Enquiry Now

Behavioral-Based Interviewing (BBI) for Hiring Managers

Course Summary

This 1-day course equips hiring managers, team leads, and HR professionals with the skills to conduct Behavioral-Based Interviews (BBI) that produce reliable, consistent, and competency-aligned hiring decisions.

Participants will learn how to identify key competencies, design STAR-based questions, assess behavioral evidence, and avoid common interviewer biases. Through mock interviews, scoring calibration, and guided tools, participants will gain confidence in selecting candidates who are not just technically capable—but culturally aligned and behaviorally fit for the role.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

    • Understand the principles and benefits of behavioral-based interviewing
    • Identify and prioritize role-specific behavioral competencies
    • Design clear, open-ended behavioral interview questions using the STAR method
    • Probe for deeper insights while maintaining neutrality
    • Score and evaluate candidates based on structured evidence, not gut feel
    • Reduce bias, increase objectivity, and improve hiring consistency across panels

Target Audience

    • Hiring Managers and Line Managers

    • Team Leads involved in interviews or selection decisions

    • HR Officers, Talent Acquisition Specialists, and Internal Recruiters

    • Panel Interviewers and Succession Planning Teams

    • Anyone involved in competency-based hiring or behavioral assessment

Course Structure

1-Day Interviewing Skills Workshop with Roleplay and Calibration

Morning Session: Foundations of BBI & Question Design

    • Why Behavioral Interviewing Matters
       Understand the cost of poor hiring and the limits of CVs, charisma, and intuition. Introduce the “Past Behavior Predicts Future Performance” principle.
    • The STAR Framework & What to Look For
       Learn to guide candidates through Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Practice spotting when candidates go off-track or miss a step.
    • Defining Key Competencies for the Role
       Identify which behavioral traits matter for the role (e.g. problem solving, accountability, teamwork). Introduce competency libraries for reference.
    • Writing Strong BBI Questions
       Practice crafting open, specific questions such as:
      • “Tell me about a time you handled a team conflict.”
      • “Describe a situation where you took initiative.”
      • “Give an example of a time you missed a deadline. What happened?”

Afternoon Session: Interview Execution, Bias Avoidance & Scoring

    • Interviewing with EQ: Listening, Probing & Clarifying
       Learn how to probe without leading, stay neutral, and manage silence or evasive answers. Practice active listening and micro-observation.

    • Avoiding Bias & Halo Effects
       Identify common traps: likability, similarity bias, first impressions, contrast effects. Use objective scoring sheets and behavioral anchors.

    • Scoring, Panel Calibration & Post-Interview Review
       Align panel scores through shared standards. Use evidence-based debriefs rather than subjective impressions.

    • Mock Interview Lab
       Participants conduct and observe interviews using real BBI tools. Feedback provided by facilitator and peers for learning reinforcement.

    • Final Checklist: Do’s & Don’ts of BBI
      Take home a cheat sheet for future interviews and post-interview evaluation.

Final Deliverables

    • Behavioral-Based Interview Toolkit (STAR, Competency List, Scoring Template, Probing Prompts)

    • Interview Bias Guide

    • Personalized Action Plan: What to Change in My Next Interview

    • Certificate of Completion (HRDC Claimable)

Course Duration & Format

    • Duration: 1 Day
    • Mode: Physical / Virtual / Hybrid
    • HRDC Claimable: Yes
    • Optional Add-On: BBI Question Bank Customization Workshop (Post-training)

Trainer

Delivered by certified behavioral interview facilitators and talent acquisition consultants with experience training interviewers across industries. Grounded in global best practices and adapted for Malaysian hiring contexts.

Ready to Upskill?

Contact us today to schedule this course for your team or enquire about upcoming public sessions. Custom in-house versions are available upon request.