| The use of Competency Based Interview Questions is | | | | When you give your answer the interviewer may |
| becoming increasingly common and not just within the | | | | choose to probe deeper and ask about the detail such |
| largest corporations. Smaller and medium sized | | | | as: |
| companies are using these tools as a means of | | | | Â- How exactly did you do that? |
| improving their recruitment decisions. | | | | Â- Tell me exactly what steps you took to |
| This method of interviewing is also called Structured | | | | resolve that |
| Interviewing and uses Behavioral Interview techniques | | | | Â- What was your involvement |
| to assess how a candidates past performance in | | | | By investigating further the interviewer is trying to |
| work related situations can be used as a predictor of | | | | discover more about your skills as well as looking for |
| future performance. | | | | clues which may suggest that you are exaggerating |
| Every job can be described in terms of Competencies, | | | | your part in the process or have created a complete |
| which are the skills, abilities or behaviors required and | | | | fabrication. |
| some of which will be regarded as essential and | | | | When answering competency based interview |
| others desirable. | | | | questions we suggest that you choose answers |
| You may see them categorized as Managerial | | | | based on real experiences that you have had and be |
| Competencies, Individual Competencies, Analytical | | | | ready to give details. Your response needs to be |
| Competencies, Interpersonal Competencies and | | | | relevant and sufficiently detailed. Be specific and tell a |
| Motivational Competencies however the 12 most | | | | story. A technique to use when answering behavioural |
| common competencies are: | | | | questions is what I call iPAR: |
| Communication, Achievement, Customer Focus, | | | | I = Talk about the part you played in IDENTIFYING or |
| Teamwork, Leadership, Planning and Organizing, | | | | noticing the problem |
| Operational Awareness, Flexibility, Developing Others, | | | | P = Describe the PROBLEM, situation or task |
| Problem Solving, Analytical Thinking and Building | | | | A = Talk about the ACTION you took |
| Relationships. | | | | R = Describe the successful RESULT by using figures |
| These of course will vary depending on the role and | | | | and data to illustrate the benefit to the company. |
| the level however in the job interview, you should | | | | And always use "I" rather than "we". |
| expect a series of Competency Based Questions | | | | Prepare answers which relate to all the achievements |
| exploring each competency. These are usually | | | | on your resume or CV as you will surely be asked |
| behavioural in nature and take the form of: | | | | questions referring to these. You will find that you |
| Â- Tell me about a time when | | | | should have a sufficient stock of answers that will help |
| Â- Describe a situation | | | | you answer any competency based interview |
| Â- Give an Example | | | | question irrespective of the style used. |