Competency based interview

Competency based interview, also known as behavioural or situational interview has become very common today, with more and more employers opting for it. In a competency based interview, less emphasis is given on your past experience while more emphasis is given on identifying your skills sets. Competency has been defined as a combination of knowledge, attitude and skills and most interviewers feel that it is necessary to interview the individual on all three aspects, in order to make the right choice.

The aim of a competency based interview is to identify whether you have the necessary skills required to do the present job at hand. Questions related to problem solving abilities or achievements, difficult incidents and how you handled them are common questions that are asked in such interviews. Leadership qualities and abilities are also assessed in such interviews. Similarly, ability to work in a team is also assessed along with ability to plan and execute various projects. Attitude of the individual and the behaviour exhibited under various situations helps the interviewer come to a more accurate decision.

While attending a competency based interview, conciseness of speech is very important. Be brief and to the point in all your narratives because that will show that you are providing honest answers. State the problem faced by you as well as the actions taken along with the circumstances. Never indulge in a blame game at this stage. Additionally, you can also state whether you would change anything in your decision today, had you been faced with the similar.