How to Answer Competency-Based Interview Questions

When preparing for a job interview, you might be excited or nervous—or both. Preparing your answers to routine interview questions like, “Why do you want to work here?” and, “What were your responsibilities in your last job?” will help you to gain confidence. But what if you’re asked competency-based interview questions?

Uh-oh, back to being nervous. There’s no need to be. Let’s talk about a popular hiring technique—the competency-based interview, the types of questions you can expect to be asked, and smart answers to competency-based interview questions.

Competency-Based Interview vs. Behavioral Interviews

You may be familiar with behavioral interviews where questions start with phrases like, “Tell me about a time…” A competence-based interview is structured the same way, and the questions are similar. Both are based on the theory that what you did in the past predicts how you will behave in the future.

So what’s the difference between competency-based interviews and behavioral interviews? Behavioral interview questions aim to find out your work style and whether you’ll be a good fit for the company and team. Competency-based interview questions help to determine whether you have the knowledge and skills you need to excel in the job.

4 Reasons Why an Employer Might Ask Competency-Based Interview Questions

Here are a few more reasons an employer might ask you competency-based interview questions at your job interview.

1. To Learn More Useful Information About Candidates

Competency-based interview questions elicit more detailed answers than standard interview questions. For example, beyond knowing you worked in a marketing department and had various responsibilities, the interviewer can learn how you handled those responsibilities and how your actions affected outcomes.

2. To Provide a Fair Comparison

If you answer the same questions as all other candidates, the interviewer can judge each person on a scale ranging from “no skill or experience” to “excellent skill and experience” in several areas that are important to the job. Add up the scores, and you are ranked among the candidates in an unbiased way.

3. To Uncover a Candidate’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Everyone hates that “What are your strengths and weaknesses” question. Competency-based interview questions uncover your strongest and weakest skills without having to guess what the interviewer is looking for and stumble on an answer.

For example, if you’re asked to talk about a time you had a lot of projects to finish in a short amount of time,” you can explain your method for prioritizing tasks and setting up work plans for completing everything. This tells the interviewer you’re good at organizing and juggling multiple projects.

4. To Understand Your Attitude and Approach

Not only your response but how you respond is important when answering competency-based interview questions. It’s hard to fake an answer because the interviewer is looking at:

• How long it takes you to think of a response.
• Whether you’re confident and comfortable while answering.
• Your enthusiasm and attitude when you’re giving the answer.
• The number of details (or lack of them) in your response.
• Your body language, which is very hard to fake.

All this adds up to an interviewer determining your experience and skill in a task and whether you enjoy or dislike doing it.

How to Answer Competency-Based Interview Questions

The good news is that there are no right or wrong answers to competency-based interview questions. Your responses tell the interviewer your level of experience in an area and if you have the skills to handle that responsibility. Always be honest. Stumbling through a made-up answer will be transparent to the interviewer.

The main rule of thumb is to answer questions using the STAR method. A quick overview of the STAR method is:

• Situation: Describe the situation, problem, or challenge.
• Task: Explain your course of action and how your determined it would be effective.
• Action: Go through the steps you took to solve the situation.
• Result: Reveal the outcome, success, and what you learned during the process.

6 Sample Competency-Based Interview Questions and Answers

Since competency-based interviews focus on your skills and experience for a specific job, the exact questions you’re asked will vary by industry and position. Take a look at these six sample competency-based interview questions and answers to get a feel for what you might be asked:

1. Tell me about a time you used the XYZ method to solve a problem.
2. Describe a time you led a team with one member who did not pull their weight.
3. Give an example of a report you are responsible for and how you make sure it’s useful.
4. Talk about a time when you were given a new assignment you had never done before and how you accomplished it.
5. Give three examples of things you’ve done to maintain good client and/or coworker relationships.
6. Talk about how a change in the industry affected your job and how you adapted.

Question #1: Tell Me About a Time You Used the Submarine Method to Close a Sale

This question lets the interviewer know two things. First, it gauges your familiarity with a common procedure in your industry and reveals your experience level. It also demonstrates your problem-solving skills.

Here’s how to answer this question based on your current experience level:

• The first rule is don’t fake it if you don’t have experience or don’t know what the method is. Instead, use your lack of knowledge as a reason you’re looking for a position that will help you to grow your skillset.
• If you’re familiar with the method but have never used it, explain the advantages or effectiveness of the method, and then indicate that you’re ready to learn and grow.
• You know what the method is! Briefly extol the virtues of the method, describe the problem, how you used the method to solve it, and finish with the outcome.

How you could answer if you have no experience in the method:

“I’m glad you asked that question. This is why I am looking for a position in a forward-thinking company. I’m eager for an opportunity to learn techniques like the submarine method that are vital to closing sales.”

How you could answer if you are experienced in the method:

“The submarine method is one of the best ways to gather information from a client so you can tailor your sales presentation to speak to their needs. I used the submarine method with five potential clients we had been speaking with for a year. I was able to sign four of them. And the approach helped me discover the fifth one wasn’t really a good fit for our program.”

Question #2: Describe a Time You Led a Team With One Member Who Did Not Pull Their Weight

This question assesses your soft skills, including your empathy and interpersonal communication.

• Don’t say anything negative about the team member. Describe the situation, not the person.
• Describe the impact of their lack of action.
• Outline how you approached the situation and ultimately solved it.

How you could answer:

“We had to turn away rescues at our shelter because spaces were filled with adoptions on hold. After receiving an application and finding a “furever” match for one of our dogs, we call references, and if they check out, we introduce the fur-baby to their new family. The process was getting hung up at the reference check step because the team member charged with it was not keeping up with the workload.”

“I asked the team member if there was anything I could do to help him get up to speed. It turned out he couldn’t remember who he had called and frequently misplaced applications. I helped him set up a system with folders to organize applications. Within six days, he was caught up. We now take in twice as many rescues, and my team member is no longer stressed.”

Question #3: Give an Example of a Report You Are Responsible for and How You Make Sure It’s Useful

This question will reveal whether you have experience with reports that are part of your industry’s best practices. Employers also want to hear your enthusiasm and if you good at following through.

• Talk about the report using the industry’s official name for it.
• Show you understand its importance and enjoy working on it.
• Give an example of feedback you received, your action, and how it improved the process.

How you could answer:

“I provide inventory forecasting reports to the department heads twice a month. In a meeting last summer, we talked about how the length of seasons has changed. My boss asked if year-over-year forecasting was still giving us an accurate picture. After the meeting, I looked at calendars five years back and forward and added a field to the report showing season-over-season results. The next year, we hit the shelves nearly a month earlier and increased sales 20%.”

Question #4: Talk About a Time You Were Given a New Assignment You Had Never Done Before, Without Much Guidance, and How You Accomplished It

This question is a good way to see if you’re courageous and resourceful.

• Say that of course, it was a pleasure for you to take on this assignment!
• Give a list of ways you researched how to accomplish this assignment.
• Wrap up with examples of how your handling of the assignment helped your organization.

How you could answer:

“When Jessica, our trade show coordinator, took another job, my boss asked me to manage the logistics of keeping our booth supplied with marketing materials as it travelled from one show to another. I’d never been involved in this before. The first thing I did was take an inventory of what we shipped to the last three shows. Then I talked to the reps who staff the booth and found out which materials they used the most, and how often they ran out. They weren’t able to give me much info because Jessica just took care of it."

"My solution was to put reorder sheets near the bottom of each box I shipped. When the supply got to the reorder sheet, the reps sent an email or screenshot and I’d send the next batch. After six months using this system, I could predict what I needed to send, and discovered several items that were never used. The booth was always stocked, and we saved $2,000 a year by not printing the unneeded items.”

Question #5: Give Three Examples of Things You’ve Done to Maintain Good Client and/or Coworker Relationships

Junior employees in some industries do not have much client interface, so this is one of several effective competency-based interview questions that will tell the interviewer your experience level. It also gauges your communication and customer service skills.

• If you don’t have experience with clients, talk about your coworkers as internal clients.
• Cite common customer service actions along with things unique to your industry.

How you could answer:

“Our clients are dentists, one of the most disliked professions of all! They don’t get a lot of positive feedback, so I make sure they know how much we appreciate them. First, I send handwritten thank you notes when they place a large order. Second, I know their birthdays, so they each get a small gift every year. They can’t do their job unless their staff is happy, so the third thing I do is have a gourmet breakfast buffet delivered once a year, along with a note about what a pleasure they are to work with.”

Question #6: Talk About How a Change in the Industry Affected Your Job and How You Adapted

Your answer to this question tells the interviewer if you’re enthusiastic and committed enough to take the time to keep up with your industry.

• If you don’t know of any changes, ask them to give you an example (you won't get any points, but at least you didn’t ignore the question).
• List the things you do to stay informed about your industry.
• Give an example using the STAR method.

How you could answer:

“When I started my first job in IT, I had my computer science degree and was a certified CCNA. Right after that, software companies started offering various certifications for using their products. I wasn’t sure what I should get as each certification takes money and time. Today, there are more than two dozen certifications you can test for, and more pop up every few months.”

“From the start, I’ve kept up with what is available and have picked what I think is most useful for me. I’ve also asked my employer what certifications they would like me to have. To date I have my ACSP, CSM, and CCT—all supporting the software I use most in my job.”

How to Prepare for a Competency-Based Interview: 5 Steps

Don’t worry about competency-based interview questions. You can prepare for them in five easy steps outlined below. What if you don’t know if an interview will be competency based? Prepare for one anyway. Practicing answering competency-based interview questions can help you in any interview and might give the interviewer a closer look at your skills and experience to win you the job.

Here’s how to prepare for a competency-based interview:

1. Look at the Job Posting

Read the job posting carefully and make a list of each responsibility, skill, quality, and experience level it mentions. Write down each one, no matter how small it might seem.

2. Link Your Skills and Experience

Relate at least one of your skills, experiences, or attributes to each item on the list. For example, if the posting lists excellent communication skills as a requirement, link that to your experience giving presentations.

3. Script Your Responses

Take that link further by using the STAR method to write a short anecdote that demonstrates your skill. If you want to discuss your communication skills, for example, write a story about the time you were asked to give a presentation. Here is an example:

• (Situation) Your department wanted approval and budget to develop a new product.
• (Task) The task was to get upper management’s approval to proceed and fund the project.
• (Action) The action you took was to write and give a persuasive presentation. Expand on the steps you took or type of information you included in the presentation.
• (Result) The result was the approval of the project, its funding, and the resulting product’s success.

4. Research the Company

Learn some key facts about a company before you interview. It can give you some insight into questions they might ask. If it’s a smaller organization, the job might require you to wear more hats. In a larger company, teamwork might be a priority.

Use Monster’s Company Profiles to start your research. Then check out their website, and search for any news about them.

5. Practice Your Answers

Practice answering competency-based interview questions in front of a mirror or ask a friend to help you with a mock interview. Write possible questions on notecards with bullet-pointed responses, and use those as prompts until you’re confident you’ll recall the details.

Take One More Step to Prepare for a Competency-Based Interview

Prepare to answer those competency-based interview questions using the methods we’ve outlined. But first, you’ll need to get invitations to interview! Monster is here to help with that. Your very first step in your job search is to upload your resume to Monster so employers can find you when they search for candidates. You’ll also get a free assessment of your resume and new job postings and career advice sent to your inbox.