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Competency-based interviews have long been considered a gold standard in hiring, focusing on skills, abilities and behavioral traits rather than solely on resumes. However, with today's diverse, multigenerational workforce in mind, companies are starting to recognize the importance of ensuring their interviewing methods align with their candidates' expectations.
Adapting traditional competency-based interviews to cater to the modern workforce poses new challenges and opportunities. Below, Forbes Human Resources Council members discuss several strategies to make your interview process more inclusive and effective for evaluating candidates from various age groups.
1. Ask The Same Thorough Questions
Never assume a candidate’s age equates to having relevant competencies for a job. Be as thorough in asking competency-based questions at each level, from Gen X to Gen Z. It’s always useful to understand what tactical experience a candidate has, but ensuring they have competencies like conflict resolution or teamwork will help you find a strong candidate and support sustained business growth. - Shannon Gabriel, TBM Consulting
2. Add Questions About Adaptability, Learning New Skills And Working With Diverse Groups
Focus your questions for the candidate not just on their past experience, but also on their adaptability, willingness to learn new skills and ability to work with diverse groups of people. With multiple generations in the workforce, competencies need to go beyond just technical skills and narrow experiences. - Jessica Kriegel, Culture Partners
3. Ask About The Influence Of Remote Environments
Remote work is here to stay and should be factored in when evaluating relationship building and people development skills. Specific examples of how remote workers manage these competencies from a virtual environment should be weighted the same as they are for in-office workers. - Jenna Hinrichsen, Advanced RPO
4. Focus On Future Potential
Focus on a candidate’s future potential, not just work history. Competency-based interviews probe how a candidate approaches challenges. Hiring managers can use this approach to look for intangibles that can’t be taught, but that make or break if a person is going to succeed, regardless of their age. These include a desire to learn, grit, determination, curiosity, resilience and adaptability. - Casey Huebsch, South End Partners
5. Prioritize Candidates With Transferable Skills And Experience
There is no silver bullet; the tried-and-true method remains the same: Competency-based questions are designed to evaluate people's abilities, knowledge and conduct in relation to the job and workplace. Prioritize candidates who can demonstrate transferable solid skills and have experience in various industries. - Dr. Nara Ringrose, Cyclife Aquila Nuclear
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6. Make The Interview Interactive
Use interactive simulations or virtual reality exercises to provide job candidates with a more immersive and memorable experience. This approach can showcase their skills and competencies in a more natural setting, allowing interviewers to observe their behavior and decision-making abilities in real time. It can help the organization stand out from competitors. - Reema Akhtar, Seer Solutions
7. Frame Questions That Demonstrate Candidates' Ability To Apply New Knowledge
Frame interview questions around scenarios that require candidates to demonstrate their ability to learn, apply new knowledge and problem-solve in unfamiliar situations. This gives a better insight into whether they can adapt to changing needs in a multi-skilled environment. In addition, assess the intangible measures like curiosity, openness to new experiences and the ability to draw connections. - Raunak Bhandari, Google Asia Pacific
8. Broaden Your Talent Pool
Since competency-based interviews are focused on uncovering specific skills, they can be very helpful tools for confirming that a candidate has the competencies to succeed and identifying highly skilled candidates with unconventional backgrounds. To maximize the benefits, recruiters need to broaden their talent pool to include diverse talent such as candidates without a degree and veterans. - Niki Jorgensen, Insperity
9. Identify Candidates Willing To Learn
Consider thinking outside of the box when it comes to measuring competency. A candidate with the motivation and willingness to learn or refine their skills will often prove to be the more successful long-term placement. Letting these candidates slip through your recruitment net will result in your pool of potential hires narrowing; diversity of thought and experience will be lost. - Alex Gillespie, Gillespie Manners
10. Define The 'Why' Of The Organization
A practical approach to utilizing competency-based interviews starts with defining the “Why” of the organization. Articulating and aligning on the vision-mission-purpose, followed by the values that keep them alive and identifying what behaviors define those values. Then creating a good question database and an interview process that thoroughly brings out the indicators for potential. - Gonca Icoren, Energy Vault Inc.
11. Utilize The DISC Assessment
Now more than ever, professionals are changing careers and breaking into new fields. That means some of the best candidates may not look ideal on paper even though they can excel in the role. To prevent good candidates from not being hired, I’m a fan of accessing how quickly someone can be coached to learn a new skill and understand their personality and communication style. DISC identifies potential. - Joey Price, Jumpstart HR LLC
12. Measure Technical Skills Through Scenario-Based Simulations
Integrate scenario-based simulations that require real-time problem-solving and teamwork across various age groups. This will assess technical skills and the ability to adapt, communicate and innovate within a diverse team. It also reveals practical skills and an individual's dynamic interaction with different generations, offering a unique insight into their potential in a multi-generational workplace. - Katrina Jones, Acacia Network
13. Prioritize Insightful Answers Over Job-Specific Ones
Invite candidates to provide answers from experiences outside the workplace or the exact skillset. When hiring across generations, you can expect a wide range of life and work experiences, more or less of either depending on the person and their opportunities. Level the playing field by making the question more about an insightful answer than being in an office or a specific role. - Ursula Mead, InHerSight
14. Assess Adaptability And Continuous Learning
To improve competency-based interviewing for a multi-generational workforce, incorporate questions that assess adaptability and continuous learning. This approach recognizes varied skills across generations and values the ability to evolve in a rapidly changing work environment. - Hassan Choughari, Jaroudi Group
15. Optimize The Interview For All Learners
When interviewing candidates in a multi-generational workforce, each generation includes various learning types who process information and acquire skills and competencies differently. Therefore, to ensure a diverse and inclusive workplace, hiring managers should optimize their interview process for all learning types – visual, auditory, reading and writing and kinesthetic (learn by doing). - John Feldmann, Insperity
