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Competency based interviews are structured interviews, which are designed to test the candidates skills. Often an interviewer will ask you about a pre-determined skill that they would like in a successful candidate followed by asking for a practical example of when this was used by the candidate.

Some of the key skills that are often tested during a competency based interview are as follows:-

• Communication
• Leadership
• Confrontation
• Decision Making
• Delegation
• Influencing
• Integrity
• Risk taking
• Sensitive to others
• Teamwork
• Stakeholder Management

Most questions in a competency based interview tend to be examples of specific situations within a working environment. Here are some useful examples that illustrate the type of questions that you may be asked:-

• How do you bridge differences between members of the same team?
• How do you manage negative messages out to your team members without affecting moral?
• Give an example of when you disagreed with one of your manager’s decision and how did you express your dissatisfaction?

Before the interview starts an interview will have predetermined how he or she will score the candidates responses to their interview questions. The interviewer’s will also be based upon the candidate’s ability to be able to quote specific and relevant examples.

Here is an example of a marking scheme that an interviewer may use:-

0 = No evidence used

1 = Very little evidence used.

2 = Limited evidence used.

3 = Satisfactory amount and relevant evidence used.

4 = Excellent evidence used.   

Most importantly go prepared with examples that you can use – as this will avoid you trying to think too much on the spot.   

Competency Based Interviews

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