Strengths based interviews make an impact >

 

Many of you will have read about Strengths Based interviewing in the Blogs and Tweets the team have been putting out in recent weeks so we thought we would give you an update and let you know what’s going on as well as defining what this new style of interviewing is all about.

 

What is Strengths Based Interviewing? >

Alex Linley one of the key research figures in this sector defines strengths in this way: “A strength is a pre-existing capacity for a particular way of behaving, thinking, or feeling that is authentic and energising to the user, and enables optimal functioning, development and performance.”

 

Following on from this therefore a strengths based interview is an interview that gives candidates an opportunity to talk about their natural strengths and the situations in which these are at their best.

 

Whereas a competency interview might ask very structured questions, a strengths based interview will consist of a broader range of questions asked at a higher pace. Interviewers will look at body language and listen for other signals like voice tone and speed to identify whether someone has pride in what they have been doing or has a specific interest or passion for a subject.

 

 

What are the benefits of recruiting for strengths? >

 

Companies have been increasingly commenting that candidates are rehearsed in their responses to competency questions because they understand the formula for an ‘ideal answer'. Generating tables or lists of commonly asked competency questions and their answers. As a result there is a growing movement amongst towards a system where people's more innate strengths, those natural aptitudes that people have for a role are tested.

 

When a candidate is using/talking about their strengths they demonstrate:

o   A genuine sense of energy and engagement

o   Will often lose a sense of time because of being so engrossed

o   Will rapidly learn new information and approaches

o   Will demonstrate exemplary levels of performance

o   Will irrevocably be drawn to do things that play to their strengths – even when tired, stressed or disengaged

 

Who is using the strengths model in their recruitment?

Although many companies are beginning to integrate elements of strengths based interviewing into their recruitment, Norwich Union, Standard Chartered, Ernst & Young, Reckitt Benckiser and CB Richard Ellis represent a cross section of companies all using this style of interviewing their graduate recruitment.

 

What does it look like in practice?

 

 

CASE STUDY – Reckitt Benckiser, global FMCG >

 

 

Having rolled out a strengths based graduate recruitment campaign 10 weeks ago with one of the largest global FMCG’s we have seen some surprising results and are already predicting a reduction in the number of final stage assessment days of 33% thanks to the change from competency to strengths based interviewing in earlier stages.

 

The feedback from candidates and recruiters alike has been nothing but positive with candidates describing the interviews as “an astonishingly refreshing change” and “a really challenging but exciting interview”.

 

The feedback however has not just been positive from candidates, for the first time in a while assessors are really seeing the difference that the approach makes to their ease of selection saying “I have been surprised just how easily you can spot great talent using these interviews” and “…a passionate candidate stands out from a mile away using these new interviews”.

 

So it seems to be a win win situation with candidates enjoying a new approach to the selection process and assessors being able to quickly and efficiently identify good from great.