The competency-based interview (or behavioural interview) is a type of interview used by recruitment experts, as it provides more benefits and is more effective in predicting job performance than the traditional interview.

Doing a good interview will determine whether we are really suitable for the position we are applying for . Therefore, if we want to get the best out of ourselves in front of the interviewer, it is important to know how the behavioral interview works.

Competency-based interview: all you need to know

During a competency-based interview, and in order to find out if the interviewee is the right person for the job, the recruiter will focus on obtaining behavioral examples from the applicant’s personal, academic and professional life.

The expert in personnel selection, after previously knowing the needs of both the post and the organisation , will observe whether the motivation, knowledge, abilities or values of the person interviewed, fit with 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 skills interview assesses other skills necessary for the position and the specific organization, such as: the way of relating to colleagues, the desire to work in the company, leadership skills, etc. The skills interview, therefore, investigates deeper aspects that better predict the future performance of the candidate.

The concept of competence

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 to appreciate his or her capacity 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 or her behaviour, and takes into account the attitudinal and evaluative component that is present in his or her actions.

The concept of competence is multidimensional and includes four different components :

  • Knowing how to be : is the personal dimension, the attitudes and values that guide behaviour.
  • Knowledge : is the technical dimension, and refers to the academic data, or knowledge that the person possesses.
  • Know-how : is the methodological dimension, the capacity to apply knowledge. They are skills, abilities, methods of action, etc.
  • Knowing how to be : is the participatory dimension. It refers to skills related to interpersonal communication and cooperative work.

Preliminary work for a skills 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 job, that he or she will fit in with the work group, and that he or she will use his or her skills and experience effectively in daily tasks. Therefore, depending on the position, the interviewer’s questions may be directly related to the specific tasks of the job, to her/his interpersonal skills or to her/his degree of motivation for the job.

For example, the questions will be different for a factory worker than for a receptionist. Each of these positions requires different skills , specific competences. Moreover, in the case of the receptionist, it will not be the same working in a five-star hotel as in a three-star hotel. The clientele of one hotel or another will lead to candidates having different attitudes.

To be able to correctly define the necessary competences, there must be a previous work by the human resources department or the recruiter, in which a knowledge of the position is obtained (the tasks, the working hours, etc.) and of the aspects of the organization that will influence the work (for example, the working climate, the values of the company, etc.). All this information will be translated into clear language, i.e. the behaviours and skills required will be well defined. This will allow the interviewer to know exactly the specific needs of the position, and will facilitate his or her ability to predict in the selection process, that is to say, it will allow him or her to know if the worker fits both in the job and in the company.

How to prepare for a skills interview?

An interview is essentially a casting call, so you have to be well prepared to avoid falling into “The 10 most common mistakes made in a job interview”.

To show the best image of oneself, we are going to give you some tips and advice that can be very useful in order to overcome the filter imposed by the human resources departments of companies.

1. Know thyself

Knowing yourself is essential for a good interview. Write down your strengths and weaknesses, and think about what you can bring to the company if you are selected.

2. Research about the position

You should research the position being offered, so that you know the skills needed for the job. In addition, you can read the job description again to find out about the functions and requirements of the company.

3. Look up information about the organization

Research the values promoted by the organization, its culture, find out about the area in which you will be working, etc. Surely by looking at their website you can find important information.

4. Prepare 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 prepare well for possible questions you may have during the interview. Think of examples from your experience that show you have these skills, and prepare anecdotes and examples. Above all, explain what you did in the situation you are about to explain. You don’t need to learn exactly what you’re going to say, but you can get an idea of what you’ll be asked. This way you will be more confident and answer the questions more fluently.

If you are not used to attending competence 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 build better answers and you will not forget any data.

Bonus: Frequently Asked Questions in a Skills Interview

To finish, we present you some questions with their respective competences:

  • Client orientation : Tell me about a situation in which you consider that you solved a client’s needs satisfactorily. How did you act in this situation?
  • Problem solving : Tell me about a problem you encountered in your previous job. What solution did you take? Why?
  • Resistance to stress : When do you consider that you have been in a really stressful situation? How did you react?

If you need to know more about the frequently asked interview questions , please read on:

“The 10 most common questions in a job interview (and how to deal with them)”