A competency encapsulates knowledge, skills, and attitude. At Platinum Resourcing, we understand the importance of competency-based interviews.
These interviews operate on the principle that past actions are a great indicator of future performance. They aim to extract detailed and specific examples of when you’ve showcased particular skills or behaviours.
Understanding Competencies:
Some of the commonly assessed competencies are:
- Collaborative Working / Team Dynamics
- Structured Planning and Organisation
- Logical Analysis and Problem Resolution
- Leadership and Informed Decision Making
- Effective Communication
How Does a Competency-Based Interview Work?
In a competency-based interview, each question targets a specific competency. Every candidate for the same role is asked uniform questions to ensure fairness. Questions often start with phrases like, “Describe a scenario where…” or “Can you give an example of when…”. The interviewer will delve deeper into each response to gather comprehensive information on every competency.
For instance, considering the competency ‘Collaborative Working’:
- Initial Question: “Share an experience where teamwork was crucial.”
- Probing Questions:
- What was the context?
- Why was collaboration vital?
- What role did you play within the team?
- Were there any challenges or disagreements? How did you manage them?
- How effectively did your team meet its objectives?
- What feedback did you receive from peers or superiors?
- What did you learn from this situation and how have you implemented it since?
How Should You Prepare?
Preparing for a competency-based interview with Platinum Resourcing ensures you’re well-equipped to articulate your skills and experiences effectively. Here are some steps to guide you:
- Understand the role you’ve applied for by analysing the job description. Extract keywords that might hint at the competencies being assessed.
- Reflect on your past experiences. These instances can be from your professional life, academic journey, or even extracurricular activities.
- Utilise the ‘STAR’ technique to structure your responses:
- Situation: Describe the context.
- Task: Explain the objective or challenge.
- Action: Detail the steps you took, emphasising your role.
- Result: Highlight the outcomes and what you learned.
Advice for Your Interview:
- Be authentic.
- Stay calm and take a moment, if needed, to structure your response.
- Feel free to ask for clarifications or have questions repeated.
- If uncertain about your answer’s relevance, seek feedback from the interviewer.
- Don’t be distracted if the interviewer is taking notes; they’re capturing crucial details.
We at Platinum Resourcing are committed to your success. Approach the interview with confidence, and remember, we’re here to support you every step of the way. All the best!
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