CHAPTER 11

CONDUCTING THE
BEHAVIORAL EVENT INTERVIEW
AYU YULIANTI SAJILI
EKSEKUTIF MUDA 15
Purpose of This Chapter
How BEI differs from traditional interviewing methods?
How to conduct BEI?
Relation between BEI and Job Competency Assessment process.
Traditional Interviewing Methods
Unstructured and non-behavioral selection interviews
Ineffective for 2 reasons:
1. Most people do not know what their competencies, strengths, and weaknesses, or
even their job likes and dislikes really are.
2. People may not reveal their real motives and abilities. Most people can give what
they think the interviewer wants to hear.
Purpose of BEI Methods
To get behind what people say they do to find out what they really do.
How they actually behaved in specific incidents
Examples
Example 1 See page 115
Example 2 See page 116

From both examples:

1. Traditional interview do not produce useful information.
2. By asking an actual incident and very detailed example of real behavior, the BEI
method gets much closer to the truth.
Traditional Interview Strategies
& Their Problem
The Fact Finder
Say little about a persons motives, values, self-concept, or cognitive skills.
The Therapist
Depend very much on the therapists interpretation of the interviewees reaction.
The Theorist
Peoples theories about what they do often bear scant relation to their actual behaviors and
competencies.
The Fortune-Teller
People beliefs about what they think they would do are as unreliable as their theories about
why they did things in the past.
The Salesperson
Leading questions. Data obtained in this way will reflect what the interviewer believes or
would do, not how the interviewee can or will behave
Preparing for BEI
Know who you will be talking to.
Arrange a private place and 11/2 2 hours of uninterrupted time for the interview.
Arrange to tape record the interview.
Know what you will say.
Behavioral Event Interview Outline
Introduction & Explanation
Job Responsibilities
Behavioral Event
Characteristics needed to do the job
Conclusion & Summary
1. Introduction & Explanation (pg. 120)
Put the interviewee at ease
Motivate the interviewee to practice
Emphasize the confidentiality of the responses
Get permission to tape-record

Pointers on technique:
1. Establish trust
2. Asking to minimize differential
Problems and dealing with them:
1. The interviewee is nervous
2. The interviewee is worried about confidentiality
2. Job Responsibilities
Asking what the person actually does and with whom

Pointers on technique
1. Spend no more than 10-15 minutes
2. Train the person to focus on specific job behaviors
3. Get people to clarify buzzwords
4. Ask for moderate detail
5. Listen for possible incidents while facing difficult situation

Problems and dealing with them

1. The interviewee continuous listing too many tasks or responsibilities
3. Behavioral Events
Getting the interviewee to describe at least four and preferably six complete stories of critical incidents

Pointer on technique (Dos)

1. Start with a positive event
2. Get the story in proper time sequence
3. Ask questions that shift the interviewee into discussing an actual situation
4. Probe for thoughts behind actions
5. Reinforce the interviewee for useful response
6. Understand that the interview may be an emotional experience for the interviewee

Pointer technique (Donts)

1. Avoid questions that shift the interviewee into abstraction
2. Do not use leading question
3. Reflect or paraphrase what the interviewee says
4. Characteristics needed to do the job
What characteristics, knowledge, skills, or abilities you think are needed to do your job.

Pointer on technique
1. Use the characteristics question to get additional incidents
2. Reinforce the interviewee for whatever characteristics

Problems and dealing with them

1. The interviewee cant think of any knowledge or skill characteristics needed to do
the job
2. The interviewee gives vague, general, or off-the-wall characteristics
5. Conclusion & Summary
Conclusion
1. Thanking.
2. Sympathizing.

Summary
1. Introduction and description of duties and responsibilities.
2. Behavioral events.
3. Performer characteristics.
4. Summary and interpretation.
THANKYOU
Any question?????