Key Takeaways

  • A performance based interview focuses on assessing how candidates have demonstrated essential skills through past behavior and accomplishments.
  • These interviews help employers predict future success by asking structured, situational, and behavioral questions.
  • The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is a widely used framework to structure responses.
  • Interviewers should prepare by identifying performance objectives, aligning questions to job competencies, and applying a consistent scoring system.
  • Candidates can prepare by reflecting on prior achievements that illustrate leadership, problem-solving, adaptability, and communication skills.
  • A well-executed performance based interview minimizes bias and ensures hiring decisions are based on measurable, job-related performance indicators.

What Is a Performance-Based Interview?

A performance-based interview is based on goal-related questions that the interviewer asks the applicant regarding personal or professional goals that he/she established for himself/herself and the actions that he/she took to reach them.

Understanding the Purpose and Structure of a Performance Based Interview

A performance based interview is designed to measure a candidate’s ability to meet the specific performance objectives of a role. Instead of focusing on general traits or hypothetical situations, this method emphasizes real-world examples of how the candidate has demonstrated the required competencies in past experiences.

Employers use this approach to gain a deeper understanding of a candidate’s problem-solving, teamwork, and decision-making skills. It is particularly effective because it links past behaviors to future performance, helping ensure that hiring decisions are both fair and predictive of job success.

The structure of a performance based interview often includes:

  • Defining job-related competencies (e.g., leadership, communication, adaptability).
  • Developing targeted questions that require candidates to provide detailed examples.
  • Evaluating responses based on measurable results rather than personal impressions.

This approach benefits both interviewers and candidates by creating a transparent, objective process focused on achieving specific business outcomes.

Examples of Performance-Based Interview Questions

Performance-based interview questions cover creativity, expressing opinions, making decisions, communications, leadership, delegating, goal-setting, and conflict resolution in both personal and professional situations. Remember that Federal employees, especially those in branches of the military, are frequently expected to follow orders and instructions from superiors without question.

Examples include:

  • What was the most ingenious idea you came up with on a job and how did you convince your boss to implement it?
  • Tell me about an incident where you had a strong opinion on a situation that may not be popular, but you thought it was too important to ignore and voiced it.
  • How do you handle situations where you’re describing an important concept or instructions to someone and it’s obvious you two are not understanding each other?
  • Describe how you have led a team to achieve high goals under difficult circumstances.
  • What are the most impressive goals you’ve reached and how?
  • How do you handle deadlines that are moved up or projects that suddenly need more input than you expected?
  • Tell me how you handled a difficult customer and used your interpersonal communication skills to solve the problem to their satisfaction without escalating the situation.
  • Explain circumstances where you became known as the go-to person who could be counted on to help out wherever you were needed for as long as needed.
  • What experience do you have in writing memos, reports, or general business correspondence that shows your skills in clear and concise written communications? 

The STAR Method for Answering Performance Based Interview Questions

The STAR method—which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result—is one of the most reliable frameworks for answering performance based interview questions effectively.

  • Situation: Describe the context or background of the challenge or project.
  • Task: Explain your specific role or responsibility.
  • Action: Outline the steps you took to address the problem or achieve the goal.
  • Result: Summarize the outcome, emphasizing measurable or positive results.

For instance, if asked to “Describe a time you improved team efficiency,” a candidate could structure the response to show not only what they did but how their actions directly impacted performance.

This method allows interviewers to assess how candidates approach real challenges and whether their actions align with the job’s demands. Using STAR also ensures responses stay clear, concise, and results-driven, which helps interviewers compare candidates more objectively.

Guidelines for Performance-Based Interviewers

Performance-based interviewers must follow guidelines to ensure a fair and equitable interview that accurately assesses the candidate’s qualifications for the job. More mistakes occur in the first 30 minutes of the interview based on bias, the influence of first impressions, and unclear perception of actual job needs.

Utilizing a combination of the performance-based interview and the accompanying Quality of Hire Talent Scorecard to evaluate competency, enthusiasm, and job fit begins with the creation of a detailed performance-based job description clearly outlining what the applicant must achieve to attain success.

 Important procedures include:

  • Taking control of the meeting while remaining friendly and professional.
  • An immediate and brief overview of the applicant’s employment history for the past 5 to 10 years.
  • If a candidate's job history includes working for the Federal Government and/or military service, he/she may be prohibited from sharing certain information for the protection of restricted or classified information.
  • Carefully examining the candidate’s major accomplishments and how they reflect growth and good analysis.
  • Exploring what the applicant’s career goals are, why they are important to them, how they plan to achieve them, and what the projected time table is for reaching the goals.
  • Determining why they are looking for a new job.
  • Including a question and answer forum about the position for the candidate to learn more about the scope of the job.
  • Taking at least 30 minutes to review the interview before making a final judgment on the applicant’s qualifications.

Evaluating Candidates Fairly and Objectively

To ensure fairness and consistency, performance based interviewers should adopt a standardized evaluation system that scores responses against defined performance criteria. Many organizations use tools such as a Performance Matrix or Talent Scorecard to rate competencies including initiative, leadership, and problem-solving.

Best practices for interviewers include:

  • Preparation: Identify the key deliverables or objectives for the position before the interview.
  • Structured Questioning: Use the same core set of performance-based questions for each candidate.
  • Active Listening: Focus on verifying the facts and outcomes presented by the candidate.
  • Avoiding Bias: Base evaluations on evidence, not on subjective impressions or rapport.
  • Documentation: Take detailed notes immediately after the interview to ensure accuracy in assessment.

This approach enhances reliability across interviews and ensures that hiring decisions are data-driven rather than influenced by personal bias or intuition.

What Is Needed for a Successful Performance-Based Interview?

To conduct a successful performance-based interview, the interviewer must understand the job requirements above and beyond basic technical and functional expertise. He/she must be able to accurately judge the competence and motivation of the candidate as well as how they will fit into the job setting.

Important tools include:

  • A solid and clear performance profile that describes in detail what is expected of the candidate to successfully perform their job; a simple list of necessary skills and experience are insufficient.
  • Having a recruiter, also seen as the director of the hiring process, on hand during the interviewing process to keep the interview on track, guarantee all interviews are equitable and make sure all important points are covered clearly and accurately.
  • Disregarding non-related factors such as marital status, dependents, political views, sexual orientation, or any other details prohibited by Federal, State, and/or Local regulations viewed as discriminatory.

Candidate Preparation Tips for Performance Based Interviews

Candidates can improve their performance in a performance based interview by preparing thoughtful examples that align with the job’s core requirements.

Effective preparation strategies include:

  • Researching the role: Understand the company’s performance expectations and the key results they value.
  • Identifying accomplishments: Choose 3–5 professional examples that showcase skills like problem-solving, leadership, or collaboration.
  • Practicing STAR responses: Rehearse answers that clearly define the situation, task, action, and result.
  • Quantifying achievements: Use measurable data—such as percentages or timelines—to highlight impact.
  • Reflecting on challenges: Be prepared to discuss lessons learned from setbacks or difficult projects.

By following these steps, candidates can confidently demonstrate how their past experiences make them capable of achieving success in the prospective role.

Benefits of the Performance Based Interview Approach

A performance based interview offers clear benefits to both employers and job seekers. For employers, it provides a predictive hiring tool that helps identify candidates most likely to excel. For candidates, it’s an opportunity to highlight real-world results rather than relying solely on credentials.

Key benefits include:

  • Reduced hiring bias: Focuses on concrete evidence of past performance.
  • Improved job fit: Aligns candidate capabilities with the company’s measurable goals.
  • Higher retention: Candidates selected based on proven success are more likely to perform well long term.
  • Enhanced candidate experience: The structured nature makes the process more transparent and equitable.

When implemented properly, this approach transforms hiring from a subjective assessment into a data-driven evaluation of what truly predicts success on the job.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is the main goal of a performance based interview?
    To assess how a candidate’s past behavior and achievements align with the job’s performance expectations, predicting future success.
  2. How is a performance based interview different from a behavioral interview?
    While both focus on past behavior, performance based interviews emphasize quantifiable outcomes and job-specific goals, whereas behavioral interviews often explore general traits.
  3. How should candidates prepare for a performance based interview?
    By using the STAR method to structure responses and highlighting measurable results that demonstrate job-relevant competencies.
  4. What skills do performance based interviewers look for?
    Interviewers often assess skills like communication, leadership, adaptability, decision-making, and collaboration.
  5. Why do employers prefer performance based interviews?
    Because they provide objective, evidence-based insights into how a candidate will perform in real-world scenarios, leading to better hiring outcomes.

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