Conquering Competency Based Questions

Conquering Competency Based Questions

Did you know that humans share 50% of their DNA with bananas? I know, amazing!

So now that your full attention is on this page, I wanted to share with you some hints and tips to utilise when attending an interview.

Competency Based Questions. Words that can make anyone nervous! Interviews can be stressful at the best of times and with competition for your dream job it’s important that you stand out. The best advice that can be given to help you calm your nerves is research. You have been chosen to attend the interview because your skills are a match, so you are halfway there already!

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What is a competency-based question?

These are open questions designed to make you talk which focus on identifying those specific skills that are important to the job. They require you to give examples from your past experiences or challenges you have faced.
Some of the most common questions you are likely to come across are - 
Give an example of a challenge you faced within the workplace, and how did you overcome it?
What is your biggest achievement?
Give an example of a time you identified a new approach to a workplace problem.
How do you cope in adverse circumstances?
To answer these well you will need to give a structured answer without sounding robotic, and there any many ways you can prepare for this.

To prepare for these

You need to have read the job advert and job spec (always a good start!): look for key words that the employer may have included and expand on them, noting down some examples of when you have done similar. Do your research on the company and try to make your answers relevant to the role you are applying for. There is no point in telling them a story about a stressful situation when you saved an injured bird as this will not really help you in the workplace, so keep it relevant!

One of the best ways to answer competency questions is using the STAR technique. It gives you help with structuring your answers.

Situation – Describe the background or context
Task – Describe the task or challenge you were faced with
Action – Explain the action you took, how and why you did it
Result – Describe how it ended, what you accomplished and what you learned from the situation. Relate the skill or ability you’re illustrating back to the vacancy you’re applying for and explain why it is useful.
 
I hope this short blog helps you prepare for your next interview and if you want more top tips check out FPR Group’s interview guidance by CLICKING HERE www.fprgroup.com/candidates/interview-guidance
 
In closing do you research, prepare, practice answering those tricky questions and be confident!
 
Good luck!