Firstly, let’s look at what we mean by competency-based questions…

In addition to standard interview questions on your background and what you are looking for in a role or company, most interviewers like to ask competency-based interview questions, designed to test the skills or competencies that are needed for the specific role.

Most interviewers work on the premise that past behaviour is the best indicator of future performance. These questions will provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate you have the core skills needed for a position and for the recruiter to see if you can demonstrate the attributes and skills they are after.

You will be asked a series of set questions and your answers will be compared against existing criteria and against other candidates’ answers.

Study the core competencies in the job description before the interview

Before you attend the interview you need to study fully the core competencies in the job description and prepare real-life examples from your current or previous employment to show evidence, and results, of your competency for this role.

Examples of core competencies might include:

• Your commercial awareness
•  Your adaptability and flexibility
•  Your leadership abilities
•  Your problem-solving abilities
• Your communication skills.

Examples of competency-based interview questions

Which questions you are asked will obviously depend on the job you are being interviewed for and the industry or sector you'll be working in.

As a general rule of thumb though, you can expect questions such as, ‘Give me an example of… ', ‘Tell me about a time when you…', or 'Can you describe how you…'.

Using some of the core competency examples in the section above, typical questions might be:

• Can you tell me about a situation in which you led a Dynamics technical team, or can you describe a Dynamics 365 project where you had to use different leadership styles to reach your goal?
• Can you give me an example of a challenge you faced in the workplace and how did you overcome it, or can you give me an example of a situation where you solved a business problem in a creative way?
• Can you tell me about a time when your communication skills improved a situation, or can you give me an example of a time you handled conflict in the workplace?

For further reading about the types of competency-based questions you might be asked in an interview, click on this link here.

Considering the STAR format will help you answer questions

Using the STAR format (situation, task, action and result) to structure all of your answers, will help you communicate important points clearly and effectively.

S: describe the Situation that you were confronted with – such as helping a team to complete a difficult project as a result of a contractor going out of business

T: describe the Task that you had to undertake – such as working closely together to integrate a new software system with the client’s website and to a set deadline

 A: describe the Action that you took to deliver – such as reading the client’s brief carefully, taking the lead and allocating tasks to appropriate people, and setting timescales

 R: and the Results that came from the action that you took – such as completing the project on time and to a high standard, which made the client happy.

If you would like further information about competency-based interview questions or would like to have a general chat to a member of our team, then please contact us on 01483 233 000 – admin@conspicuous.com – www.conspicuous.com