Hiring the right person requires a deeper look than just surface qualifications. It’s about understanding whether someone has the right blend of skills, mindset, and approach to thrive in your role and company culture. To get that full picture, most employers turn to behavioral and technical interviews.
But when should you use each—and how can you tailor your approach based on the role?
Let’s explore the differences, when to use each one, and how they help you uncover the right mix of hard and soft skills.
What’s the Difference?
Behavioral Interviews
Behavioral interviews are grounded in the idea that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. Instead of hypothetical scenarios (“What would you do if…”), these interviews ask candidates to describe real-life situations they’ve encountered. This format helps assess soft skills like communication, teamwork, emotional intelligence, leadership, and resilience.
Common behavioral questions:
- “Tell me about a time you had to work with someone difficult. What did you do?”
- “Give an example of when you had to meet a tight deadline. How did you manage your time?”
- “Describe a situation where you made a mistake at work. How did you handle it?”
Tip: Encourage candidates to answer using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to keep answers focused and structured.
Technical Interviews
Technical interviews, by contrast, are meant to assess hard skills—the measurable, job-specific competencies someone needs to perform well. These may include coding, financial modeling, software proficiency, legal compliance, or industry-specific tools and processes.
Common technical formats:
- Live coding exercises or whiteboard challenges (for developers)
- Case studies or data analysis assignments (for analysts or consultants)
- Role-based simulations (for roles like sales or operations)
- Skills assessments using platforms like Codility, Vervoe, or HackerRank
Tip: Technical interviews shouldn’t be “gotcha” sessions. They should reflect real tasks the candidate would face on the job.
Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills: Why You Need Both
Understanding the distinction between hard and soft skills is critical to building an effective hiring strategy.
| Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
| Teachable, measurable, and certifiable | Interpersonal, emotional, and behavioral |
| Learned through education or training | Gained through experience and self-awareness |
| Examples: coding, SEO, bookkeeping, Excel | Examples: empathy, adaptability, leadership |
A 2024 LinkedIn Talent Solutions report found that 76% of hiring managers say they’ve hired someone with strong soft skills but weaker technical abilities—and saw great results. This trend is especially true for roles with growth potential, where attitude and adaptability matter just as much as technical know-how.
At the same time, neglecting to assess hard skills can lead to costly mis-hires. A CareerBuilder survey found that 74% of employers admitted to hiring the wrong person for a role—with skills mismatch being a top reason.
Bottom line? You need a thoughtful mix of both behavioral and technical evaluation to avoid hiring someone who either can’t do the work or can’t work well with others.
When to Use Behavioral Interviews
Behavioral interviews are especially effective when the role depends on collaboration, leadership, or people skills. They help uncover how candidates operate under pressure, resolve conflict, make decisions, and adapt to change.
Use behavioral interviews for:
- People managers and team leads
- Cross-functional or matrixed roles
- Customer- or client-facing roles
- Jobs requiring high emotional intelligence
Example 1: Hiring a sales manager? Use behavioral questions to explore how they’ve coached underperforming reps, built client relationships, or navigated high-stakes negotiations.
Example 2: For a project manager, you might ask: “Tell me about a time a project went off the rails. What happened, and how did you course-correct?”
What you learn: Not just how they solve problems—but how they communicate, take accountability, and learn from setbacks.
When to Use Technical Interviews
Technical interviews are ideal when candidates need to demonstrate precise knowledge, logic, or functional expertise. They give employers confidence that the candidate can perform the day-to-day responsibilities of the job from day one—or can get up to speed quickly.
Use technical interviews for:
- Engineering, IT, and software development
- Finance, data, and analytics roles
- Operations or supply chain positions
- Healthcare, manufacturing, or skilled trades
Example 1: Hiring a full-stack developer? Start with a live coding challenge that mimics an upcoming sprint requirement (e.g., building a basic CRUD app or debugging an existing codebase).
Example 2: Looking for a financial analyst? Provide a case study with sample data and ask them to prepare a brief analysis and presentation.
Pro tip: Technical interviews don’t need to be overly complex. Focus on how the candidate thinks through real-world problems, not just textbook correctness.
When to Use Both (Hint: Most Roles)
In reality, most modern jobs require both types of skills. A great digital marketer, for example, needs to know Google Analytics (hard skill), but also collaborate cross-functionally and present insights to executives (soft skills).
Combining behavioral and technical interviews gives you a 360-degree view of the candidate’s fit—not just for the role, but for your team’s dynamic and future needs.
Combine both interviews when:
- The role involves cross-functional collaboration and technical execution
- You’re hiring for leadership or strategic growth
- Cultural fit and skill match are equally important
- The position has complex stakeholder relationships or multiple responsibilities
Example: Hiring a product manager? Use a technical interview to test their understanding of product roadmapping, data interpretation, or wireframing. Follow with behavioral questions to evaluate how they handle conflicting stakeholder feedback, missed launches, or shifting priorities.
Final Thoughts
Behavioral and technical interviews aren’t an either/or proposition—they’re complementary tools. The most successful hiring teams understand when and how to use each one based on what success in the role truly requires.
- For people-heavy roles: Lead with behavioral interviews.
- For skills-driven roles: Start with technical screens.
- For hybrid roles: Blend both formats for deeper insight.
One last stat: According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average cost of a bad hire can equal 30% of the employee’s first-year earnings. Structuring your interviews well isn’t just about good hiring—it’s good business.
