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Check out Behavioral Based Interviewing [1] The idea is you identify the core competencies required to excel in the role. For a developer these might include p

by ra 16y ago

Check out Behavioral Based Interviewing [1] The idea is you identify the core competencies required to excel in the role. For a developer these might include problem solving, verbal communication, written communication, team work/altruism, attention to detail. Before the interview, research some questions for each of the competencies. The questions are always about past behavior, as opposed to hypothetical, "what would you do if". During the interview, just ask the candidate to tell you about a project that they have worked on recently that they would like to tell you about. Generally, most of these questions will be answered without you having to explicitly ask these questions, but if not - make sure you cover them all off. It is really important to find someone that meets ALL of the core competencies you identified. Google will help you find example questions. I've hired dozens of developers over the years, and knowing this technique helps much more than being a developer myself. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Job_interview#Behavioral http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Job_interview#Behavioral

hansy 16y ago
In my personal experience behavioral interviews are very hit or miss. Take I-banking interviews. A ton of potential bankers are amazing at responding to behavioral questions, but when asked to do relatively simple things like discounted cash flow, they fail pretty miserably. Which makes me wonder whether it's OK if they don't know something they can easily learn or if their responses to the behavioral questions are premeditated. That isn't to say I don't use behavioral questions; I'm just worried that because behavioral questions are the standard in interviews these days, many people come prepared with the fluffy answers you want to hear. Which brings me to my next question: What are some cool, novel behavioral questions?

by ra 16y ago

hansy 16y ago

In my personal experience behavioral interviews are very hit or miss. Take I-banking interviews. A ton of potential bankers are amazing at responding to behavioral questions, but when asked to do relatively simple things like discounted cash flow, they fail pretty miserably. Which makes me wonder whether it's OK if they don't know something they can easily learn or if their responses to the behavioral questions are premeditated. That isn't to say I don't use behavioral questions; I'm just worried that because behavioral questions are the standard in interviews these days, many people come prepared with the fluffy answers you want to hear. Which brings me to my next question: What are some cool, novel behavioral questions?