Integrating Behavioral-Based Interviewing Into the Curricula

Introduction Behavioral-based interviewing (BBI) is based on the premise that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. Many interviewers of students in the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE) Department at Iowa State University use BBI to gain detailed job-related examples from a candidate, and to assess past performance and competencies. One technique of preparing for BBI experiences is the STAR method examples of competency demonstrations that include a situation or task, the specific action taken, and the result of the action. ABE students, starting their freshman year, develop a “library” of STARs that encompass the 14 competencies central to the ABE outcomes assessment program. Students develop, reflect upon, and update these STARs throughout their academic careers and include them in their electronic portfolios. They use their STARs to prepare for career interviews that use BBI. Integrating BBI and STAR into the curriculum helps students focus and reflect upon their past experiences and how those experiences contribute to competency development their success as practicing professionals. Career interviews for engineering and technology students are evolving from interrogation sessions to structured conversations. This evolution is facilitated by the proliferation of information technology that has automated many of the previously manual tasks such as reviewing resumes and scheduling interviews. This frees recruiters to spend more time networking and building relationships with job candidates (Burton, 2003). The real impetus for this evolution is the realization that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance (Byham and Pickett, 1997). And after all, future performance iswhat any interviewer is trying to ascertain. The structured conversation approach to interviewing, commonly referred to as Behavioral Based Interviewing (BBI), aims to discover and examine examples of past behavior through guided questioning. The traditional interview is oriented to revealing personality traits, whereas BBI is oriented to the demonstration of competencies. Competencies are application of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values, and behaviors (Elwell, 1984), and are now the focus of many companies' hiring and employee assessment processes. Typical competencies might include innovation, analysis and judgment, teamwork, and communication. By assessing competencies, the interviewer increases the consistency among interviews to avoid interviewing bias, and allows the interviewer to make decisions based on standard, objective assessment criteria. Development Dimensions International, Inc., a global provider of competency-based performance management tools and services (DDI, 2004), is a leader in teaching managers how to interview candidates. They call this method Targeted Selection®. While this technique is called by many names, the underlying premise is the same past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. Traditional interviews often include such questions as: (1) “What are your strengths and weaknesses? ” (2) “Why are you interested inworking for us? ” and (3) “Tell me about yourself? ” While the answers may be interesting, they are opinions (even when answered truthfully) and may not predict future performance. BBI questions, however, emphasize past performance and behaviors. Typical questions in a BBI settingmight include: (1) “Think of an occasionwhen you had to deal with a difficult team member. ” (2)“Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks. ” and (3) “Give me a specific example of a time when you used good analysis and judgment in solving a problem. ” Figure 1 gives a comparison of the “traditional” interviewing and BBI. In the BBI approach, the Integrating Behavioral-Based Interviewing