How to Conduct Behavioral Interviews That Predict Long-Term Success
Hiring isn’t just about finding someone who can do the job today—it’s about ensuring they’ll thrive, adapt, and grow long-term. That’s where behavioral interviewing shines.
What is a Behavioral Interview?
Behavioral interviews assess a candidate’s past behavior in specific scenarios to predict future performance. Instead of hypothetical questions, you ask about real-life situations they’ve faced.
Why it works: Past behavior is one of the strongest indicators of future performance.
Use the STAR Method
Structure every behavioral question around STAR:
- Situation: What was going on?
- Task: What were you responsible for?
- Action: What did you do?
- Result: What was the outcome?
This keeps answers structured and focused.
Example Questions by Role
For Sales:
- “Tell me about a time you salvaged a deal that was going south.”
- “Describe how you handled a month when you missed quota.”
For Engineering:
- “Describe a project where your initial approach failed. What did you do next?”
- “Tell me about a time you collaborated with a non-technical team.”
For Customer Support:
- “Describe a situation where a customer was frustrated. How did you turn it around?”
- “Tell me about a time you handled multiple urgent tickets at once.”
Best Practices for Conducting Behavioral Interviews
- Use a Standardized Scorecard – Rate candidates on a 1–5 scale for each competency
- Record Interviews or Take Detailed Notes – Helps reduce bias
- Train Interviewers – Ensure consistency and legal compliance
- Anchor to Core Competencies – Tie questions to values like accountability, adaptability, or collaboration
Tools That Help
- Google Forms – Build custom scorecards
- Notion or Airtable – Log and organize interview insights
- Karat or HireVue – For remote and recorded interviews
Final Thoughts
Behavioral interviews bring depth and predictability to your hiring process. With the right structure and questions, you’ll hire people who don’t just match the role—but elevate it.
Looking for customizable interview scorecards or team training modules? Pathwise People can help you implement a scalable, structured interview process.