Strength-Based Interviews
Some graduate recruiters, such as Norwich Union, Standard Chartered and Ernst & Young are now introducing “strength-based interviews” into their graduate recruitment process.
Competencies can be defined as “what you CAN do”, while strengths are “what you really ENJOY doing”
Professor Alex Linley of Capp www.cappeu.org defines a strength as “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”.
When a candidate is using their strengths they demonstrate:
- a real sense of energy and engagement;
- will often lose a sense of time because of being so engrossed;
- will rapidly learn new information and approaches;
- will demonstrate exemplary levels of performance;
- and will irrevocably be drawn to do things that play to their strengths – even when tired, stressed or disengaged”.
See our page on What makes us happy at work? especially the part about flow activities for more expalnation on this.
Ernst & Young
E&Y receives around 16,000 applications annually for its graduate training programmes www.ey.com/UK/en/Careers/Students, which are reduced to between 500-650 appointments. The firm is now moving away from the traditional competency based recruitment criteria, as many applicants understand the formula too well and many answers and relevant experiences were well rehearsed.
Instead, the firm is now moving to a, "strength-based system which is more about looking at people's more innate strengths, those natural aptitudes that people have for a role". E&Y believes this system will lead to better recruitment decisions.
The system focuses on 16 strengths that relate to the work that E&Y does. It differs from the old competency based system in that, at the interview, rather than asking applicants a standard set of competency based questions, a broader range of questions are asked at a higher pace.
"Some of the strengths that we identify are people's ability, or that people have a sense of pride in what they do. People's analytical ability is also a strength. Working with others is a strength. So we'll ask questions around these areas and ask for examples, but in a slightly different way than before."
Interviewers will also look at body language and other signals like tone, to identify whether someone has pride in what they have been doing or has a specific interest in a subject.
www.dius.gov.uk/generate_pdf?id=%7B9308B029-A319-4726-8C23-2DCDAD13E287%7D
Further information:
- An article from the Financial Times on strengths-based assessment at Ernst & Young www.cappeu.org/assets/files/CAPP%20Isherwood%20Financial%20Times%20EY%20Article%2013.10.08.pdf
- Advice on preparing for a strength-based interview
www.scribd.com/doc/10299051/3b-Prepping-for-a-StrengthBased-Interview
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