1. Situation
Describe the setting.
Competency based questions
A guide to competency based interview questions
What is a competency based interview?
What competencies is the interviewer looking for?
How do you answer these questions?
Situation - Task - Action - Result
Tips for answering behaviour based questions
What is a competency based interview?
Competency based questions are interview questions that require you to provide real-life examples as the basis of your answers. The interviewer is looking for you to explain why you made certain decisions, how you or your team implemented these decisions and why certain outcomes took place.
Competency-based interviews (also called structured interviews) are interviews where each question is designed to test one or more specific skills. The answer is then matched against criteria and marked accordingly. For example, the interviewers may want to test the candidate's ability to deal with stress by asking first how the candidate generally handles stress and then asking the candidate to provide an example of a situation where he worked under pressure.
What competencies is the interviewer looking for?
- Communication. For example can you tell us about a time when you used your communication skills to help a customer or a colleague?
- Teamwork. For example can you describe a situation where you worked as part of a team? How did you contribute towards the team?
- Decision making. Can you give me an example of when you have had to make a tough decision?
- Results Drive. Can you give me an example of when you were successful?
- Leadership. Describe a situation when you assumed the role of leader. Were there any challenges, and how did you address them?
- Flexibility. Explain how you have been flexible within a role?
- Creativity. Can you provide an example of when you have used creativity within employment or your personal life?
- Resilience. Can you provide an example of when you have failed?
How do you answer these questions?
Interviewers using behaviour-based interviewing techniques such as competency questions are likely to ask for additional details during your responses. Always make sure you provide concise, specific answers that are well explained, thought out and detailed.
Questions can relate to past failures as well as to past achievements. You must adequately explain why you failed to complete tasks; when such questions are posed, don't avoid mention of past failures altogether, but demonstrate what you have learnt from them.
If you find yourself struggling to think of any prior experiences which are relevant to the question asked, give a hypothetical answer and describe what you would do if a similar situation were to occur in the future.
You can use the STAR technique to help structure your answers for competency questions. The diagram on page 2 explains how what the interviewer is looking for in your answers.
Situation - Task - Action - Result
2. Task
Describe what task was required of you.
3. Action
Tell the interviewer what action you took.
4. Result
Conclude by describing the result of your action.
Be positive about your actions throughout your response and do not make up an example as you will not come across as believable. If you cannot think of good examples instantly, ask the interviewer for a moment or two to think about the question and then give your answer.
Tips for answering behaviour based questions
- When answering competency questions you can give examples from work, study or personal life, but make sure you give a wide variety of examples and a different example to answer each question.
- Don't go into too much background detail when answering competency questions. Your interviewer only wants to know about your past behaviours. Further detail is not needed.
- Make sure the answers and examples you use are the most relevant to the questions asked rather than the most impressive or elaborate.
- Don't make your answers up! Your interviewer will find this very easy to spot.
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