Performance Appraisal Tutorial | Competency based interview

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Competency Based Interview

There are several types of interviews from aptitude & psychometric testing to panel interviews but the one that is becoming increasingly common is the Competency Based Interview.

It may sound intimidating but the reality is that this type of interview will get the best out of you as a candidate and allow you to present yourself in the best possible light. The basic premise of a Competency Based Interview is that a candidate’s past performance is the best indicator of their future performance. All of the questions will be directly linked to a particular function of the position for which you have applied. Interviewers will ask for examples of things you have actually done that demonstrate the key characteristics their organisation needs from the particular role. There are a number of categories of competency based questions and if you prepare your answers carefully, you will be in a terrific position to sell yourself in the interviews. While some are particularly geared towards senior level management roles, the basic principles will remain the same.

Remember these key points:

Take your actual experience.
Explain how you have performed in a certain situation.
Detail what you have learned from the situation.
Give an overview of how you would cope in the future given a similar situation

How can I identify a competency-based interview question?

Competency based interview questions are usually prefixed by something like “describe a time when…” or “give us an example of when…” Typical questions might be:

– Give an example of when you’ve used an innovative way to solve a problem;

– Tell us about a time when you’ve acted as a team leader;

– Give us an example of a time when you’ve thrived under pressure.

The questions will usually be related to the kind of skills you’ll need to thrive in the job role, such as:

– Organisational skills;

– Planning;

– Creativity;

– Problem solving;

– Teamwork;

– Communication;

– Leadership;

– Attention to detail;