How to answer competency-based interview questions

SEEK content team – updated on 14 August, 2024

Being called up for an interview is an exciting and nerve-racking part of the job-hunting process. The secret to feeling confident and capable is being prepared, i.e. having answers ready for a range of different questions. Hiring managers will often ask competency-based questions to get an understanding of your ability to get things done in the workplace, including your skill level, knowledge and behaviours.

In most interviews you can expect a range of questions covering your qualifications, experience, strengths, cultural fit and ones to do with how competent you are at the specific skills required by the job.

In this article we explain more about what competency-based interview questions are, the main competencies that are important to employers, some sample questions, and tips for answering.

What are competency-based interviews?
Key competencies sought by employers
Sample competency-based interview questions
Tips for answering competency-based questions
Using the STAR method
How to prepare for a competency-based interview
FAQs

What is a competency-based interview?

Competency-based interviews measure your ability to perform in the workplace by asking you about successful outcomes you’ve had at work in the past. Hiring managers use this approach to find out whether you’d be suitable for a role based on your skills and overall ability to carry out tasks, rather than qualifications and general experience.

Recruiters often use competency-based interviews to assess a large number of job seekers at once. They use a structured set of questions and evaluation criteria to help reduce bias and allow for a fair comparison across applicants.

Key competencies sought by employers

While specific competencies vary depending on the individual role, there are a few common competencies that employers and hiring managers look for. Here are some of the main ones.

Adaptability

Adaptability refers to your ability to respond to changes in your workplace environment or role. This can involve adapting to different policies, KPIs, responsibilities, and even physical spaces.

Commercial awareness

Commercial awareness is important for roles in many corporate roles, including business management, marketing, and product engineering. It’s an understanding of how an organisation operates and its industry, including how economic, social and political factors can impact its success. It’s an important competency for graduates in certain fields to have.

Communication

Communication skills are essential for success in most workplaces, and they’re highly sought after by most employers. Communication in a work context means being able to speak and write in a way that makes for smooth teamwork. Certain positions, like management roles, marketing, and any job involving client-facing work, require high levels of communication skills, both written and verbal.

Problem solving

Throughout your career, you’re likely to encounter a range of challenges, so problem-solving skills are essential. Being able to show problem-solving skills demonstrates initiative, autonomy and leadership; most employers value people that take the initiative to come up solutions.

Teamwork

Most workplaces require you to work with other people in some respect, and being able to do so easily is always a valuable skill to have. Good teamwork requires a skill set that includes communication, empathy, and negotiation, so employers and hiring managers will often include competency-based interview questions to gauge your ability and willingness to collaborate.

Sample competency-based questions

Competency-based questions are worded in a way that encourages detailed responses about how you’ve demonstrated specific skills and behaviours in previous situations. Here are a few examples of competency-based questions, to give you a feel for what to expect in a competency-based interview.

Can you describe a time when you worked effectively as part of a team to achieve a specific goal? (teamwork)
Tell me about a situation where you had to collaborate with colleagues from different departments to complete a project. (teamwork)
Describe a challenging problem you faced at work. How did you go about solving it? (problem solving)
Give an example of a time when you identified a potential problem and took proactive steps to address it. (problem solving)
Can you provide an example of a time you had to lead a team through a difficult project? (leadership)
Describe a situation where you had to motivate and inspire your team to achieve a difficult objective. (leadership)
Tell me about a time when you had to communicate complex information to a non-expert audience. (communication)
Give an example of a situation where your communication skills made a significant difference to the outcome of a project. (communication)
Describe an instance where you had to adapt to a significant change in the workplace. How did you handle it? (adaptability)
Tell me about a time when you had to quickly learn and apply new skills or knowledge to complete a task. (adaptability)
Can you provide an example of a time when you had to manage multiple deadlines and how you ensured everything was completed on time? (prioritisation/time management)
Describe a situation where you had to prioritise your tasks to meet a tight deadline. (prioritisation/time management)
Give an example of a time when you took the initiative to start a new project or improve an existing process. (conscientiousness)
Tell me about a situation where you identified an opportunity to make a positive change in your workplace. (conscientiousness)

Tips for answering competency questions

When preparing your competency-based interview answers, there are some handy hints to remember, to make the best impression on the hiring manager:

Always use real-life examples that demonstrate specific times when you’ve applied skills, attributes or behaviours to achieve a good outcome.
While it’s important to be prepared for your job interview, it’s equally important to make sure your responses don't sound rehearsed – it’s better to remember points than to try and memorise whole responses.
If you momentarily go blank, it’s okay to take a moment to gather your thoughts.
Avoid the temptation to embellish answers or overstate your abilities.
Wherever possible, relate your answers back to the role you’re applying for.

The point of competency-based interviews is for hiring managers to see if you’ve got the skills and traits required to perform the job, so the more you can tie your answers to the role, the more competent you will seem.

Using the STAR method

You can use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to answer many competency-based interview questions. The STAR method can help you create a structured response to competency-based questions, based on specific examples from your past.

Here’s a breakdown of each component:

Situation: describe a time when you performed a task or faced a challenge at work.
Task: explain the specific task or challenge that you needed to address.
Action: detail the specific actions you took to address the task or challenge.
Result: share the outcomes of your actions.

Here’s an example response using the STAR format:

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, we were tasked with delivering a major project for a client to a tight deadline.
Task: My responsibility was to ensure the project was completed on time, within budget, and to the client’s high standards.
Action: I created a timeline, assigned tasks to team members based on their strengths, set up regular progress meetings, and used a project management tool to track progress. I maintained open communication with the client to manage their expectations and address any concerns promptly.
Result: As a result, we completed the project on schedule and to budget. The client was extremely satisfied with the outcome, which led to a long-term partnership with our firm.

How to prepare for a competency-based interview

Before you step into a job interview, it’s important to spend time preparing. Start by revisiting the job description to make sure your answers are relevant to the role. Connect your experiences to the main competencies listed in the job description.

Brainstorm examples that highlight how you’ve demonstrated these competencies within your previous roles. Use the STAR approach to structure your answers to the common competency-based questions listed above.

If you have time, practise your responses by setting up a mock interview with a friend or family member. Ask for feedback on how you could improve and practice until you feel confident.

Competency-based interviews are a great way for hiring managers to determine whether candidates will make a good fit for a role based on their skills, knowledge and personal attributes. If you’re invited to a competency-based interview, be sure to prepare a few responses using the STAR method and practise your interview beforehand, until you’re confident you can remember your answers on the day. Appearing competent in the interview is half the battle won.

FAQs

What is the best way to prepare for competency-based interview questions?

The best way to prepare for competency-based interviews is to review common competency-based questions (as listed above) and prepare responses. Make sure you’ve got a few examples you can draw on to demonstrate your skills and attributes and relate them back to the specific job you’re interviewing for. Practise your responses with a friend or family member so you can remember them during the interview.

How do I identify which competencies are most important for a role?

Start by reading the job description and identifying the skills and requirements of the role. From here, pick the competencies that match those in the ad, so you can think of real-life examples where you showed those competencies.

Can I use the same example for multiple competency questions?

It’s better not to use the same example for different competency questions, unless it was a particularly complex situation or challenge. If so, you can highlight different parts of the same situation to demonstrate various skills. If not, it’s worthwhile coming up with different examples for different questions.

What should I do if I can’t think of a good example for a competency?

If you’re struggling to come up with a good example for a competency, reflect on situations outside of work. Can you think of examples from school or uni projects, internships, volunteer work, sports or hobbies? For example: “I haven’t had much opportunity to show my leadership skills in the workplace yet, but at school I was my house captain for two years, mentoring younger students, representing the school at events, and rallying my house on sports days.”

How long should my STAR answers be?

Your STAR responses should be detailed enough to provide a clear and complete picture of your experience without going into too much detail. Ideally, your answers should be no longer than two minutes. Stick to the main details that are directly linked to the competency you’ve been asked about.