proficiency Rating: 0 1 2 3 4
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

## NIH Competency Proficiency Scale

+------+--------------+------------------------------------------------+
| S    | Proficiency  | Description                                    |
| core | Level        |                                                |
+------+--------------+------------------------------------------------+
| N/A  | ***Not       | You are not required to apply or demonstrate   |
|      | A            | this competency. This competency is not        |
|      | pplicable*** | applicable to your position.                   |
+------+--------------+------------------------------------------------+
| 0    | ***Not       | You have not demonstrated this competency and  |
|      | Dem          | likely have not had related training or        |
|      | onstrated*** | experience.                                    |
+------+--------------+------------------------------------------------+
| 1    | **           | Shows basic knowledge and understanding        |
|      | *Baseline*** | sufficient to handle routine tasks. Focus is   |
|      |              | on learning.                                   |
|      | (theoretical |                                                |
|      | knowledge)   | -   You are training or on-the-job training;   |
|      |              |     beginning to develop this competency and   |
|      |              |     have completed formal                      |
|      |              |                                                |
|      |              | -   You understand and can discuss             |
|      |              |     terminology, concepts, principles, and     |
|      |              |     issues related to this competency;         |
|      |              |                                                |
|      |              | -   You utilize the full range of reference    |
|      |              |     and resource materials in this competency. |
+------+--------------+------------------------------------------------+
| 2    | ***Pr        | Has depth/breadth of knowledge to handle       |
|      | ogressing*** | non-routine situations. Begins to take         |
|      |              | initiative. Focus is on applying and enhancing |
|      | (limited     | knowledge or skill.                            |
|      | practical    |                                                |
|      | application  | -   You have applied this competency in        |
|      | and          |     occasional situations and still require    |
|      | experience)  |     minimal guidance to perform successfully;  |
|      |              |                                                |
|      |              | -   You understand and can discuss the         |
|      |              |     application and implications of changes to |
|      |              |     processes, policies, and procedures in     |
|      |              |     this area.                                 |
+------+--------------+------------------------------------------------+
| 3    | ***P         | An expert who can handle broad                 |
|      | roficient*** | organizational/professional issues; works      |
|      |              | independently; has long-term perspective;      |
|      | (practical   | coaches, guides and empowers others.           |
|      | application  |                                                |
|      | and          | -   You have consistently provided             |
|      | experience)  |     practical/relevant ideas and perspectives  |
|      |              |     on process or practice improvements which  |
|      |              |     may easily be implemented;                 |
|      |              |                                                |
|      |              | -   You are capable of coaching others in the  |
|      |              |     application of this competency by          |
|      |              |     translating complex nuances relating to    |
|      |              |     this competency into easy to understand    |
|      |              |     terms;                                     |
|      |              |                                                |
|      |              | -   You participate in senior level            |
|      |              |     discussions regarding this competency;     |
|      |              |                                                |
|      |              | -   You assist in the development of reference |
|      |              |     and resource materials in this competency. |
+------+--------------+------------------------------------------------+
| 4    | ***Master*** | An expert whose advice is sought out by        |
|      |              | others, from both within the NIH and from the  |
|      | (recognized  | Department or other organizations; Shapes the  |
|      | thought      | organization/profession; is visionary; focus   |
|      | leader)      | is strategic; copes with the unknown.          |
|      |              |                                                |
|      | All criteria | -   You have demonstrated consistent           |
|      | must apply   |     excellence in applying this competency     |
|      |              |     across multiple projects and/or            |
|      |              |     organizations;                             |
|      |              |                                                |
|      |              | -   You are considered the "go to" person in   |
|      |              |     this area from within NIH and/or outside   |
|      |              |     the OPDIV;                                 |
|      |              |                                                |
|      |              | -   You create new applications for and/or     |
|      |              |     lead the development of reference and      |
|      |              |     resource materials for this competency;    |
|      |              |                                                |
|      |              | -   You are able to diagram or explain the     |
|      |              |     relevant process elements and issues in    |
|      |              |     relation to organizational issues and      |
|      |              |     trends in sufficient detail during         |
|      |              |     discussions and presentations, to foster a |
|      |              |     greater understanding among internal and   |
|      |              |     external colleagues and constituents.      |
+------+--------------+------------------------------------------------+