The guide
Everything you need to know about the behavioral interview checklist
What Is the Behavioral Interview Checklist?
The Behavioral Interview Checklist helps you assess candidates by asking about real past situations rather than hypotheticals. It centers on questions that draw out specific examples, often framed around the situation, task, action, and result. The checklist covers choosing relevant competencies, preparing prompts, probing for detail, and scoring responses, all based on the premise that past behavior is a strong signal of future performance.
Why Use a Behavioral Interview Checklist
Candidates can describe what they would do in theory, but behavioral questions reveal what they actually did, which is harder to fake. This checklist keeps interviewers focused on concrete evidence instead of vague claims, helps them probe past surface answers, and standardizes how examples are scored. The result is a clearer read on skills like collaboration, problem solving, and resilience that generic questions rarely surface.
How to Use This Behavioral Interview Checklist
Pick the competencies that matter most for the role and prepare one or two behavioral prompts for each. Ask candidates to describe specific past situations, then probe for their exact actions and the outcome. Listen for the individual's contribution rather than the team's. Score answers against a rubric focused on evidence and relevance, and take notes you can compare across candidates afterward.
