CVs and Interviews

The job market has changed dramatically over the last decade particularly in the area of recruitment and selection. Traditionally employers relied on a basic interview and a couple of bland references to recruit and select staff often hiring the applicant with the best interviewing skills rather that the best skills and ability to perform the job. It has been accepted that these methods do not work and increasingly employers have become more scientific in their approach to hiring new staff. There has been a dramatic increase in the use of competency based interviews also know as behavioural interviews or structured interviews. This article will give you an insight into competency based interviews and the best approach to prepare for such interviews.

What is a competency based interview?

Competency Interviews also go by the names Behavioural Interviews or Structured Interviews. These interviews will consist of targeted questions that require interviewees to describe specific situations or task. Competency Interviews function on the basis that the best indication of future behaviour in past behaviour. Normally interviewee will be assessed against a number of competencies for example “presenting and communicating”. A typical question could be “……”

STAR Technique

The most popular technique to answer competency interview questions is the STAR technique.

S/T – Represents Situation or Task. This is the opening information where interviewees describe the event. It is important to describe the situation ….

A – Represents Action. This is the meat of your example with details about what action you took and how you behaved. Try to avoid sweeping statements and provide detail. Probably the most common slip up at this stage is using “We” instead of “I” when describing events. This dilutes your contribution.

R – Represents Results. This is where you outline the outcomes or results of the situation. An opportunity to sell yourself by highlighting positive outcomes.

Preparation is the key to success at competency interviews

Preparation is the key for success at any interview but especially competency interviews. When you get invited to interview you need to clarify what forms of assessment you are facing. If this is a competency interview enquire what competencies will be assessed. Some organisations provide this information but some will not. In this case you will have to try and predict what will be used. It is essential to have identified situations and tasks to support the competencies. The most common complaint about competency interviews I get is how difficult it is to think of examples when the spotlight is on at interviews. Prepare these beforehand. Work you your story telling focusing on your language and attention to detail.

Leading Interview Coach in Ireland

Tags: Advice, Competency Based Interviews, Competency Interviews, Interview Coach, Ireland, Preparation

This entry was posted on Monday, November 10th, 2008 at 1:52 pm and is filed under Competency Based Interviews, Interview Coach, Interview Coaching, Interviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.