Competency-based interview questions are structured interviews or questions structured to assess you on either a specific or more skills whereby at the end, the answer is used to match the pre-destined formula of selection. The candidate can be gauged on how to handle certain situations that might arise while at work. Below are 5 top best ways helpful in answering competency based interview questions;
Since competency entails the skills, knowledge, behaviours, and abilities of an individual, it is wise to read through the job description and focus your attention on competency because the report spells out the entire skill the employer is looking for. Research the role as well as the employer and compare them while looking out for areas where they lack expertise.
Look for examples of competency-based questions that match the job description especially from your past work and prepare them. This should permanently base on your capabilities, your previous achievements with your former employer and how you are directing the same to the potential employer. Friends and relatives can be of great help when doing this research.
Apply the STAR technique according to a recommendation by HR and resourcing specialist, Lydia Fairman whereby the STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. This means you set the situation, describe your task, and communicate the action and finally expressing out your results on how you solved the case.
Attention is essential in achieving this; hence you have to pay maximum attention to the interviewer’s words so that when you answer you are sure with the competence answers you are giving out. Be sure you are giving out different stories based on the same question without repeating yourself.
Don’t be in a hurry to answer the competency questions to show the interviewer how flexible and quick you are in responding. Take time to think and be sure the answer you are giving is the right one based on the question.
A job interview is wide, and one of the essential element in an interview is being honest with the information you give. You might lack specific skills like experience, but you can be able to convince the panel you are capable of the task, if given a chance, with the information you have gathered through research.