Comments on: Behavioral Based Interviewing Discriminates Against Your Target Market

By: Michelle Malay Carter

Michelle Malay Carter — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 15:25:01 +0000

Robyn,

Thank you for your comment and your kind words.

I believe systems drive behavior. I find it ironic that we say we want innovation and creativity, but most student testing involves filling in a bubble that reflects the right answer. This will not get you problem solving; it will get you memorization!

Regards,

Michelle

By: Robyn

Robyn — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:27:32 +0000

Hello Michelle, I can see how high schools and colleges can also fill a role to help students meet intellectual challenges which requires them to innovate, invent, create, design and problem solve.

For me this has been a life long activity since my parents were of low middle class means and we needed to stretch for everything. As a youngster, I built my own soap box car for instance to participate in a downhill race with my neighbors’ kids. I learned to make something out of nothing all my life. For children without these opportunities hopefully we can rely on high schools and universities to help nurture these skills before a young person enters business.

I can see where my post at Brain Based Biz on “Are You Up to Intellectual Challenges fits hand and glove with yours. Problem Solvers are made and not born and it takes time to develop that kind of mindset.

I’m glad you stopped by, Michelle because it allowed me to discover your very informational blog. Thanks.

By: Glenn Mehltretter

Glenn Mehltretter — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:43:40 +0000

Eric,
Agreed. On two occasions, where communication skill was a key component, we asked for a timed and limited length (48 hours, I recall 1,500 words) response to a relavent issue. With 13 candidates, the assessment of capability between the written respone was very close to the assessment gained from a face to face interview on different content.

Glenn

By: Eric Kramer

Eric Kramer — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:30:40 +0000

Glenn,
It seems that an interview presentation could accomplish both by having a prepared presentation and then having the interviewer ask spontaneous questions about the content of the presentation.

By: Michelle Malay Carter

Michelle Malay Carter — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:02:51 +0000

Glenn,

Yes, it’s a hypothesis worth testing.

Michelle

By: Glenn

Glenn — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:30:09 +0000

I was exposed to an interesting take on the issue of thinking on your feet versus pre-preperation. The source was an executive coach Mike Jay . He argued that the interverted intuitive does his or her work internally and doesn’t present that work publically till carefully scripted. While the extroverted intuitive, works out his or her position in the open. Mike’s thesis is that we may underassess the capacity of the introvert if we require spontanious input rather than input on a topic that is well thought out.
His argument seems credible, but we will need to collect data to test it.

By: Michelle Malay Carter

Michelle Malay Carter — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:02:48 +0000

Jim – Yes, unexpected questions are the only way you can see a candidate “think on their feet.”

Eric – Yes, I think if the candidate has prepared something, it is a good sign not a negative.

Michelle

By: Eric Kramer

Eric Kramer — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:10:55 +0000

I agree about the behavioral questions and their limitations. In my experience the hiring decision typically comes down to a “gut” decision.

I have found having candidates prepare a presentation that they bring to the interview adds valuable information and gives the interviewer another dimension of the candidate. In addition, having developed a presentation, the candidate is well prepared for the interview.

By: Jim Kennedy

Jim Kennedy — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:13:33 +0000

I agree with your points on scripted candidates, and the need to see problem solving skills not just people who can recite. What’s also needed for interviewers are skills to drill down and ask unewxpected, opportunistic questions.

Jim