How to Answer Competency-Based Interview Questions
When preparing for a task interview, you might be excited or worried—or both. Preparing your solutions to recurring interview questions like, “Why do you want to paintings right here?” and, “What were your obligations on your closing job?” will assist you to advantage confidence. But what in case you’re asked competency-based totally interview questions?
Uh-oh, back to being nervous. There’s no need to be. Let’s talk approximately a famous hiring technique—the competency-based interview, the types of questions you may expect to be asked, and smart answers to competency-based interview questions.
Competency-Based Interview vs. Behavioral Interviews
You can be acquainted with behavioral interviews in which questions begin with terms like, “Tell me about a time…” A competence-based interview is based the same way, and the questions are comparable. Both are primarily based on the concept that what you did within the beyond predicts how you will behave inside the destiny.
So what’s the difference among competency-based totally interviews and behavioral interviews? Behavioral interview questions intention to find out your paintings style and whether or not you’ll be a very good fit for the business enterprise and group. Competency-based totally interview questions help to determine whether you have got the knowledge and talents you want to excel in the task.
Four Reasons Why an Employer Might Ask Competency-Based Interview Questions
Here are a few extra motives an corporation may ask you competency-primarily based interview questions at your process interview.
1. To Learn More Useful Information About Candidates
Competency-based interview questions elicit greater distinctive answers than wellknown interview questions. For instance, past knowing you labored in a marketing branch and had diverse duties, the interviewer can find out how you treated those duties and how your movements affected outcomes.
2. To Provide a Fair Comparison
If you solution the same questions as all different applicants, the interviewer can decide everybody on a scale ranging from “no skill or revel in” to “remarkable talent and enjoy” in numerous areas that are essential to the process. Add up the ratings, and you are ranked a few of the applicants in an impartial manner.
3. To Uncover a Candidate’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Everyone hates that “What are your strengths and weaknesses” question. Competency-based interview questions discover your strongest and weakest skills while not having to wager what the interviewer is searching out and hit upon a solution.
For example, in case you’re requested to talk approximately a time you had a number of projects to complete in a brief quantity of time,” you could explain your technique for prioritizing tasks and putting in place work plans for finishing the whole lot. This tells the interviewer you’re true at organizing and juggling a couple of projects.
4. To Understand Your Attitude and Approach
Not most effective your reaction but the way you reply is essential while answering competency-primarily based interview questions. It’s difficult to faux a solution due to the fact the interviewer is looking at:
How lengthy it takes you to think of a response.
Whether you’re confident and relaxed while answering.
Your enthusiasm and mind-set when you’re giving the solution.
The wide variety of details (or loss of them) on your reaction.
Your frame language, which could be very hard to faux.
All this adds as much as an interviewer determining your revel in and ability in a undertaking and whether or not you experience or dislike doing it.
How to Answer Competency-Based Interview Questions
The appropriate information is that there aren't any right or incorrect answers to competency-primarily based interview questions. Your responses tell the interviewer your stage of enjoy in a place and if you have the competencies to deal with that obligation. Always be honest. Stumbling thru a made-up solution can be obvious to the interviewer.
The most important rule of thumb is to reply questions the use of the STAR technique. A brief assessment of the STAR approach is:
Situation: Describe the state of affairs, problem, or project.
Task: Explain your course of motion and the way your decided it would be powerful.
Action: Go thru the steps you took to resolve the situation.
Result: Reveal the outcome, achievement, and what you discovered at some stage in the procedure.
6 Sample Competency-Based Interview Questions and Answers
Since competency-primarily based interviews recognition for your capabilities and revel in for a specific activity, the exact questions you’re asked will range by industry and position. Take a take a look at those six sample competency-primarily based interview questions and solutions to get a experience for what you is probably asked:
Tell me about a time you used the XYZ technique to solve a problem.
Describe a time you led a group with one member who did not pull their weight.
Give an instance of a document you are chargeable for and the way you make certain it’s beneficial.
Talk approximately a time when you were given a brand new venture you had by no means completed earlier than and how you carried out it.
Give three examples of things you’ve achieved to maintain true consumer and/or coworker relationships.
Talk approximately how a alternate in the industry affected your process and the way you tailored.
Question #1: Tell Me About a Time You Used the Submarine Method to Close a Sale
This question we could the interviewer recognize things. First, it gauges your familiarity with a not unusual technique on your enterprise and reveals your enjoy stage. It additionally demonstrates your trouble-solving abilities.
Here’s how to solution this question based totally to your cutting-edge revel in stage:
The first rule is don’t faux it if you don’t have enjoy or don’t recognise what the method is. Instead, use your lack of information as a cause you’re searching out a role to help you to grow your skillset.
If you’re familiar with the technique however have never used it, provide an explanation for the benefits or effectiveness of the approach, after which imply which you’re equipped to research and grow.
You realize what the approach is! Briefly extol the virtues of the technique, describe the hassle, how you used the approach to solve it, and end with the outcome.
How you can answer if you have no experience in the method:
“I’m glad you requested that query. This is why I am searching out a position in a forward-thinking organization. I’m eager for an opportunity to learn techniques like the submarine approach which are critical to closing income.”
How you may solution in case you are skilled in the method:
“The submarine approach is one of the pleasant methods to gather facts from a patron so you can tailor your income presentation to talk to their desires. I used the submarine approach with five ability clients we have been talking with for a yr. I became capable of signal four of them. And the method helped me discover the 5th one wasn’t without a doubt a very good in shape for our software.”
Question #2: Describe a Time You Led a Team With One Member Who Did Not Pull Their Weight
This query assesses your soft abilities, inclusive of your empathy and interpersonal verbal exchange.
Don’t say something poor about the group member. Describe the state of affairs, no longer the character.
Describe the impact of their lack of action.
Outline the way you approached the situation and in the long run solved it.
How you may solution:
“We needed to pull away rescues at our shelter because areas had been packed with adoptions on maintain. After receiving an software and finding a “furever” suit for certainly one of our puppies, we call references, and if they test out, we introduce the fur-baby to their new circle of relatives. The manner become getting hung up on the reference test step due to the fact the group member charged with it changed into not maintaining up with the workload.”
“I asked the crew member if there was some thing I ought to do to assist him stand up to speed. It turned out he couldn’t take into account who he had referred to as and regularly misplaced applications. I helped him set up a system with folders to arrange applications. Within six days, he was caught up. We now absorb two times as many rescues, and my group member is now not careworn.”
Question #3: Give an Example of a Report You Are Responsible for and How You Make Sure It’s Useful
This query will display whether or not you've got enjoy with reports which might be part of your industry’s great practices. Employers also want to hear your enthusiasm and if you precise at following thru.
Talk approximately the file using the industry’s authentic name for it.
Show you recognize its significance and enjoy running on it.
Give an example of comments you received, your action, and the way it stepped forward the procedure.
How you can answer:
“I offer inventory forecasting reports to the branch heads two times a month. In a assembly ultimate summer season, we talked about how the length of seasons has modified. My boss requested if yr-over-year forecasting became nonetheless giving us an correct image. After the assembly, I looked at calendars 5 years lower back and ahead and added a subject to the file displaying season-over-season results. The next yr, we hit the cabinets nearly a month earlier and accelerated income 20%.”
Question #four: Talk About a Time You Were Given a New Assignment You Had Never Done Before, Without Much Guidance, and How You Accomplished It
This question is a good manner to look in case you’re courageous and creative.
Say that of path, it turned into a pride to be able to take in this challenge!
Give a listing of methods you researched how to accomplish this undertaking.
Wrap up with examples of how your handling of the mission helped your company.
How you may answer:
“When Jessica, our trade display coordinator, took some other job, my boss asked me to manipulate the logistics of keeping our booth supplied with marketing substances because it travelled from one show to every other. I’d in no way been concerned in this before. The first issue I did was take an stock of what we shipped to the final three suggests. Then I talked to the reps who body of workers the sales space and discovered out which materials they used the maximum, and the way often they ran out. They weren’t capable of provide me a whole lot information because Jessica just took care of it."
"My answer turned into to place reorder sheets near the lowest of every box I shipped. When the deliver were given to the reorder sheet, the reps despatched an e mail or screenshot and I’d send the following batch. After six months using this system, I may want to expect what I needed to ship, and discovered numerous objects that were by no means used. The booth turned into usually stocked, and we saved $2,000 a yr with the aid of not printing the unneeded gadgets.”
Question #5: Give Three Examples of Things You’ve Done to Maintain Good Client and/or Coworker Relationships
Junior personnel in a few industries do now not have tons purchaser interface, so that is one in all numerous powerful competency-based interview questions that will inform the interviewer your experience degree. It additionally gauges your communique and customer service abilties.
If you don’t have experience with customers, speak about your coworkers as inner customers.
Cite commonplace customer support movements along with things specific on your enterprise.
How you could answer:
“Our customers are dentists, one of the most disliked professions of all! They don’t get a number of effective comments, so I make sure they know how tons we admire them. First, I send handwritten thanks notes once they place a big order. Second, I understand their birthdays, so that they every get a small present each 12 months. They can’t do their job except their team of workers is happy, so the third aspect I do is have a gourmand breakfast buffet delivered as soon as a 12 months, together with a notice about what a delight they are to paintings with.”
Question #6: Talk About How a Change inside the Industry Affected Your Job and How You Adapted
Your answer to this query tells the interviewer in case you’re enthusiastic and devoted enough to make an effort to hold up along with your enterprise.
If you don’t know of any modifications, ask them to offer you an instance (you might not get any points, but at the least you didn’t forget about the question).
List the belongings you do to live informed about your enterprise.
Give an example the use of the STAR technique.
How you could answer:
“When I commenced my first job in IT, I had my pc technology diploma and changed into an authorized CCNA. Right after that, software program agencies commenced providing diverse certifications for the use of their merchandise. I wasn’t certain what I need to get as every certification takes time and money. Today, there are extra than two dozen certifications you could test for, and extra pop up each few months.”
“From the begin, I’ve stored up with what is available and have picked what I assume is most beneficial for me. I’ve also asked my business enterprise what certifications they would like me to have. To date I even have my ACSP, CSM, and CCT—all supporting the software program I use most in my task.”
How to Prepare for a Competency-Based Interview: 5 Steps
Don’t worry approximately competency-primarily based interview questions. You can prepare for them in five easy steps mentioned beneath. What if you don’t recognise if an interview may be competency based? Prepare for one besides. Practicing answering competency-based totally interview questions can help you in any interview and might provide the interviewer a closer have a look at your competencies and revel in to win you the job.
Here’s the way to put together for a competency-based totally interview:
1. Look on the Job Posting
Read the activity posting carefully and make a list of every obligation, skill, exceptional, and experience stage it mentions. Write down every one, regardless of how small it might appear.
2. Link Your Skills and Experience
Relate as a minimum certainly one of your talents, reviews, or attributes to each object at the list. For instance, if the posting lists exceptional communication capabilities as a requirement, hyperlink that for your enjoy giving presentations.
Three. Script Your Responses
Take that hyperlink further by the use of the STAR method to write down a short anecdote that demonstrates your talent. If you want to discuss your communication capabilities, for instance, write a story approximately the time you were asked to provide a presentation. Here is an example:
(Situation) Your department wanted approval and budget to expand a brand new product.
(Task) The assignment was to get higher management’s approval to continue and fund the venture.
(Action) The movement you took turned into to write and supply a persuasive presentation. Expand on the steps you took or sort of records you blanketed within the presentation.
(Result) The end result become the approval of the venture, its funding, and the ensuing product’s achievement.
Four. Research the Company
Learn some key facts about a organisation earlier than you interview. It can come up with some perception into questions they might ask. If it’s a smaller business enterprise, the activity might require you to put on greater hats. In a bigger enterprise, teamwork might be a concern.
Use Monster’s Company Profiles to begin your studies. Then check out their website, and look for any information about them.
Five. Practice Your Answers
Practice answering competency-based interview questions in the front of a reflect or ask a chum to help you with a ridicule interview. Write viable questions about notecards with bullet-pointed responses, and use the ones as activates till you’re confident you’ll recall the information.
Take One More Step to Prepare for a Competency-Based Interview
Prepare to reply the ones competency-based interview questions the usage of the methods we’ve mentioned. But first, you’ll need to get invitations to interview! Monster is right here to help with that. Your very first step for your task search is to upload your resume to Monster so employers can find you once they search for applicants. You’ll also get a free evaluation of your resume and new task postings and career recommendation sent for your inbox.
