Competency-Based Interview
Written by
Tiffany ClarkAbout the Author
Tiffany is an experienced workforce development expert with extensive experience in the public sector, course development, and online learning.
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Last Modified
Apr 17, 2024Competency-Based Interview
Personal competency is a combination of a person’s skills, knowledge, attributes, and judgment. In a competency-based interview, a hiring manager can ask candidates questions about how they have handled specific situations in the past. Competency-based interviews work from the concept that steps taken by a candidate to solve a previous problem are a solid indicator of how they may behave in the future in a similar situation.
In competency-based interviews, hiring managers can ask candidates questions that give the interviewers a clear idea of how well the candidates may handle circumstances that arise while performing the responsibilities required of the position.
A candidate’s history tells a story about them, and this includes the skills, talents, knowledge, abilities, and real-world experiences that are used to handle a variety of diverse situations. Competencies hiring managers may look for include:
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Leadership skills
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Teamwork capabilities
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Communication skills
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Decision-making capabilities
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Problem-solving skills
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Communication skills
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Effective time-management
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Trustworthiness
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Flexibility
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Creativity
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Integrity
Competency-based interviews are also called criterion-based interviews or behavioral-based interviews.
Example:
Some examples of the types of questions asked during a competency-based interview include:
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Describe a time when you contributed positively to a team.
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When have you completed a task that seemed nearly impossible?
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If you have ever received negative feedback from a supervisor, how did you handle it?
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Explain how you have handled conflict with a coworker.
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How have you handled a situation where you worked with someone you didn't get along with?
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Describe a time when you handled a responsibility you’ve never had before.
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What workplace accomplishment are you most proud of?
Related Terms
Criterion-Based Interview
is a term used interchangeably with competency-based interview.
Behavioral-Based Interview
refers to an interview in which hiring managers ask candidates behavioral-based interview questions. The aim of a behavioral-based interview is to reveal a candidate’s character traits, skills, and likely future performance. The term behavior-based interview is used interchangeably with competency-based interview.
Behavioral-Based Interview Questions
are the questions a hiring manager asks a candidate during a behavioral-based interview. Behavioral questions are designed to demonstrate how a candidate has used their skills to deal with specific situations.
Situational Interview
Behavioral Competencies
refer to personality traits, attitudes, and behaviors that help predict a candidate’s chances of success in the position for which they have applied. Examples of behavioral competencies include networking, negotiation, data literacy, organizational awareness, problem-solving, attention to detail, innovation, and creativity.