Silence is Golden

The real trick to successful behavioral interviewing is protecting and preserving the silent periods that may emerge after an interviewer asks a question. Behavioral-based interview questions should cause some introspection. Consider how a candidate may need to reflect before answering these:

• Describe a situation in which you were able to convince someone to see things your way.

• Describe a time when you faced a stressful situation and demonstrated an ability to cope.

• Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and achieved it.

• Give me an example of something you tried to accomplish and failed.

A thoughtful response to any one of these questions requires time.

If you are the interviewer using behavioral-based questions, permit silence. Every moment of your interview need not be filled with friendly banter. Allow candidates to think before they respond. You will learn much more from these discussions than from the canned responses traditional interviews encourage.

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