How to answer competency-based interview questions

Preparing for a competency-based interview, particularly in technical and engineering fields, starts with a familiar step: understanding the job requirements.

Unlike standard job interviews, competency-based interviews require a deep dive into the job description, ensuring you're not just familiar with what the role entails, but also fully prepared to demonstrate how your key skills align with the employer's objectives.

However, the nuances of preparing to answer competency-based questions in tech and engineering job interviews go beyond simply the ability to follow orders. These interviews often probe into your decision-making skills and problem solving abilities.

For instance, you might encounter scenarios where making difficult decisions is part of the job. It's essential, therefore, to showcase your competence in these areas to potential employers, who often seek to access deeper aspects of your professional aptitude.

What is a competency-based interview question?

A competency interview is designed to gauge your demonstrated abilities in a specific role, allowing the interviewer to evaluate how effectively you handle situations that may arise in the position.

This approach means that the interview isn't solely focused on assessing your technical and soft skills; it also delves into how you've practically applied these skills in the past.

In essence, competency-based interview questions aim to assess your proficiency in managing tasks, navigating complex situations, and interacting with people effectively.

Here are several reasons why a potential employer would typically ask competency-based questions during a job interview:

• Assess specific skills and abilities: To determine if you have the key competencies required for the role, such as problem-solving, organisation, decision-making, collaboration, time management skills and leadership.
  
  
• Predict job performance: To gauge how you have handled relevant situations in the past, which can indicate future performance.
  
  
• Evaluate cultural fit: To see if your values, attitudes, and behaviors align with the company’s culture.
  
  
• Measure consistency and reliability: To check if you consistently demonstrate the competencies needed for the job across different situations.
  
  
• Understand your experience: To gain insights into your previous job roles, management style, challenges you’ve faced, and how you’ve applied your skills in real-world scenarios.
  
  

Demonstrating your competence in an interview 

The key distinguishing factor of a competency-based interview lies in its focus on real-world examples.

Interviewers expect you to substantiate your answers with specific instances where you've effectively demonstrated your abilities. This approach is crucial in providing tangible evidence of your hard and soft skills and how they translate into action.

For example, to showcase your leadership and problem-solving skills, a potential employer might ask you to describe a challenging situation you encountered in a previous role and how you guided your team through it.

Such questions are designed to assess your technical expertise and gauge your capacity for critical thinking and effective team management under pressure.

How to answer competency-based interview questions

Given that your communication skills will be closely evaluated, practising responding to typical competency-based questions is vital. This preparation helps articulate your experiences and skills confidently and coherently during the interview.

These questions are typically situational, prompting candidates to draw on real-life examples that highlight their skills and experiences.

Yet, be prepared for the possibility of facing an impromptu question that you hadn't anticipated. Such instances are common in interviews, as they allow the interviewer to observe your reaction to unexpected situations or difficult tasks.

This helps them gauge your adaptability and presence of mind, highly valued qualities in dynamic professional environments.

For this reason, it's recommended that you practice answering different types of questions using the STAR technique.

Here is a breakdown for how to approach competency-based questions using the STAR technique:

• Situation: Describe the context within which you performed a task or faced a challenge at work.
• Task: Explain the actual task or goal you were working towards.
• Action: Describe the specific actions you took to address the task or challenge.
• Result: Share the outcomes of your actions, quantifying your success if possible.

Although most competency-based questions may take a similar format across different disciplines, in-depth research on specific interview questions for your particular area will heighten your chances of succeeding.

Examples of competency-based interview questions

The type of questions you'll be asked during a competency interview will vary from role to role and sector to sector. However, there are a handful of common behavioural interview questions that come up time and time again in technical and engineering interviews.

Here are five examples of competency interview questions and suggestions for answering them using the STAR technique.

Click on each question below to jump directly to examples of how you can answer them!

• Can you describe a time in your previous employment when you had to lead a team to complete a challenging project on a tight deadline? How did you ensure the project's success?
  
  

• Can you tell me about a time you had to work within a team with diverse perspectives? How did you ensure effective collaboration and positive outcomes?

• Describe an instance where you had to adapt to a significant change within your company. How did you handle the change, and what did you learn from the experience?
  
  

• Give an example of a long-term project you worked on. How did you maintain focus and ensure quality throughout the project's duration?

• Can you share an experience where you had to learn a new skill or technology to complete a task? How did you approach the learning process, and what was the outcome?

Can you describe a time in your previous employment when you had to lead a team to complete a challenging project on a tight deadline? How did you ensure the project's success?

Technique: Utilise the STAR method to detail the situation, your actions, and the outcome. This is your chance to showcase your leadership skills, organisational skills, conflict resolution and problem-solving abilities.

Example answer

• Situation: Our company received a last-minute request from a difficult client to deliver a comprehensive marketing campaign within three weeks, a task that typically takes six weeks.
  
  
• Task: As the project leader, I needed to ensure that my team completed the project on time without compromising quality.
  
  
• Action: I divided the project into smaller tasks, assigned roles based on each team member's strengths, and implemented daily progress meetings. I also facilitated open communication to address issues quickly and provided support where needed.
  
  
• Result: We successfully delivered the campaign on time, which resulted in a 15% increase in client engagement and strengthened our relationship with the client.

Can you tell me about a time you had to work within a team with diverse perspectives? How did you ensure effective collaboration and positive outcomes?

Technique: Explain the diverse team environment, your approach to fostering collaboration, and the results. Focus on teamwork, interpersonal skills, respect for diversity, and your ability to integrate different perspectives.

Example answer:

Situation: In my previous role, I was part of a project team that included members from different departments and cultural backgrounds. This diversity brought a range of perspectives but also potential for conflict.

Task: I was responsible for ensuring that the team worked together effectively and leveraged our diverse perspectives to achieve the project goals.

Action: I organised team-building activities to help members get to know each other and understand different viewpoints. I encouraged open dialogue and active listening during meetings, ensuring everyone's voice was heard. I also facilitated workshops on cultural competency and effective communication.

Result: The team collaborated effectively, and our project was a success. We developed a more innovative solution by incorporating diverse ideas, which led to a 20% increase in user satisfaction. The experience reinforced the value of diversity and inclusion in driving creativity and performance.

Describe an instance where you had to adapt to a significant change within your company. How did you handle the change, and what did you learn from the experience?

Technique: In this scenario, explain the challenge encountered, your adaptation strategy, and the lessons learned. The emphasis is on demonstrating flexibility and the ability to learn and how these align with the company's core values.

Example answer

• Situation: Our company decided to shift to a remote work model due to the pandemic, which required significant adjustments in our workflow.
  
  
• Task: I needed to adapt to this new model and ensure my team remained productive and engaged.
  
  
• Action: I established regular virtual check-ins, introduced collaborative tools like Slack and Trello, and encouraged open communication. I also organised virtual team-building activities to maintain morale.
  
  
• Result: The transition to remote work was smooth, and our team's productivity remained high. We even found that the flexibility improved overall job satisfaction. This experience taught me the importance of adaptability and maintaining strong communication channels.

Give an example of a long-term project you worked on. How did you maintain focus and ensure quality throughout the project's duration?

Technique: Describe the project, your strategies for maintaining focus and quality, and the results. Emphasise consistency, reliability, and attention to detail.

Example answer

• Situation: I was part of a two-year project to develop a new software platform for our clients.
  
  
• Task: My role was to oversee the software's development lifecycle and ensure it met all quality standards.
  
  
• Action: I implemented a detailed action plan with milestones and regular reviews. I also conducted bi-weekly team meetings to track progress and address any issues. To ensure quality, I set up a rigorous testing process at each development stage.
  
  
• Result: The project was completed on time and within budget. The software was well-received by clients, resulting in a 20% increase in customer satisfaction. My consistent focus and quality assurance practices were key to this success.

Can you share an experience where you had to learn a new skill or technology to complete a task? How did you approach the learning process, and what was the outcome?

Technique: Describe the context in which you needed to learn the new skill, your approach to acquiring the knowledge, your actions to apply the skill, and the results achieved. Emphasise your ability to learn quickly, adapt, and apply new knowledge effectively.

Example answer:

• Situation: In my previous job, I was assigned to a major project that required proficiency in a new software tool that I had never used before.
  
  
• Task: I needed to quickly learn this software to contribute effectively to the project and meet the tight deadlines.
  
  
• Action: I enrolled in an online course to gain a solid understanding of the software. I also practiced using the tool daily and sought advice from colleagues who had experience with it. Additionally, I attended webinars and participated in online forums to deepen my knowledge.
  
  
• Result: Within two weeks, I became proficient in the software and was able to contribute significantly to the project. My ability to quickly learn and apply the new skill enabled us to complete the project on time, and the new tool improved our process efficiency by 30%. This experience highlighted my capacity for rapid learning and adaptability.

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