Written by: Martin Cunningham, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
A competency-based interview is an assessment method in which interviewers ask questions about your past behaviour to gauge your future potential.
The idea is that your past performance is the best predictor of your future success.
How can I prepare for a competency-based interview?
As you prepare for your interview, think about times when you have demonstrated each of the competencies that are required in the role for which you are applying.
The purpose of an interview is for the panel to meet you and to assess the match between you and the requirements of the job. Your aim during the interview should be to:
Show the panel that your skills, behaviours and knowledge match the requirements of the role applied for.
Demonstrate your understanding of the job and the organisation
Demonstrate your added value
Demonstrate your motivation
Note:
The panel want to hear about past performance as a predictor of how you will perform in the role.
Panels are most impressed by confident, enthusiastic, and Knowledgeable candidates.
In order to prepare well for the interview, you should start by
Re-read the job description carefully. Think about what is required in the role, link answers to that, and become familiar with every aspect.
Think about the key messages and impressions that you want to give about yourself (YOUR WHY)
Prepare any potential questions that you may be asked.
Prepare any potential questions that you want to ask.
Practice and record answering interview questions using the STAR(L) model.
Interview Answering Models
STAR(L) Model
STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result. (L) stands for learning, use this model, and show the learning linked to the role for which you are being interviewed, for answering interview questions wherever you can, especially when asked about a success, a failure, or a mistake.
Learning and continuous professional development It is an excellent behaviour trait, and it sets you apart from most candidates who need to be asked follow-up questions.
Situation: Set the scene and give the necessary details of your example. You must describe a specific event or situation, not a generalised description. Outline the importance of the situation and why the task needed to be done.
Task: Describe what your responsibility was in that situation. If it was a Team task, explain it but add what your role in the task was.
Action: Explain exactly what steps YOU took to address it. What specific steps did you take and what was your contribution, keep the focus on YOU! I can’t emphasise this enough!
Result: Share what outcomes your actions achieved. Don’t be modest here, be honest but not modest, sell yourself, and provide evidence why this panel should conclude that you would be a good fit. Take credit for your behaviour; remember they are looking at your past behaviour as a predictor of your potential in their organisation. If it was a team effort, you could say I was proud that my actions contributed to the Result of…
Learning: I added (L) for learning to level up your performance, especially when you link the learning to the role requirements of the job for which you are being interviewed. 🎯
CAR (L) Model
CAR stands for Context, Actions, and Results, and again I add learning.
When structuring your answers, start with providing a brief context, followed by actions that were attributable to you as the individual, not part of the team (you could say in the context that your team was given the overall task of… but the actions are what you were personally responsible for. The next part is where most candidates shine or fall.
Do Not Forget This!
You need to state the result, outcome, and impact of YOUR actions. (How did you make a difference? why do we want to employ you?)
Again: Take credit for your behaviour; remember they are looking at your past performance as a predictor of your potential in their organisation.
Then really shine by sharing the learning from experience, linking it to the role requirement for the new role.
Decision Making, Written Tasks
When being asked to provide a document or where time is short or being interviewed by someone who wants the successful candidate to be transactional, you could consider the BLUF model. Use it sparingly and only if you are very accomplished at it and can equally evidence your transformational leadership style throughout other assessment elements.
BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front)
Basically, your conclusions and recommendations are placed at the beginning of the text or answer, thereby ensuring the answer is clear. In questions where they are testing decision-making, it can be a strong tactic, but I caution you that it is a calculated risk, remember that assessors are human too. Yours is one of many interviews they are listening to.
When assessors are tired you must help them listen to your answer. Ensure you then offer your arguments and considerations of facts. Also, if time allows, repeat your recommendation.
I would not advise using this unless you are well versed in its use; it will set you apart from the other candidates, but if it does not resonate well with the panel, you may not be successful.
Persuasion
For those of you considering how to demonstrate persuasion for the legal profession or a job where advocacy of your position needs to be more persuasive, rather than negotiating or influencing, try these:
CARRL
C–Clear Position
State your position clearly and confidently
A–A Specific Audience
You need to know who you are talking to and adapt the communication style and arguments to meet the needs of the audience.
R–Convincing Reasons
Speak to the points to prove, stated cases etc…
R–Rebuttal to your Argument
Expose faulty reasoning for any rebuttal, have some in your back pocket also.
L–learning;
This could include Mitigating Circumstances and Remorse for the client or organisational learning and improvement for the Team, and Yourself.
SSS
S–Say it Once
S–Say it Well
S–Sit Down/Stop
Top Tips:
Become comfortable with whichever model it is that you are going to use. All too often, I have witnessed people attempting a model they have just heard about; they end up worrying so much about the structure that they forget to answer the question and end up failing to deliver as a result.
If you are going to use a model, make it the way you approach most questions you ask between now and the interview. Tell your friends, family, and colleagues you will do this and ask them for their support and feedback. Why would you do this?
The simple answer is: When put under pressure, human beings revert to type; if your type is someone who puts structure to your answers then, when nervous and under pressure, you will revert to type, thereby providing a comprehensive, focused answer, evidencing to the panel how well you might fit within the team and in the position applied for, even when nervous or under pressure.
The other reason is that mastery takes practice; if you do not practice, you won’t master it!
As previously outlined, interview skills are an eroding skill set, practice some of these models, and you may find one that is comfortable for you.
If not, find something that is.
Martin Cunningham, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
From policing roots to a 20-year Senior Management career, with over 30 years of coaching and mentoring, Martin has seen at first hand the triumph of high achievement and felt the pain and disappointment of getting it wrong and being unsuccessful.
As a senior manager in security and justice sector reform in Afghanistan and the Western Balkans, he coached at General Director and Ministerial level in politically charged situations.
Martin understands what it's like to want more from your challenging career in an uncertain world.
He's learnt the lessons and has the skills to help you make a lasting impact in a fulfilling career while making the world a safer place. Martin knows that until we fully embrace the voices of women we will not achieve the sustainable peace and freedoms we all deserve, it is why he is on a mission to increase the meaningful participation of women and men who share this mission who are working in Security and Justice Sector Reform countries in or emerging from conflict.
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