Creating the Opening Question (History, Pressure, Context)

The Importance of the Opening Question

Formulating the opening question is a crucial step in behavioral interviewing. This is the question that aligns with the "Situation" phase of the STAR model.

A well-designed opening question is critical because it sets the tone for the conversation and ensures that the interview flows naturally and easily.

Its goal is to invite the candidate to share a relevant experience that will serve as a basis for further probing.

Component 1: Invite to Tell a Story

The question should not be a direct interrogation, but an invitation to share a narrative.

To accomplish this, the formulation should begin with open-ended phrases that explicitly ask for a story.

The most effective phrases for this are "Tell me about a time when..." or "Describe a situation in which...".

The use of these openings tells the candidate that a detailed and descriptive response is expected of him or her, giving him or her the freedom to state what he or she considers important about that experience.

Component 2: Adding an Element of Pressure

The second key component is the inclusion of an element of pressure. This is accomplished by adding adjectives such as "challenging," "difficult," or "complex" to the question.

For example, instead of asking about "a project," one asks about "a challenging project" or "an underperforming campaign."

The purpose of this is twofold: first, it prevents the candidate from resorting to easy or over-rehearsed examples; second, and more importantly, it provides direct insight into how the candidate performs in situations that are more complex, stressful, or did not go as planned.

Component 3: Specifying the Context (The Competency)

Finally, the question should clearly define the theme or context around which the story should revolve.

This context is not random; it must be directly linked to the specific competency to be assessed.

If the competency to be assessed is "Leadership", the context of the question should be about "leading a team".

If the competency is a technical skill such as "C# programming", the context should be about "C# code".

Defining the context keeps the candidate from wandering and keeps the answer focused on the area that needs to be assessed.

Practical Example Formulation

By combining the three components, we can construct effective opening questions.

For the competency "Leadership": "Describe a situation [Component 1: Story] in which you had to lead a team through a significant challenge [Component 2: Pressure]" [Component 3: Context].

For the competency "Technical Skills (PowerPoint)": "Describe a situation [Component 1] in which you had to create a complex PowerPoint presentation [Component 2] for a high-stakes meeting [Component 2]" [Component 3: Context].

The Golden Rule: Preparation and Consistency

The key to success in