Top 10 competency-based interview questions to find the perfect candidate

Competency-based interview questions help you identify whether a candidate has the right skills for the role. They take the focus away from qualifications and industry experience, and are useful when you’re looking for skills like teamwork, communication, decision making and leadership.

5 mins read
Competency Based Interviews

about 3 years ago

What is a competency-based interview?

A competency-based interview, also known as a structured, behavioural, or situational interview, typically includes activities or tasks that assess a candidate's ability to perform the skills mentioned in their CV and cover letter. It also involves situational-style questions that aim to understand how candidates have utilized specific skills to solve problems.

Asking competency-based questions helps determine how candidates will apply their skills and knowledge in your organization.

What are the best competency-based interview questions to ask?

This list of competency questions encourages candidates to provide real-life examples in their responses. It allows you to understand their decision-making process and evaluate the outcomes of their actions.

Our top 10 competency-based interview questions will assist you in recruiting the skills your team requires.

What are your greatest strengths?

This is a classic interview question for a good reason.

It provides candidates with an opportunity to demonstrate that they possess the necessary skills for the role. Keep the job description in mind to assess whether the candidate understands how their skills align with the role.

Remember, you are looking for transferable skills, not just evidence of prior experience in the same role.

What will your skills and ideas bring to this company?

This competency-based question allows you to identify standout candidates from the pool.

A strong candidate will demonstrate an understanding of your company's goals in their response. An exceptional candidate will provide practical examples of how their skills can contribute to achieving that vision.

What have you achieved elsewhere?

Confidence is crucial when answering this competency-based question. It gives candidates an opportunity to discuss past successes and experiences relevant to the vacancy.

Ensure that the achievements you gather from their answers are work-related and applicable to what you are seeking.

How have you improved in the last year?

Candidates may try to hide their weaknesses, but this competency-based interview question allows them to showcase their willingness to learn from mistakes.

It also provides an opportunity to assess the candidate's self-awareness and desire for personal development.

“Competency-based interview questions ask for real-life examples to show a candidate’s skills.

Describe a situation where you provided support to a team member facing challenges.

This question aims to assess your ability to demonstrate empathy towards your colleagues while still focusing on achieving your own goals.

Candidates with more experience should be able to discuss instances where they provided training or mentoring to their co-workers, resulting in improved team performance.

Share an example of a time when you had to think quickly and adapt to achieve a goal.

In other words, “can you handle unexpected situations effectively?”

The candidate's response should highlight their ability to remain calm and perform well in scenarios they were not prepared for.

Tell us about the most recent significant decision you had to make.

This question aims to provide insight into your decision-making process and whether your reasoning aligns with the requirements of the role.

This competency-based question is designed to evaluate how you approach decision-making. Do you rely on logical reasoning or gut intuition? Does your decision-making approach align with what we are seeking in a candidate?

Describe a situation where you had to work with someone difficult.

All candidates should have an example of how they handled a challenging colleague. They should answer this question with honesty and a specific scenario of how they resolved the issue. Instead of blaming the other person, they should acknowledge their own role in the situation, and how they would do things differently in the future.

“It’s essential to get a sense of how candidates would fit and thrive within your company culture.

What did you teach recently?

You have asked the interviewee about their skills, but can they demonstrate an ability to share these skills with others? This question is not limited to managerial or senior positions and should be posed whenever you are looking for a candidate who will contribute to your team.

How do you match this company’s needs?

The essence of this competency-based question is whether the candidate can articulate how their transferable skills would suit your role. This assesses both their self-awareness and their comprehension of what you are seeking in a new employee.

The candidate should be able to persuasively explain why they are interested in working for your company and assure you that they would blend well with your team culture.

If you want to know more about interviews, please reach out to your local recruitment specialist.

How should candidates answer competency-based interview questions?

Jobseekers should share real-life stories when answering competency interview questions. They should pinpoint the competencies you have emphasised in your question and provide concrete, preferably quantifiable, examples of times they’ve applied these skills.

How an interviewee organises an answer to competency questions can give you a great indication of how they handle their work. Answers to competency-based interview questions should follow the STAR method, with candidate descriptions consisting of the following:

  • Situation – A short background to the situation where they used the skills in question.

  • Task – What was their objective that required them to use these skills?

  • Action – How did they go about achieving the task/situation?

  • Result – What outcome did their approach to the situation produce?

You’re looking for jobseekers to arrange their answers to competency interview questions in a way resembling this. This shows that they have prepared for the interview, and also that they have clear thinking when faced with pressure.

The risk with competency-based interview questions is that candidates can plan for them by using the job description to identify situations or skills you’re likely to ask them about. This can result in them giving pre-made answers which reveal less about how they reason on the spot.

Why is it important to ask competency-based interview questions when hiring?

Asking competency questions enables you to instantly observe how an interviewee would react in work-related situations, eliminating some of the uncertainty of whether the role is right for them.

You will also swiftly determine how they utilise the skills and experience mentioned in their CV and cover letter.

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Pros and cons of universal basic income: solution to unemployment or too expensive?
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Pros and cons of universal basic income: solution to unemployment or too expensive?

​​​What is universal basic income?

Universal basic income (UBI) is a system in which every adult receives a set amount of money on a regular basis. This payment is unconditional, meaning it does not depend on the recipient's income, employment status, or any other criterion.

Universal– to everyone

Basic– to cover everyday expenses

Income– regularly, for people to spend how they wish.

UBI has been an interesting and controversial topic of conversation over the past few years, with various trials and studies conducted to evaluate its potential impact. While we may be a long way off from this being considered in reality, let’s look at some of the pros and cons of introducing this concept.

Pros of universal basic income

Reduce poverty

One of the main arguments in favour of UBI is its potential to reduce poverty and economic inequality. A 2022 study by the University of York found that a UBI model could cut poverty by more than half. This would be achieved through tax adjustments and guaranteed weekly payments, providing a stable income for everyone. This stability could lead to a more robust economy, increased consumer spending, more job opportunities, and a healthier market overall.

Increased consumer spending

With more disposable income, people would likely spend more, stimulating demand for goods and services and benefiting businesses across various sectors. This increased spending could also lead to higher tax revenues, which could be reinvested into public services and infrastructure.

Empowering workers

UBI would offer a safety net, reducing the pressure on individuals to accept low-paying or precarious jobs. This could lead to higher job satisfaction and productivity, as people would be more likely to pursue jobs that align with their interests.

Improve workplace conditions

It would also encourage businesses to enhance their working conditions by shifting the power dynamic to the employees. With a guaranteed income, workers would no longer be compelled to stay in jobs solely for financial reasons, allowing them the freedom to leave roles with poor working conditions.

This shift in bargaining power would encourage employers to enhance job quality, offer higher wages, and create more supportive work environments to attract and retain employees. Consequently, businesses might need to implement more employee-focused policies, such as flexible working, improved benefits, and a stronger emphasis on work-life balance, to stay competitive in the labour market.

Innovation and entrepreneurship

Many people hesitate to start their own businesses due to fear of failure and financial risks. However, UBI could provide the financial stability needed to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation, potentially resulting in economic growth for the country. This could lead to the creation of new industries and job opportunities, further boosting the economy.

Foster education and societal benefits

Having a steady income would encourage more individuals to pursue further education and training, culminating in a more educated and skilled population. This increase in educational attainment can have numerous positive effects on society, including:

Higher civic engagement: an educated population is more likely to participate in civic activities such as voting, volunteering, and community involvement, fostering a stronger democratic process and community cohesion.

Enhanced critical thinking and creativity: education cultivates critical thinking and creativity, which are essential for technological innovation and economic growth.

Reduction in poverty and inequality: education is a powerful tool for breaking the cycle of poverty. By providing individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to secure better-paying jobs, UBI can help reduce income inequality and improve overall economic stability.

Improved public health: educated individuals are more likely to make informed health choices, meaning lower rates of chronic diseases and improved overall public health.

Cons of universal basic income

High cost

Implementing UBI would be extremely expensive, requiring significant tax increases and reallocation of public spending. While it's challenging to estimate the exact cost, one analysis projected a gross cost of 555 billion – which includes the UBI payments themselves as well as the cost of integrating it into the existing tax and benefits system. Therefore, many critics argue that for this reason, UBI is not sustainable or even feasible.

Decreased motivation to work

Critics argue that UBI could reduce people's incentives to work, prompting higher unemployment rates. They fear that with a guaranteed income, people might choose to work fewer hours or not at all. If this were the case, higher unemployment rates could negatively impact economic growth due to less taxable income.

Those who do continue working while receiving UBI might be less motivated to perform at their best. With their basic financial needs met by UBI, the urgency to excel and advance in their careers could diminish and we could see reduced effort and productivity.

Challenges for low-wage industries

Industries relying on low-wage labour might face increased wage demands, as workers with a financial safety net might be less willing to accept low-paying jobs. This could cause higher operational costs and potentially drive businesses to automate more processes.

Inflation

Increased disposable income could generate higher spending, driving up demand and prices, resulting in inflation. This could erode the purchasing power of the UBI payments, potentially negating some of the benefits.

Potential inequality

While UBI aims to reduce poverty and inequality, some argue that providing the same payment to everyone wouldn't solve inequality but merely shift the goalposts. Critics suggest that a more targeted approach might be necessary to address the specific needs of different groups within society.

The debate around UBI is far from settled, and its implementation would require careful consideration and robust policy design. As we move forward, it's important to engage in thoughtful discussions, consider diverse perspectives, and explore pilot programmes to better understand UBI's real-world impacts.

Ultimately, the question remains: can UBI be the transformative solution we need to fix the unstable labour market, or will it prove too costly and complex?

If you are looking for a talented professional to join your team, or seeking a new employment opportunity yourself, get in touch with a specialist consultant today.

How to fight economic inactivity
1 mins read

How to fight economic inactivity

​It was recently my turn to pick up the pen and contribute to City AM’s ‘The Note Book’.

I chose to write about the issue of economic inactivity and to focus on ways to encourage younger people into the workforce and ways to incentivise older workers to work for longer.

My thinking is that this will encourage the highly paid and highly skilled to work up until retirement age rather than choosing, as many do, to retire early.

And my estimation is that this would result in more, not less, tax being collected and collected sooner because these individuals are frequently higher rate taxpayers who will typically find ways to avoid inheritance tax in the extra spare time they have after they’ve taken early retirement.

Instead, these highly capable higher rate tax payers will be incentivised to continue to contribute to the growth of their organisations and the wider economy and consequently to the exchequer as well.

One for the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) to grapple with perhaps… but I’ve no idea how you’d model such an idea. Sometimes it’s just better to give things a go!

And if you do get a chance to see the play ‘A View from The Bridge’, you should go. It’s a precious thing - a brilliant play, brilliantly acted!

Click here to read the article.

Sales CV template: for Sales Executives and other sales professionals
2 mins read

Sales CV template: for Sales Executives and other sales professionals

​​Whether you are a sales executive, supplier relationship manager or field sales consultant, use our free template to build your perfect sales CV today.

[Full Name]
[Home address]
[Contact Number] • [Email Address]

Personal Statement

Use this section of your CV to highlight the skills that would be transferable in a sales environment e.g. questioning and listening, tenacity, resilience and the ability to think on your feet. It’s also a good idea to include a link to your LinkedIn profile.

Sales professionals are target driven and financially motivated, so don't forget to highlight and "sell" yourself.

Try to avoid statements such as "I work well as part of a team and on my own initiative" or "I can communicate at all levels" - the majority of CVs contain these statements. CVs that show creativity stand out in sales.

Education

A relevant degree, for example Business Studies will give you a great start, but many degrees have a sales element, e.g. Psychology - understanding people, Engineering - problem solving, Law - negotiation skills etc.

It is important to present your education in a way that identifies you as a sales person.

In some sales positions experience trumps education, so if you don’t have a glittering academic record, make sure you elaborate on your experience.

[College/School Name]
[Date M/Y– Date M/Y]

A-levels:

  • [Subject] – [Grade]

  • [Subject] – [Grade]

  • [Subject] – [Grade]

GCSEs:

  • [Number] GCSEs, grades [range], including Maths and English

Work Experience

This should be brief and, as a general rule of thumb, focus on the last five years of your career, or last three roles, in chronological order with the most recent at the top. Highlight your key achievements, and aim to use bullet points rather than lengthy descriptions.

[Job Title], [Company Name] [Location]
[Date M/Y- Date M/Y]

Achievements and responsibilities:

  • Brief role overview

  • Worked alongside [team] to produce [project]

  • Implemented [change] which resulted in [benefit]

  • Received an [award name] for [reason]

Hobbies and Interests

This section is not essential, but can be a good opportunity to reinforce your application, and show a future employer what motivates you outside of work.

Don’t just say that you ‘like to socialise’ be specific, and don’t be afraid to share your successes. If you can put a sales slant on this part of your CV too, even better.

I’ve completed a marathon for [charity]

I negotiated my away across [country] on a budget, working as I went

References

References are available upon request.

Download our full sales CV template.