The Importance of Behavioral-Based Interview Questions for Mental Health Leaders
As a group practice owner, finding the right team members is essential to building a successful and cohesive practice. One of the most effective ways to assess candidates during the interview process is by using behavioral-based interview questions. Unlike general questions, behavioral-based questions focus on specific past experiences, which give us insight into a candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities in action.
What Are Behavioral-Based Interview Questions?
Behavioral-based interview questions focus on real-life scenarios and ask candidates to describe how they handled similar situations in the past. Rather than hypothetical responses, these questions prompt applicants to demonstrate their approach, strengths, and problem-solving skills. To create effective behavioral questions, start by defining the key knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) outlined in the job description. This sets a standard for the specific qualities needed to excel in the role and provides a foundation for building your interview guide.
Crafting Your Behavioral-Based Interview Guide
Once you have clearly defined the KSAs for the role, use them to shape your behavioral-based questions. This will help you go beyond surface-level interview questions and focus on the traits that truly matter for success in your practice. For example, instead of asking, 'How do you handle a busy workload?' you might ask, 'Tell me about a time when you had more tasks than time in the day. What was the situation? What steps did you take to manage your priorities?' This approach allows you to assess how a candidate has navigated real challenges in previous roles.
Documentation and Compliance
A best practice tip from my HR days: Always keep a record of your interview guides, resumes, cover letters, and any communication with candidates. Should you ever face an audit or challenge regarding your hiring practices, having thorough documentation is essential. Creating a designated file for each hiring process ensures that you have everything you need on hand, including behavioral interview questions tied to the required KSAs for the role.
Example of Behavioral vs. General Interview Questions
Here’s a comparison to illustrate the difference:
- General Question: 'How do you handle having too much on your plate?'
- Behavioral-Based Question: 'Tell me about a time at work when you had more competing priorities than time in the day. What were those priorities, did you encounter any obstacles, and what was the outcome?'
The behavioral-based question requires a specific example and provides insight into the candidate’s actual experience, approach to challenges, and fit within your team.
Behavioral-based interview questions allow you to evaluate not only the skills and experience of a candidate but also their potential to integrate with your team’s culture. By aligning your questions with the KSAs required for the role, you gain deeper insight into how a candidate might contribute to your practice’s success.
Ready to strengthen your interview process and find the best fit for your team?
If you’d like guidance on developing an effective behavioral-based interview guide, I’m here to help. Schedule a consultation with me to create tailored questions that align with your practice’s unique needs and values. Join the interest list for the next offering of Talent Acquisition Excellence - Building your A-Team and enhance your team selection process!
