How To Face A Competency-based Interview: 4 Keys To Getting The Job
The competency-based interview (or behavioral interview) is a type of interview used by personnel selection experts, since it provides more advantages and is more effective in predicting job performance than the traditional interview.
Doing a good interview will determine if we are really suitable for the position we are applying for Therefore, if we want to bring out the best in ourselves in front of the interviewer, it is important to know how the behavioral interview works.
Interview by competencies: everything you need to know
During a competency-based interview, and to find out if the person being interviewed is the right person for the position, the recruiter will focus on obtaining behavioral examples from the applicant’s personal, academic and professional life.
The personnel selection expert, after previously knowing the needs of both the position and the organization will observe whether the motivation, knowledge, abilities or values ​​of the person interviewed fit the needs of the company.
Analyzing the keys to overcome it and get the job
Unlike the traditional interview, which focuses on superficial aspects such as knowledge, experience or educational level, the competency interview assesses other skills necessary for the position and the specific organization, such as: the way of relating to employees. colleagues, the desire to work in the company, the leadership capacity, etc. The competency-based interview, therefore, investigate deeper aspects that better predict the candidate’s future performance.
The concept of competence arises from the need to value not only the set of knowledge, skills and abilities that a person may possess, but also to appreciate their ability to use them to respond to specific situations and solve problems that may arise in the workplace. Furthermore, it refers to the conditions of the individual and his/her behavior, and takes into account the attitudinal and evaluative component that is present in his/her actions.
The concept of competence is multidimensional and includes four components different:
The prior work of a competency-based interview
When interviewers ask competency-based questions, they are looking for answers that demonstrate that a person will respond successfully to the challenges of the position, that you will fit into the work group and that you will effectively use your skills and experience in daily tasks. Therefore, depending on one position or another, the interviewer’s questions may be directly related to the specific tasks of the job, your interpersonal skills or your degree of motivation that the job produces.
For example, the questions will be different for a factory operator than for a receptionist. Each of these positions requires different skills , some specific competencies. But also, in the case of the receptionist, working in a five-star hotel will not be the same as in a three-star hotel. The clientele of one hotel or another will cause the candidates to have one attitude or another.
In order to correctly define the necessary competencies, there must be prior work by the human resources department or the recruiter, in which an understanding of the position (tasks, work schedules, etc.) and aspects of the organization that will influence the job is obtained (for example, the work environment, the company values, etc.). All this information will be translated into clear language, that is, the behaviors and skills required will be well defined. This will allow the interviewer to know exactly the specific needs of the position, and will facilitate their ability to predict in the selection process, that is, it will allow them to know if the worker fits both the job and the company.
An interview is essentially a casting, therefore, you must be well prepared to avoid falling into “The 10 most common mistakes made in a job interview.”
To show the best image of yourself, We are going to give you some advice and tips that can be very useful in order to overcome the filter imposed by the human resources departments of companies.
1. Know yourself
Knowing yourself is essential to do a good interview. Write down your strengths and weaknesses, and think about what you can contribute to the company if you are selected.
2. Research the position
You should research the position that is offered, so you can know the skills necessary for the job. Additionally, you can re-read the offer description to know the features and requirements required by the company.
3. Find information about the organization
Investigate the values ​​that the organization promotes, its culture, inquire about the area in which you will work, etc. Surely by looking at their website you can find important information.
4. Prepare the questions
If you have followed the steps above, you may have an idea of ​​the most important skills for the position you are applying for. Now you can well prepare the possible questions that you think may arise during the interview. Think of examples from your experience that demonstrate that you have these skills, and prepare anecdotes and examples. Above all, explain what you did in the situation you are going to explain. You don’t need to learn exactly what you’re going to say, but you can have an idea of ​​what they’re going to ask you. This way you will be more confident and answer the questions more fluently.
If you are not used to attending competency interviews, the model STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) can be useful for you to structure your answers well. Once you have the competence, think about the situation, the task, the action and the result of what you are going to explain. This way you will construct the answers better and you will not forget any information.
Bonus: Frequently asked questions in a competency-based interview
To finish, we present some questions with their respective competencies:
If you need to know more about the frequently asked questions in interviews don’t stop reading:
“The 10 most common questions in a job interview (and how to deal with them)”
