How to conduct Performance Based Interviews (PBI) that deliver results.

Interviews have irrefutable worth to any recruiter or organisation within the hiring process. Performance Based Interviewing (PBI) is a technique that can be used to deliver a more effective candidate shortlist.

Performance Based Interviewing takes into consideration the key areas within a specified role - as well as the behavioural qualities that have been proven to deliver the desired results - and then matches those key areas to the behavioural traits of that applicant. This process offers the interviewer relevant insight into whether or not the candidate has any form of short-comings in order to perform that role at an exceptional level.

Another positive to PBI's is that by gathering all the key behavioural indicators that are required for the particular position, one is able to utilise this data in order to distinguish the exceptional candidate - one who will make excel in that position - from the average candidate - one who will merely complete the job day in and day out without adding any more value to the role or the company.

The concept behind Performance Based Interviews
Research has revealed that the best interpretation of future behaviour is past behaviour. With PBI the interviewer defines the skills needed for the job and structures the interview process to elicit behavioral examples of past performance.

In order to identify these key Performance or behavioral factors the recruiters requires two critical sets of information:

1. Existing key performance information and data

2. An external measure that can offer an indication for the set behaviours and skills shared by actual employees who perform better than their colleagues

By having a better understanding of what the key performance areas are for a position, a recruiter gains insight into those behavioral traits that will ensure the individual is able to consistently deliver and perform in the a particular role at an optimum level.

Gathering Existing Key Performance Information and Data

Prior the interview, the interviewee should gather information from employees already functioning within that role as well as what is needed for the intended candidate. The recruiters should then carefully analyze the quality of the information gathered and find out if that information is realistic and best indicates what is needed to do the job well. It is important to identify the impact level of the position and whether the position will ultimately contribute to the growth of the business in the short and long term. Then decide on the most important performance data that will best guide the interview process in order to access the information needed to determine the interviewee's suitability to the role and its expected outcomes. Once the interviewer has access to all the relevant information and has a realistic view of what the job actually entails and what elements are required in order to do it exceptionally well.

Important aspects to remember during PBI's:

• Performance based factors will consistently exist in those who do a great job, continuously delivering great performance based on their actual key performance indicators (KPI's).

• As an interviewer, it is important to position interview questions in a manner that will be able to draw on past experiences that can be used as an external measure of those key behavioral traits of that specific candidate.

• Behavioral type questions should also be asked as these are often great indicators as to how a candidate has handled difficult situations in the past, how they felt about the environment in which they worked and potentially how they might have handled certain situations differently.

• The aim is to ensure that the interview questions are based on the actual key performance areas of that specific role required to be successful in the role.

• Interviewers should always attempt to interpret the information put forward objectively.

• Based each candidate's interview on the same set of questions and a similar structure for consistency and fair comparison.

After having conducted several interviews using these guidelines the right candidates will immediately stand out above the others. This process will set the exceptional candidates apart from the average ones, saving both the recruiter (and client's) very precious time - and potentially a lot of money - by not hiring the wrong candidate.