Welcome

to
Theory of Behavior
Based Interviewing

Commonly Asked
Questions
What questions do you ask
most often in an interview?

What are some of the

effects of selecting
the wrong person for
the job?

Turnover in department
Low morale
Training costs
Service to guest is compromised
Negative guest comments

Insert your Hotels

cost for each
employee turnover
HERE
And any other pertinent turnover
information
Keep it to this one slide, or you will
throw off the slide numbers in the
Leaders Guide!
Proof read your new slide and save in
your files

Goals & Objectives

Goal:

To increase the efficiency &

effectiveness of the way you interview so that you
will be
better able to predict
success on the
job.

Objectives:
Introduce participants to the basics of
Behavior Based Interviewing so that they are
able to describe the concept, and the Four
Seasons standard of interviewing.
Identify Best Fit employees, and go beyond
the gut using the Four Seasons Behavior
Based Interviewing process.
Increase self confidence in interviewing
through practice.

History of Behavior
Based Interviewing
Introduced company wide Jan. 2001
Interviewer asks questions to
measure the applicants past work
behavior= indicator for the future
HR conducts initial application
screen
HR then conducts BBI and process
begins (Department Head, Division
Head, Executive Office)

The value of BBI and

why
we use the process:
It keeps us from relying on our
gut feelings.
It helps us discover a
candidates past behavior, which
often predicts future behavior.
It helps us learn what a
candidate actually did vs. what a
candidate might hypothetically
do.

Ask Yourself
Can they do it?
Do you like them?
Vs.

Do you like them?

Can they do it?

Adapted from Hire With Your Head, Lou Adler, 1998.

Fight the tendency to

make a decision in the first
10 minutes.
It could be completely
different after 30 minutes.
The good could get worse.
The bad could get better.
Adapted from Hire With Your Head, Lou Adler, 1998.

Common Mistakes:

Failing to establish rapport

Not knowing what to look for
Concentrating exclusively on the applicant as a person
Not remaining silent or listening enough
Incorrectly interpreting information obtained from the
applicant
Being unaware of or not dealing with biases &
stereotypes
Being overly influenced by one characteristic or trait
Making a decision based on gut instinct
Conducting a poorly structured interview
Failure to control or direct the interview
Asking closed questions

We often look at

Personality
Handshake
Friendliness
Social Confidence
Assertiveness
Appearance
Extroversion
Verbal Communications

Instead of
Whether or not the person has
the key functional and core
competencies to do the job

Core & Functional

Competencies
Core Competencies- are behavioral
skills that Four Seasons is looking
for in all applicants
Functional Competencies- are job
related/technical skills

FS Core Competencies:
A.S.P.E.C.T.
Adaptability/Flexibility

Service Passion
Professionalism
Ethic for Work/Integrity
Communication Skills
Team Player

Guidelines for
Effective Interviewing:
Building Rapport
Casual
conversation
Dont make
assumptions
about
nervousness
Smile
Shake hands and
introduce yourself
by name and title

Relax: display
open body
language
Never talk about
current stress
Say how long the
interview will
last
Explain the
structure

Guidelines for
Effective
Interviewing:
Active Listening

Body language
Nods
Rephrasing
Restating
Encouraging
Reflecting
Summarizing
Eye Contact

Ask questions
Avoid
interruptions
Be patient
Empathize
Listen for what is
not said
Avoid emotions
Be quiet

Guidelines for Effective

Interviewing:
Take Notes
Dont rely on memory a short pencil
is better than a long term memory
Be open about taking notes
Record descriptions of actual behavior,
not judgments; facts not opinions
Use EAR to organize your notes
Expand on your notes after the
interview, while it is still fresh in your
mind

Behavior Based
Interview
Questions

Use behavior based questions

what are they?
Questions that ask candidates to
talk about a specific event,
situation, or incident, and relate to
what they did, said, felt, etc.
This description of past behavior
should give us an idea of what they
would do in a similar situation.

Using the Behavior

Based Questions
Probing, or follow up questions
are used to gain more
information, and/or clarify a
response.

E.A.R.
E What was the Event?
A What Action did the person
take?

R What were the Results?

What information did you

gather using the Behavior
Based questions?
Stage 1 & 2 (& sometimes 3)
interviewers ask 1-3 BB questions
for each of their assigned ASPECT
competencies.
They then compare the responses
to the competency profile to assess
if the candidate is unacceptable,
satisfactory, or has strength in
that competency.

Four Seasons
Interview Process
Four (4) Stages:
Stage 1: HR screen + Behavior Based
Interview
Stage 2: Manager (DH or Asst)
Behavior Based Interview
Stage 3: Division Head Further
probing with BBI questions
Stage 4: GM/Exec culture & growth.

Stage 1: HR
Initial Screen +
Interview
Verify applicants resume &
application
Provide written benefits information
Explain base compensation
Explain interview process
Conduct Behavior Based interview
Complete profile & make
recommendation

Stage 2:
Department Manager
Outline interview structure
Briefly explain job expectations
Conduct Behavior Based interview
for functional competencies
Conduct Behavior Based interview
for core competencies
Follow up in Human Resources areas
If appropriate, tour work area
Complete profile & make
recommendation

Stage 3:
Division Head
Gather additional information requested by
stage 2 interviewer to finalize decision
Ask candidate for their impression of what it
means to work for Four Seasons what does
the hotel brand stand for?
Review candidate profile & assess for best
fit within current department team
Complete profile & make recommendation

Stage 4:
GM / Exec
Outline expectations of what it
means to be a Four Seasons
employee
Provide general information
about the company
Discuss growth and development
opportunities, as appropriate

Test Your BBI

Knowledge!
Turn to page 13 in your manual
Try to answer as many of the questions
without looking at your notes.
Be sure you have all the correct answers
recorded before you leave class, so you can
refer back to it for quick answers later.
Good luck with the quiz AND BBI!