What Are Competency-Based Questions, And Why Do Interviewers Like Them?
Competency-based questions are a common type of question in interviews. In this article, we explain what a competency-based question is, and why they’re so common.
Firstly, it’s important to recognise that job interviews are a common step in the hiring process, allowing employers to evaluate candidates' qualifications, experiences, and potential fit within their organisations. They can feel intimidating and stressful, especially when you have extra access requirements. But the great thing about interviews is that it’s not uncommon to take notes with you. Even if this isn’t usually allowed by the company you’re interviewing with, you can ask for this as a reasonable adjustment, which makes answering the more complex questions a little easier.
You can also ask a company for interview questions in advance. Again, this isn’t the norm but is a common reasonable adjustment.
If for some reason you don’t have access to the interview questions in advance, coming prepared with some bullet points or outlines of some commonly asked questions is always a good idea.
So what is a competency-based question?
Competency-based questions are popular in an interview setting due to their effectiveness in assessing candidates' skills, behaviours, and suitability for the job. You’ll usually be able to tell when you’re being asked a competency-based question because it will start with ‘tell me about a time when’ or “describe a time when”.
So why do interviewers like them so much?
They’re a great way of assessing a key soft skill
Competency-based questions are your way of demonstrating some of the vital soft skills the employer is looking for.
Say for example a job description is looking for a candidate with leadership skills. In that case, the interview might ask you to “tell me about a time that you showcased your leadership skills”.
Interviewers will tailor their questions to focus on essential competencies that are in the job description such as leadership, problem-solving, teamwork, adaptability, and communication.
Competency-based questions allow you to draw on your experience inside and outside of the workplace and let interviewers evaluate your level of proficiency.
Past behaviour is a key indicator of future performance
If you’ve successfully shown a skill in the past, it’s likely that you’ll still have that skill now.
By asking you to provide concrete examples of a behaviour, soft still, or personal trait, interviewers can make informed judgments about what you’re like in the workplace.
This doesn’t mean you need to have had a job before. Having worked with classmates on a project, lead a volunteer project, or been part of a sports team, are all scenarios that can be drawn on for competency-based questions.
Competency-based questions create a fair and unbiased interview framework
Competency-based questions provide interviewers with a structured framework for evaluating candidates consistently, so the interviewing process is fair and as unbiased as possible.
The STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result, is a framework that supports you, the interviewee, in responding to these questions as clearly as possible.
By having a standardised, and systematic approach interviewers can compare responses objectively. Each candidate's response can be evaluated against the same set of criteria, making it easier to differentiate between various levels of competency and identify the most suitable candidate.
Competency-based questions need detailed answers
Competency-based questions require some thought and need a detailed response. You’ll need to provide detailed accounts of actions, thought processes, and outcomes.
Interviewers gain valuable insights into candidates' problem-solving approaches, decision-making abilities, interpersonal skills, and other relevant competencies.
This level of detail allows interviewers to go beyond surface-level descriptions and assess your capabilities more fully- for example, if you’ve put teamwork on your CV as a skill, does your real-life experience showcase this?
They make responses credible and authentic
Competency-based questions require candidates to draw on real-life examples, providing interviewers with evidence of their authenticity and credibility.
This approach allows interviewers to distinguish between people who rely solely on hypothetical situations versus those who bring genuine experiences to the table. By assessing your ability to provide concrete examples and if those answers make sense, interviewers can gain insights into the candidates' behaviour in the workplace and accomplishments.
They ensure competency fit
Competency-based questions enable interviewers to align your demonstrated competencies with the specific requirements of the role. By probing for examples that mirror the challenges and responsibilities of the job, interviewers can gauge how suitable you are for the role.
By asking competency-based questions the interview is making sure that you possess the skills and behaviours needed to succeed in this job, reducing the risk of a mismatch and promoting a higher likelihood of job performance and satisfaction.
Competency-based questions have become commonplace in an interview setting and with good reason. They offer a reliable and insightful means of assessing skills, behaviours, and potential fit within an organisation. By focusing on real-life experiences and asking for detailed responses, interviewers gain a deeper understanding of applicants competing for a role.
Now you know what competency-based questions are, do you want to find out how to answer them? Sign up for our free Intro To Work course on our Learning hub here!