To the behavioral interviews are a powerful tool to assess these skillsThis article explores effective techniques for conducting competency-focused interviews and identifying the ideal candidate for your company.

What are behavioral interviews?

Behavioral interviews focus on the candidate's past experiences as a way to predict your future performance. Instead of asking generic questions, the interviewer asks for specific examples of situations in which the candidate had to demonstrate certain skills, such as problem-solving, leadership or teamwork. The logic is simple: past behavior is the best indicator of future behavior.

Traditional Interview VS Behavioral Interview: The Differences

Traditional interviews and behavioral interviews differ essentially in the way they assess the candidate.

A traditional interview focuses on questions direct on the experience, training and motivation of the candidate. Questions like “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” or “Where do you see yourself in five years?” are common, but they often result in practiced or generic answers that do not always reflect the candidate’s true behavior in the workplace.

On the other hand, the behavioral interview focuses on concrete experiences of the past of the candidate for predict your future performance. Instead of asking “How do you deal with stress?”, you could ask “Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a lot of pressure at work. How did you react?” This approach provides more authentic and specific answers, allowing a more accurate assessment of the candidate’s skills.

Another fundamental difference is in the skills assessment. Traditional interviews may place more emphasis on technical skills and career paths, while behavioral interviews explore how candidates apply their knowledge and skills in their day-to-day lives. Behavioral interviews also tend to be more structured, helping to reduce subjectivity.

While the traditional interview may be useful for get an overview of the candidate, the behavioral interview offers a deeper insight into your skills behavioral, interpersonal, resilience and adaptability – determining factors for long-term success in a company.

The importance of behavioral skills in tourism

In the tourism sector, where contact with customers is constant and demands can change quickly, behavioral skills are fundamental. Adaptability, empathy, clear communication and quick problem-solving can determine the quality of the customer experience. These skills directly impact the company's reputation and, therefore, must be rigorously assessed during the recruitment process.

According to data from World Tourism Organization, 60% of successful professionals in the field highlight effective communication and the empathy as key skills. This shows that a solid CV is important, but soft skills are often the differentiating factor.

Techniques for Conducting Effective Behavioral Interviews

Preparation for this type of interview should be as thorough as for any other type of recruitment. To ensure that you assess candidates effectively, it is best to structure the interview to cover both traditional and behavioral issues, allowing you to get a complete overview the candidate's technical and interpersonal skills.

Start by analyze in detail the candidate's resume and experiences previous. Identify relevant situations that he may have faced or projects in which he has participated and that are indicative of his ability to perform the role in question. From there, ask questions that encourage him to share examples concrete examples of how you have dealt with challenges or solved problems in the past.

Also, review the job description and make sure the questions asked reflect the skills and qualities that your company is looking for – both technically and behaviorally. This will help you select candidates who not only have the necessary qualifications, but who also align with your organization’s culture and values.

To conduct an effective behavioral interview, prepare a set of strategic questions that help you assess the candidate’s ability to face challenges, work in a team and adapt to different contexts. This way, you will be able to make more informed and accurate recruitment decisions. Here are some suggestions.

Define core competencies

Before the interview, it is essential that you identify the behavioral skills most relevant to the role. In tourism, these might include stress management, flexibility, proactivity, empathy and customer focus. Based on these skills, develop specific questions that explore the candidate’s experience.

Use the STAR Method

The STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method is widely used to structure responses during behavioral interviews. This method helps you to consistently assess demonstrated skills:

• Situation: What was the context or problem?
• Task: What was the objective or challenge to be overcome?
• Action: What specific actions were taken?
• Result: What was the outcome of the situation?

Analyze behaviors in real situations

Behavioral interviews should focus on real situations experienced by the candidate. Questions such as “Tell me about a time when you had to adapt quickly to a new situation in the workplace” allow you to assess the candidate’s adaptability — an essential skill in tourism. In addition, you should pay attention not only to the content of the answer, but also to the way the candidate presents it. A coherent, confident and detailed speech can indicate confidence and real experience.

Create practical scenarios

Another effective technique is present hypothetical scenarios related to the function and ask the candidate to explain how he/she would act. This allows you to assess the decision-making and problem-solving capabilities in real time. Questions like: “If a customer arrived dissatisfied with a service provided, how would you react?” help to understand the candidate’s critical thinking and empathy.

Assess cultural alignment

Tourism is a sector that requires teamwork and constant adaptation. Therefore, it is essential understand if the candidate aligns with the values and the company culture. Questions about what they value in a work environment or how they deal with internal conflicts are essential to ensure this compatibility.

Strategies for Getting Relevant Responses

To conduct an effective behavioral interview, it is essential to adopt strategies that encourage the candidate to provide authentic and detailed answers. When structuring the questions strategically and use techniques that promote transparency, you will be able to obtain relevant information that helps predict the candidate's performance in the context of your company.

Create a comfortable environment

More relaxed candidates tend to give more genuine answers. Therefore, you should adopt an empathetic and welcoming stance, clearly explaining the purpose of the interview and encouraging the candidate to share relevant experiences.

Ask “follow up” questions

Questions such as “What would you do differently in this situation?” or “What lessons did you learn from this experience?” deepen the assessment and reveal the candidate’s capacity for critical reflection.

Avoid closed questions

Questions should be open-ended, encouraging candidates to share detailed experiences. For example, replace “Have you ever worked with international clients?” with “Tell me about a time when you had to deal with clients from different cultures and how you handled that situation.”

Mistakes to avoid during the interview

Even with careful preparation, it is easy to make mistakes during the interview that can compromise the evaluation of candidates and, consequently, the choice of the most suitable professional for your company. Mistakes such as poorly formulated questions or a too rigid approach can lead to poor hiring decisions. Identifying and avoiding some of these errors is essential. to ensure a fair, structured and truly effective recruitment process. Keep an eye out for these:

• Interrupt the candidate: May inhibit complete and relevant responses.
• Base the evaluation on initial impressions: It is important to remain objective throughout the interview.
• Ignore nonverbal behaviors: Nonverbal communication also reveals a lot about the candidate's skills.

Conclusion

Behavioral interviews are an essential tool for identifying the ideal candidate, providing a deeper insight into their skills, values and way of acting when faced with real challenges. By adopting this approach, your company will not only improves the quality of hiring, as well as reduces the risk of incompatibilities between the professional and the organizational culture.

Investing in a recruitment strategy based on behavioral skills allows you to make more informed decisions, building teams that are more aligned with the company's goals and values. In the end, a well-conducted selection process results in a more productive work environment, motivated and cohesive, driving the sustainable growth of the organization.