Competency Based Interview Questions, Answers and

Examples (2024 Guide)

Joe McDermott - https://www.interviewgold.com/advice/competency-based-interview-questions-and-answers/

What is a Competency Based Interview?

A competency based interview is one which is structured in format with all candidates
asked the same questions in the same order. These questions will be competency
based or behavioural and will ask you to give an example of a time when you
performed a competency, task or skill successfully in the past. They will ask probing or
follow on questions to gather evidence from you which supports your answer.

About Competency Based Interview Questions

Competency based interview questions can be phrased in a number of ways however
they almost always start with something like:

 Tell me about a time when…

 Describe a situation when…

 Talk me through a situation when…

Something to be aware of: even if your interview is not described as such, it is very
likely in today’s UK recruitment market that you will be asked competency based
interview questions. Keep in mind too you may see them referred to as behavioural
interview questions or situational interview questions.
Example Competency Based Interview Questions
Let’s get started with these 15 tough competency based interview questions we have
come across recently. Take a moment and see how would you answer them:

 Tell me about a time when you successfully conveyed your ideas to an individual
or group so that they were able to understand and retain the message.
(Communicating and Influencing)

 Tell me about a time when you had to deliver bad news. What was the situation
and what actions did you take? (Communication)

 Describe for me a situation where you were required to gather a large amount of
data, to analyse it objectively and to make a decision or a recommendation
based on the results. (Effective Decision Making)

 Talk me through a time when you had to implement challenging and measurable
goals for your team. (Delivering at Pace/ Delivering Results)

 Provide an example of a time when you did something exceptional. (Delivering

at Pace)

 Describe a situation when you were required to use your initiative to complete a
complex task. (Initiative)

 Give me an example of a time when you led a group of people to deliver a

particularly difficult task. (Leadership)

 Tell us about a time when you showed leadership. What did you learn from the
experience? (Leadership)

 Can you give me an example of a time when you have had to convince a person
to do something that they were initially reluctant to do? (Communicating and
Influencing)

 Tell me about a time when you had to consider conflicting workloads, when
planning a task or project. (Planning and Organising)

 Talk through a situation where you had to develop a solution to a complex

problem which could not be resolved by using existing methods. (Problem
Solving)

 Tell me about a time you had to persuade your team to implement an unpopular
policy or procedure. (Communicating and Influencing)

 Describe a recent situation when you worked across departments successfully.

(Seeing the Big Picture)

 Lead us through an example which shows your ability to manage resources

effectively. (Managing a Quality Service)

 Tell me more about your ability to initiate change and give an example when
this resulted in an improvement. (Changing and Improving)
Civil Service Interviews: Success Profiles Behaviours and
Competency Based Interview Questions
You should be aware that UK Government and Civil Service departments have
moved away from competency frameworks and have adopted Success Profiles as
their new recruitment framework going forward.

This consists of 5 elements and one of those is called the Success Profile
Behaviours and within this there are 9 behaviours (previously known as
competencies) listed as follows: Seeing the Big Picture, Changing and Improving,
Making Effective Decisions, Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Working
Together, Developing Self and Others, Managing a Quality Service and Delivering at
Pace.

While these form the core of the Civil Service Success Profiles Behaviours, they are
competencies that are common to most employers and are still used within most
competency based interviews.

Even if you are not going for a job within Government or the Civil Service, this guide
should be essential reading for you. We find that large employers such as the UN,
Financial Institutions, the NHS, Insurance Companies, Law firms and indeed smaller
and medium sized organisations often adopt methods used by Government.

In summary, whatever organisation, role or level you are being interviewed at you will
be asked competency questions relating to some of these. Keep in mind the titles
may vary slightly from one employer to another however the core skills and effective
behaviours will be the same.
12 Competencies With Interview Questions and Examples for Your
Answers
In this guide we examine 12 of the most common competencies you will encounter in
any interview. From Seeing the Big Picture through to Delivering at Pace, we outline
what is involved, we show typical questions and we give you some example situations
which you can use to refresh your memory.

1. Changing and Improving / Change Management

In so many competency based and behaviour interviews we see candidates struggle

with answering questions about Changing and Improving (or Change Management as
it is often called) and yet it is an activity that is so common.

This is a core competency which relates not just to senior positions but is relevant for
all staff. It is required in so many jobs in a range of employers including the Civil
Service, NHS and major organisations across the UK.

Indeed, internationally the ability to change and adapt is essential and you will find
some form of this competency used for example in the United Nations (UN),
government departments and other large groups.

What does the Changing and Improving behaviour mean?

Changing and Improving in a work environment means having the ability to identify
areas for improvement and take action to make appropriate and successful changes.

It involves using your initiative to look for more efficient and better ways to complete
your work. Then taking steps to make the change happen.

The ability to identify areas for improvement and act is important both in the working
environment and in your everyday life. People who have this skill will actively look for
opportunities where an effective change could be made.

Competency Based Interview Questions for Changing and Improving

Here is a small selection of competency based interview questions related to

Changing and Improving. How would you answer?

 Talk us through a recent situation when you had to deal with change.

 Describe a time when you improved the way you work – perhaps found a way to
do a task more efficiently.

 Tell us about a new product, process or service you devised and implemented in
your work.

Changing and Improving Examples You Can Talk About

All aspects of work can be improved upon in some way and being able to identify
these changes and improvements is a skill that prospective employers and
interviewers will look for.
Similarly, being able to adapt to change is vital and in your answer, you will need to
choose a strong and relevant example which demonstrates these skills. A strong high
scoring response will have relevant examples which are sufficiently complex for your
level.

Here are some Changing and Improving examples for you to consider when
choosing what to talk about.

 Did you take on a new task with full responsibility and enthusiasm?

 Have you had to quickly adapt to new ideas or ways of working?

 Maybe your working environment or location altered and you performed

efficiently throughout the change?

 As a manager, perhaps you initiated and implemented major transformation

programmes right across departments or organisations?

2. Communicating and Influencing / Communication

Communication skills are essential in almost all roles and your application and
interview are perfect opportunities to display yours. Whether you realise it or not you
are using your Communicating and Influencing skills constantly both inside and
outside of work.

The moment you enter the interview, whether live or via video, your ability to
communicate will be on show.

Expect competency based interview questions exploring this behaviour and for
more senior posts a presentation may be used to test your ability to communicate to
the panel. A topic will usually be given in advance in this case and you will have
specific time to prepare.

What does the Communicating and Influencing behaviour mean?

From a practical point of view, Communicating and Influencing means getting your
message across in a way that is understood and accepted by your audience.

Being able to communicate clearly, honestly and concisely both orally and in writing in
a persuasive and accurate way.

A major part is being able to take the views of other people into consideration and
using your skills to persuade them of the value of your ideas.

For senior posts, it also means introducing new and more effective ways of
communicating, perhaps using digital resources, whilst getting value for money.
Communicating and Influencing Competency Interview Questions

Here are a small selection of competency based interview questions related to

Communicating and Influencing. How would you answer?

 Talk me through a time where you used your communication skills effectively
resulting in a successful outcome.

 Describe a time when you successfully conveyed your ideas to an audience who
were unfamiliar with the subject matter.

 Tell me about a time when you had to communicate complex technical

information to a client. What was the situation, what approach did you take and
what was the result?

Communicating and Influencing Examples

In order to answer questions successfully you will have to think of examples of when
you were effective in communicating and influencing, either in the workplace or
outside.

There will be untold scenarios where you have used your communicating and
influencing skills and your answer must include an example which is complex and
relevant. Show an understanding of good communication and an ability to
communicate and influence at all levels.

Effective communication and influencing can be displayed in many forms and here are
some potential scenarios to help refresh your memory when choosing your examples.

 In the past, when have you communicated complex information clearly, in a

straightforward, honest and engaging manner, perhaps in a written report or
verbally?

 Have you given a presentation to a group of people and dealt with questions?

 Have you presented technical or complex information to a non-technical group

and made it easy to understand?

 Did you persuade others to accept your point of view, perhaps getting buy-in for
your recommendations?

3. Delivering at Pace

Delivering at Pace is all about getting the job done on time and to the expected
standard. You may also see it referred to as Achieving or Delivering Results or
Operational Delivery and it deals specifically with the performance of tasks.

This is another of the 9 core Civil Service behaviours and it encompasses a

number of additional competencies, such as Planning and Organising and Time
Management. It covers the ability to maintain focus and dedication, to follow
procedure, and to use your own initiative.

We are seeing this used in all Civil Service and Government Department roles
including in the Home Office, Department of Transport, HMRC and the DWP.
What does Delivering at Pace mean?

Your ability to get the job done, to deliver on time, within budget and to a required
standard is a universal skill. Most employers, not just the civil service will expect this
behaviour.

From a work context, Delivering at Pace relates to the way you perform in your role
and it deals specifically with the performance of tasks. Another way of thinking about
it is how to deliver the results they want while under pressure and overcoming
obstacles.

Put into simple terms, Delivering at Pace means:

 Producing top quality results within pre-set and often tight deadlines, making
sure that you monitor your own and your team’s progress and successfully
overcome any obstacles.

 Stay focussed on the outcome, even when the going gets tough, staying
positive throughout and bringing your colleagues and team with you.

 For senior roles, it involves managing the workload of the team, reviewing
progress, identifying and overcoming risks, barriers and conflict.

 Proper planning, ensuring the right resources are in the right place and
delivering projects in line with objectives and goals.

Delivering at Pace Competency Interview Questions

Here are a small selection of competency based interview questions related

to Delivering at Pace. How would you answer?

 Give us an example of when you delivered an exceptional result, detailing

obstacles you encountered and how you overcame them.

 Tell us about a time when you were unable to complete a task within the set
deadlines.

 Describe a situation when you had to make a change in order to successfully

deliver a project.

Delivering at Pace examples you can talk about

To be effective at Delivering at Pace and Achieving Results you must be focused on

offering a timely performance with enthusiasm. It is also all about taking full
responsibility and accountability for the outcomes and results of your work.

Delivering at Pace and Achieving Results can be displayed in many forms and here are
some potential scenarios to help refresh your memory when choosing your examples.

Can you recall a time when you…

 Prioritised your tasks in order to get through a heavy workload.

 Dealt with changes to your workload, perhaps your boss asked you to complete
a task towards the end of the day.
 Encountered a major obstacle when delivering a project, something that you
ultimately overcame.
4. Developing Self and Others

Most individuals who are successful in their careers share the characteristic of self-
development. In fact, continuous professional development is a key activity in all our
careers. Both in the workplace and outside, continually looking for ways to develop
and improve yourself is an excellent skill to possess and demonstrate.

What does the Developing Self and Others competency mean?

Developing Self and Others involves looking for gaps in your skills and knowledge and
taking action to overcome these gaps. It is all about taking responsibility for your own
development, acting on feedback from colleagues or appraisals and indeed sharing
your learning with others in your team. It is sometimes referred to as Empowering
Others and for senior posts, in addition to the above, it is about helping your team to
develop their skills to seek learning opportunities and to support the development
plans of all colleagues.

Developing Self and Others Competency Interview Questions

Here are a small selection of competency based interview questions related to

Developing Self and Others. How would you answer?

 Tell me about a time when you were not satisfied with your own performance.
What did you do about it?

 Describe a time when you helped a colleague improve their work effectiveness.

 Tell us about a time when you enabled a team member to develop a new skill.

 Can you describe a time when you have had to deal with poor performance and
the approach you took to resolve it?

Competency answers – Developing Self and Others examples you can talk
about

During most interviews, you will likely be asked about developing self and others
using competency questions. The interviewer will be looking for answers that include
evidence and examples of times when you have actively sought to develop your own
skills and encouraged and helped others to expand their knowledge.

For example, can you recall times where you have done the following:

 Identified ways to develop yourself, completing all in house training, perhaps

requesting additional training courses or other on the job learning.

 Reviewed your performance to make sure output was up to standard.

 Made a mistake and learnt from it.

5. Leadership

The competency Leadership also known as Leading and Communicating is an

essential skill. It can help to inspire, unite and organise, give direction, and bring out
the best in co-workers. Contrary to popular thought, it is not just managers who show
leadership; we can all do so, irrespective of the role or level we are at.
What does the Leadership competency mean?

Put into simple terms, Leadership means being a role model, inspiring your peers to
conduct themselves with authority and integrity and to carry out their tasks with
enthusiasm. It involves showing enthusiasm yourself, pride and passion in your work
and taking personal accountability for your role. For senior roles Leadership is about
creating and engaging others in setting and delivering a shared vision.

Leadership Competency Interview Questions

Here are a small selection of competency based interview questions related to

Leadership. How would you answer?

 Tell us about a time when you showed leadership. What did you learn from the
experience?

 Describe a time you had to deal with a difficult or challenging issue with an
employee. How did you handle it and what was the outcome?

 Describe a time when your leadership skills made a difference.

Competency answers – Leadership examples you can talk about

Even when recruiting for starter or junior posts, employers will be looking for
leadership qualities. Our advice is to review your experience and identify situations
where you showed leadership skills. Keep in mind there is a difference between
leadership and management and an interviewer will be expecting you to show that
you understand that difference.

Leadership can be displayed in many forms and here are some potential scenarios to
help refresh your memory when choosing your examples.

In a work or personal scenario, can you recall an time when you….

 Acted as a role model during a difficult time, conducting yourself with integrity
and enthusiasm.

 Identified and championed a new way of working.

 Took on additional tasks demonstrating that you’re able to help out your
managers and co-workers to deal with their workload.

6. Making Effective Decisions / Decision Making

Making Effective Decisions or Decision Making as it is traditionally called, is one of the

most common competencies required at any level and in most roles. While decision
making is simply choosing between two or more outcomes, effective decision
making is about making sure the right option is chosen.

We make personal decisions daily and they can be as small as deciding what to eat for
lunch or have more significant consequences such as determining which home or car
to buy. In a work environment the ability to make and take decisions is paramount and
you will face interview questions exploring this competency at most levels and in most
roles.
What does the Making Effective Decisions competency mean?

Put into simple terms, Making Effective Decisions means researching, gathering and
using data and information accurately to evaluate options; then following a proper
process and applying sound judgement and reasoning to come to the right solution. It
also involves taking personal responsibility for your decisions, being confident in
explaining them and making sure they are implemented with learning from any
mistakes.

Making Effective Decisions Competency Interview Questions

Here are a small selection of competency based interview questions related to

Making Effective Decisions. How would you answer?

 Talk me through a complex decision you made, where the data was ambiguous
or the information led to two different conclusions.

 Give me an example of a time when you made a difficult decision resulting in a

successful outcome.

 Give me an example of a time when you had to make a decision in a very short
space of time, for example to deal with a major crisis or disaster.

Competency answers – Making Effective Decisions examples you can talk

about

In the interview you will need to make clear the process you have adopted in coming
to your decisions. Crucially, you must follow departmental or organisational
procedures or guidelines without deviation. The process you follow is critical.
Employers want to know that you have used a sound approach to making decisions
with judgement backed up by accurate data and evidence.

When creating your answer show that you have used your reasoning, insight and
objectivity in order to make a decision that will provide the most value and is most
likely to achieve success for the specific objective in question. Effective decisions are
both an intuitive and reasoned process, showing that you’re careful, thoughtful and
considerate.

Decision making competency examples you can choose can relate to a personal or
work-related situation. They can be regular or one offs, strategic or operational
decisions. Here are some potential scenarios to help refresh your memory when
choosing your examples.

Can you recall when you made a decision about…

 Prioritisation of tasks and/or workflow and how to complete them most

efficiently.

 Changing or improving a process.

 Dealing with conflict, client or employee issues.

 Analysing data in order to make a recommendation.

7. Managing a Quality Service

Managing a Quality Service is one of the Civil Service 9 core behaviours included
in the success profiles framework. It is a key competency and one that is required at
all levels in all departments.

Indeed, outside of the Civil Service and Government the ability to manage resources
and to deal with clients and customers effectively is a key skill.

What does the Managing a Quality Service behaviour mean?

Put into simple terms, managing a quality service is all about completing your job and
meeting your objectives in the most efficient and effective way.

It can involve providing the best possible service to others both external or internal
such as other departments, teams or stakeholders.

Depending on the role, it may require dealing directly face to face with customers. For
example, a DWP Work Coach role brings direct contact with clients and Managing a
Quality Service would be an essential behaviour.

Competency Based Interview Questions for Managing a Quality Service

Here are a small selection of competency based interview questions related to

Managing a Quality Service. How would you answer?

 Can you describe a time when you have been proactive in finding a solution to a
problem encountered by your customers.

 How do you measure performance in your role/department and what initiatives

have you implemented recently which were particularly successful?

 Describe a time when you had to work exceptionally hard to provide great
service. What did you do and what was the outcome?

The panel will listen for key positive behaviours and they will score your answer based
on what they hear. They will note words or phrases or actions that tick these boxes
and that demonstrate your ability.

They will also listen for a demonstration of relevant strengths and you can find these
in your interview invite. Your answer must be well formed and sufficiently detailed to
score well.
Managing a Quality Service Examples

So, when it comes to your interview, you must give an answer that scores high. To do
that you must choose a strong, relevant example to talk about. Format it
correctly, emphasise the behaviour clearly and show that you are competent.

Managing a Quality Service can be displayed in many forms both inside and outside of
work and here are some potential scenarios to help refresh your memory when
choosing your examples.

Can you recall a time when you….

 Dealt with a particularly difficult customer complaint and personally managed it

to ensure the customer got the highest level of service.

 Did something extra to improve the level of service you gave a client, perhaps
went over and above what the customer expected while always working within
your policy and procedures.

 Adapted the way you completed a task or serviced a customer so as to get a

better result or complete it faster or to a better standard.

 Did something to increase productivity, profits or save costs while maintaining

top quality.

8. Managing Conflict

Differences of opinion and clashing perspectives can lead to disagreements both in

and out of the workplace. When people are working closely together, it is inevitable
that conflicts will happen. Furthermore, it is important to prospective employers that
you can manage these disagreements effectively and fairly.

What does the Managing Conflict competency mean?

Put into simple terms, Managing Conflict includes the ability to identify and deal with
clashes between people and/or agendas efficiently, sensibly and reasonably.
Interviewers ask these questions because they want to find out about your own ability
to manage conflicts and your general interpersonal skills.

Managing Conflict Competency Interview Questions

Here are a small selection of competency based interview questions related to

Managing Conflict. How would you answer?

 Tell me about a time when you successfully resolved a conflict.

 Give us an example of a time when you experienced a conflict of interest.

 Describe a time when you had to manage conflict in your team or among your
colleagues. How did you approach this situation and how did you resolve it?

How to answer in your interview – Managing Conflict interview examples you

can talk about
Conflicts can take place in all aspects of work and between any members of the team.
A disagreement could occur between colleagues, departments or managers and it
could be about anything from the best way to work on a new project to deciding to
recruit more team members.

Managing Conflict can be displayed in many forms and here are some potential
scenarios to help refresh your memory when choosing your examples.

Can you recall a time when you….

 Resolved a disagreement between two members of your team, between team or

departments.

 Customer service issues can escalate into conflict without management.

 Dealt with a situation where a member of staff had different ways of working or
different ideas about how best to achieve an outcome.

9. Problem Solving

Problem Solving is a competency which is in demand from pretty much all employers.
It refers to the act of effectively finding solutions to problems and successfully
implementing them.

What does the Problem Solving competency mean?

Put into simple terms, Problem Solving means recognising a problem, analysing it
objectively using your experience, initiative and intelligence. It involves developing
and implementing solutions having considered a variety of alternatives and options
along with comparing the risks and benefits of each option as well as their impact. At
all times you must apply clear pre-set procedures or policies as per your department
or organisation.

Problem Solving Competency Interview Questions

Here are a small selection of competency based interview questions related to

Problem Solving. How would you answer?

 Tell me about an occasion when you went out of your way or spent a significant
amount of time analysing the cause of a particularly complicated problem. How
did you proceed and what was the result?

 Tell me about a time when you had to apply technical or specialist knowledge in
order to solve a problem.

 Can you describe a time when you have been proactive in finding a solution to a
problem encountered by your customers.

Competency interview answers – Problem Solving examples you can talk

about

Problem solving means being proactive and positive. It is best to show that you are
aware of and look for issues constantly, you don’t shy away and wait for instructions
or worse wait until the problem gets bigger before you do something about it.
There will be a whole range of scenarios you can choose to talk about and here are
some potential scenarios to help refresh your memory.

Can you recall a time when you….

 Noticed something going wrong with a task or project. You raised this as an
issue and you suggested a change which was adopted and kept the activity on
track.

 Came up with an innovative solution to a problem that nobody else could solve.

 Realised that a significant mistake had been made that could have derailed a
project being delivered on time and you resolved it successfully.

10. Planning and Organising

Planning involves having an objective in mind with a clear vision of the end result and
how you will get there. As well as having the final goal in mind, planning will often
require setting regular objectives or milestones which can help to track and evaluate
your progress. With planning, you may choose to set up an action plan if it is a specific
project. Alternatively, it may suit you to have a schedule or timetable with deadlines
so that you can manage your time well.

Organising follows on from planning, by knowing your objectives and how to meet
them through planning and prioritising. This can help you to maintain focus on your
goals and ensure you can manage all of your responsibilities, activities and
commitments effectively. Organising can cover simple aspects such as keeping your
workflow logical through to establishing and managing tasks and project teams.

Prioritising enables you to focus on the most important and urgent tasks. When there
are multiple deadlines and activities to plan and organise, you need to prioritise where
your focus should lie.

Planning and Organising Competency Interview Questions

Here are a small selection of competency based interview questions related to

Planning and Organising. How would you answer?

 How do you manage your own time and objectives?

 Describe when you used your organisational skills effectively to complete an

important activity.

 Talk me through a time when you had multiple projects to manage, all with
demanding deadlines. How did you do and what particular challenges did this
present?

How to answer in your interview – Planning and Organising examples you

can talk about
With proper planning, organisation and prioritisation, you can get more done while
saving your team and department both time and money. There will be a whole range
of scenarios you can choose to talk about and here are some potential scenarios to
help refresh your memory.

Can you recall a time when you….

 Created a deadline and were really disciplined with your time despite obstacles.

 Achieved your goals on time even though you were given additional tasks.

 Had a long list of tasks and successfully prioritised them.

 Needed to reprioritise your tasks in order to meet the deadline.

11. Seeing the Big Picture

When it comes to competency based interviews, especially in Civil Service and

Government departments, you should expect questions exploring the
competency Seeing the Big Picture. Not only is it one of the 9 Civil Service
Success Profiles behaviours it is a competency used by many large employers.

So what does the Seeing the Big Picture competency mean?

Put into simple terms, Seeing the Big Picture means being able to look beyond your
own role and tasks and having an awareness of how your activities feed into the
performance of your team, your department and the organisation. For all staff, it is
about focusing on delivering the organisations goals in the most effective and efficient
way possible. You may see it referred to as Organisational or Strategic Awareness
or Strategic Management and it is about your ability to make a connection
between your day to day tasks and the overall goals of your department and your
employer.

Seeing the Big Picture Competency Interview Questions

Here are a small selection of competency based interview questions related to Seeing
the Big Picture. How would you answer?

 Tell us about a decision you made which impacted on other teams, areas or
departments.

 Tell me about a time when you have collaborated with another department in
order to deliver a positive outcome.

 Give an example of an achievement which directly contributed to your

department goals.

Competency Answers – Seeing the Big Picture examples you can talk about

Seeing the Big Picture means you should look beyond individual tasks and assess
whether or not they will help meet targets or get the team to the end goal. For your
interview answers, ideally choose examples which took you outside of the normal
scope of your work. Here are some potential scenarios to help refresh your memory.

Can you recall a time when you….

  Took on a task or got involved with a project to keep up to date with cross-
organisational issues.

 Got involved in discussions about the direction, mission and goals of your
Department or the organisation.

 Asked for secondment to other teams, areas or departments in order to see the
bigger picture.

12. Working Together (Teamwork)

Being able to work with others in a team is a skill that impacts all aspects of our lives.
Whether it is working together with colleagues, friends or family, it is important to be
able to work effectively in a group to achieve a goal.

When you can work well in a team, a lot more can be achieved both on an individual
basis and as a group as a whole. Goals can be met and tasks can be completed faster
and more efficiently.

What does the Working Together / Teamwork competency mean?

Put into simple terms, Working Together, or Teamwork as it is more commonly

known, means being a team player, contributing, collaborating, offering support and
help to colleagues, sharing ideas, giving advice and input in order to get something
done. It involves building relationships within your own area and outside, and being
enthused about sharing knowledge, information and learning. Additionally you should
show genuine interest when listening to others.

Working Together / Teamwork Competency Interview Questions

Here are a small selection of competency based interview questions related to

Working Together / Teamwork. How would you answer?

 Are you a team player and what role do you generally play in group situations?

 Describe a time when your teamworking skills made a difference.

 Describe a situation in which you were a member of a team and a conflict arose
within the team. What approach did you take?

How to answer in your interview – Working Together / Teamwork examples

you can talk about

Even in roles where you predominantly work alone, there is usually an element of
teamwork involved, whether it is with different departments, partners or external
suppliers. It can be as simple as working with a colleague, accepting, offering support,
sharing ideas, giving advice and help in order to get something done.

Working together can be displayed in many forms and here are some potential
scenarios to help refresh your memory when choosing your examples.

Can you recall a time when you….

 Shared your ideas and knowledge in some way, perhaps with a new colleague or
in a team.
 Were part of a team or group who led the implementation of a new process or
system.

 Supported your colleagues when their workload expanded above usual levels;
perhaps offering rather than being asked.
Competency Based Interview Questions and Answers for
Managers
Are you seeking a role in management or a leadership post? It can be very exciting to
get moving up the career ladder and to have the extra responsibility for perhaps
managing a team for the first time or taking on a larger group. However, you have to
get past the interview and you should expect questions exploring your readiness to
succeed in the promotion.

For example, how would you answer these common competency based interview
questions for management or leadership posts:

 Give us an example which shows that you can inspire and motivate a team to
get the very best performance from them.

 Tell me about a time you helped someone develop new skills. What approach did
you use to get them up to the required level of performance how successful
would you say you were?

When answering you need to show the positive behaviours that will score highest
including an ability to promote diversity and inclusion, being open to the views of
others, to take them on board with respect, being able to inspire, share a vision and
ultimately motivate your team to deliver their goals, overcoming challenges.

How to Answer Competency Based Interview Questions Like a Pro

For so many candidates these competency based, behavioural or situational interview
questions can pose real challenges. However, the good news is that giving top
answers is a skill that can be learnt.

The key to a great interview answer lies in a combination of choosing a good example
to talk about and bringing proper structure to it.

1. Relevant Examples of Each Competency

So firstly, when preparing your competency based interview answers, I suggest

choosing examples based on real experiences you have had. Avoid the temptation to
invent or embellish and most importantly do not use a template answer from a book
or online as you run the risk of being caught out by probing questions.

The situation you talk through in your answer must be relevant to the competency
being explored. So for example if they ask about Communication, your example must
demonstrate your skills when communicating, be it to an individual or group, verbally
or in writing but it must be focussed.

In addition, it must be sufficiently complex and detailed to show that you understand
what is required in the target role, that you possess the relevant core competency and
can use it effectively in a variety of scenarios.

Your answers will be scored and these will depend on the extent of your preparation.
Use the job description or advertisement to know the essential competencies required
and for each prepare examples of situations where you used these skills to achieve a
successful outcome.

2. Bring Proper Structure to Your Answer

Most competency based and behavioural based interview questions require you to
give an example of a situation with which you have been involved. This sounds
straightforward however it is very easy to give a long rambling answer resulting in a
low score. The key to an effective and top scoring competency interview answer lies in
its structure and there are two standard formulas we recommend:

The STAR technique

This method is also referred to as the CAR or PAR technique and gives a logical
process to create and deliver your answer.

The iPAR technique

Similar to the STAR technique and is favoured by us as it brings greater focus on using
a powerful introduction summarising the achievement. We suggest always answering
in the first person using ‘I’ rather than ‘we’, even if your example refers to a team
effort. The interviewers want to hear about what you did and if you constantly use
‘we’ it could weaken your answer. While we favour the iPAR technique, feel free to use
whichever you are most familiar and comfortable with.

Sample Competency Based Interview Answer – Use This as a

Guide
Remember to tell it like a story, as this will better engage the interviewer.

Question

Tell me about a difficult project you managed and describe the obstacles you
encountered and how you overcame them.

Introduction

In my last role with ABC Corporation Ltd, I introduced a new system of monitoring and
assessing electronic customer feedback which reduced the time taken to deal with
customer service complaints from 9 days to 48 hours.

Problem

I discovered that we were getting a lot of customer communications, feedback and

complaints via email, but we had not developed any structured method to handle
these. In addition we were not using them as an opportunity to learn about our
customer or to drive process improvement initiatives. I realised very quickly that not
only was this an issue for us which I knew I could solve quickly but I also saw the
potential to enhance our relationship with our customers.

Action
I completed a business analysis examining the current processes, identifying business
risks and incorporating staff feedback. From this, I created a new process showing the
business benefits, customer service improvements and potential cost savings.

I presented this case to the senior leadership team and gained approval to implement.
I then set up a project group with the goal to deliver the proposed system of
processing and managing these emails. I recruited internally as I wanted to give my
team exposure to working on such a project.

I put regular reporting in place, ensuring that all stakeholders were involved and
communicated with.

Three weeks after starting the project I lost two team members due to sickness – we
were on a very tight deadline and I knew that the success of this project lay in my
ability to motivate and manage the remaining team.

I identified key replacements and revised the plan accordingly so that work would not
fall behind. I ensured the team knew what had to be delivered and by when and I got
staff buy-in from very early on.

During the course of the project I managed the team, rescheduled and reprioritised
tasks as required, communicated regularly with all interested parties and ultimately
delivered the project successfully.

Results

I overcame the challenges and I delivered the new system on time and within budget.
As a result of this system my team can address 100% of customer service emails
within 48 hours, we have reduced the volume of complaints received by 35% and we
have a suite of reports that can help us deliver further improved customer service. It’s
a great achievement and one of which I am very proud.

Note the use of “I” throughout and note too the use of a powerful lead sentence which
summarises the achievement and sets up the rest of the answer to come. This is a
great selling tool and designed to get the attention of the interviewer.