Competency-based questions are commonly used in interviews to assess a candidate’s specific skills, behaviours, and experiences relevant to the job. These questions often begin with phrases such as “Give an example of a time when…” or “Tell me about a situation where you…”
Here’s a guide on how to answer competency-based questions effectively:
1. Understand the Competencies:
Review the job description and identify the key competencies the interviewers are looking for. Common competencies include, teamwork, problem-solving, time management, communication and adaptability.
2. Do your Preparation:
When candidates ask me what they can do to prepare for an interview I advise them that the most important thing they can do is revise their own work history.
Once you’ve identified the core competencies that you maybe questioned on, you should go through your CV and identify the pieces of worker projects that highlight each competency.
3. Take Notes in with you
Lest you forget which piece of work to mention when answering competency-based questions, write the examples down and take the notes in with you. This is an interview, not an exam, and it’s not cheating to take notes in with you. You just look like you’ve done your prep!
You don’t want to walk out of the interview thinking, ‘I can’t believe I didn’t mention that piece of work!’
4. Use the STAR Method:
Structure your responses using the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result.
- Situation: Provide context for the situation or problem.
- Task: Describe your role and responsibilities in that situation.
- Action: Explain the specific actions you took to address the situation.
- Result: Conclude with the positive outcome of your actions and what you learned
5. Be Specific:
If there’s one piece of advice I always give to candidates attending interviews, it’s this… GIVE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.
Your job during the interview process is to get the interviewers to picture you doing the job, and you do this by giving specific examples which include details about the context, people involved, and the challenges you faced.
If you can get the interviewers to picture you doing the job, you’re halfway there!
6. Highlight your Contribution:
We don’t want you to appear arrogant, but you musn’t be a shrinking violet either, so don’t be afraid to emphasize your individual contribution to the team or task.
7. Practice:
Rehearse your responses to common competency-based questions before the interview. You could also ask a friend or mentor to conduct a mock interview and provide feedback.
8. Be Honest:
Be truthful about your experiences. Interviewers can often tell when candidates are exaggerating or providing generic answers. If you’ve faced a really challenging situation, discuss what you learned from it and how the experience helped you grow as a professional.
9. Stay Concise:
While we want you to give good specific examples, we also want you to keep your responses focused and concise, so try your best to maintain a balance between providing enough information and not rambling.
10. Show Continuous Improvement:
If the situation allows, discuss how you have applied lessons from past experiences to improve your skills or approach in subsequent situations.
By following these tips and practicing your responses, you’ll be better prepared to articulate your skills and experiences in a way that resonates with the competencies sought by the hirer.