Job Interview Techniques: Competency Based Interviews

Competency based interviews can vary from sector to sector and is also dependent on the level of responsibility the position may entail. 

The competencies can be broken down to as follows: 

• Adaptability
• Compliance
• Communication
• Decision Making
• Encouraging and Influencing others
• Leadership
• Organisation
• Teamwork 

This is list is by no means complete but will give you an idea of the areas an interviewer could potentially ask you. 

Competency based interviews will always have open ended questions so you can explain and give as much detail as possible regarding the real life scenario you have encountered. These questions can typically start Tell me about...?, Describe to me...?, How did you...?

When completing a competency based interview there is no right or wrong answer however the important factor is to ensure you have given relevant information to the question to show the interviewer how well you will perform in the role and why they should employ you. 

The important thing to remember is that you have explained fully what happened, what the conclusion was, how you felt you handled the situation and remember to link it to the competency you have been asked. 

Below is a list of potential questions you could be asked in a competency based interview? 

• Describe a situation where you had to deal with an angry customer? 
• Tell me about a situation where you were working as part of a team? What was your role within the team?
• If you were given a new project to manage, how would you approach the situation? 
• How do you prepare for an important meeting? 
• Can you tell me about a time you had to do something you didn't want to do, and how did it go? 

If you would like further advice with regards to competency based interviews please do not hesitate to ask one of the consultants who will be happy to help.