Competence-based interviews

[qwerty123]

I've been asked back for an interview in a job that I am applying for.  I've never been through a competence-based interview before and I am quite worried as to what it may entail. 
Has anyone any experience of them? 
Tips on how best to prepare for it? 
The types of questions that may be asked?

[Milltown Row2]

I've been asked back for an interview in a job that I am applying for.  I've never been through a competence-based interview before and I am quite worried as to what it may entail. 
Has anyone any experience of them? 
Tips on how best to prepare for it? 
The types of questions that may be asked?

Usually it's competence-based and they will ask you questions on that

Anyways it will centre round the work that you are applying for, say it's in welding, they would ask what skills you have, types of welding you have done and evidence of that. A few technical questions to ensure you know what you are talking about.

[under the bar]

They will have identified key competences required for the job and you will be asked to evidence your exp of how you've met them in your work to date.  If it's a public sector job you can find the key.competences on the NICS website.  If private sector go through the Job description and person specification and write out examples of when you have done something similar previously based on STAR analysis.  Of you dk what star analysis is google it.  Cheers

[qwerty123]

It's just that I've heard that they differ from more traditional type interviews in that they are more almost exclusively based on past situations rather than describing the types of jobs you've had before.

[Milltown Row2]

Could be a work scenario, based on the job. Or more than likely a presentation!!

Employers have so many applicants to pick from now and they will want the best. Only way to know if someone can do the job is to see how he copes under pressure. Makes sense

[qwerty123]

There is indeed a presentation involved, milltown.  We are expected to give the presentation just before the interview - they obviously didn't hint at the topic of the presentation, but we've been advised that we will get the topic 30mins beforehand so as to prepare.  All good fun!

[AZOffaly]

Competency interviews are very focussed on the core skills (or competencies) you require to successfully do the job. Other interview types are more rounded discussions about experience, trying to get a feel for the type of person you are, will you blend in a team etc. The competency interviews cut straight to the chase, and you will be questioned on the actual details and specifics of the skills to show that a) you understand them, b) you know how to apply them and preferably c) you can demonstrate you have done them in the past.

This can be technical questioning, scenario based problems, presentations or even an exam type situation. It may be a mixture of these and other approaches, but the key point in any of them is that you are required to show that you really are competent in the key disciplines or skills of interest.

[supersarsfields]

STAR

Situation/ Tasks - Outline the details of the situation and what tasks were involved
Actions - What tasks you undertook to address the situation and how you tried to problem solve
Results - What happened as a result of your actions

Apply this format to Competence based questions and you'll be ok. Before interview outline about 10 senarios that you could use for different questions. IE Give one time when you had a different option from your manager and how you dealt with the suitation?, Name one time when you went above and beyond what was expected of you to succeed in your position? etc. (You'll get all these on line)

If you have about 10 goods answers you should be able to twist the answers to suit most questions without too much hassle.

Main thing is do your homework and don't expect to wing it.

[johnneycool]

You'll probably be asked about situations in your previous work where you've;

Worked with difficult customers, what did you do to handle it, was the outcome successful?

Team work, team leading, etc

Business improvement etc.

It'll all depend on the job and industry you're applying for, but get those scenarios ready now rather than fumbling your way in the interview.

[supersarsfields]

On and quantify things as much as possible. People are more believable if they give figures. It sounds less wafflely. so if asked about your sales performance say in the last year against a target of £80,000 I achieved £94,400 delivering 118% on annual target.
While you might well be making these figures up as well they still sound better than someone walking in and saying " yeah I did real well on sales and hit all my targets."

[Hardy]

"Did ya ever cut pigs?".

A colleague and I were interviewing fresh graduate electronics engineers. One lad was particularly good - knew everything, couldn't be tripped up. My mate sorta took a dislike to him and after exhausting every trick question he could think of, came up with the above.

[qwerty123]

I hope it doesn't end up like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP0sqRMzkwo

Although, come to think of it, I might have more of a chance with an interview like that!

[Orangemac]

A few tips.

http://www.bigambition.co.uk/16-19/tips--tricks/career-hints--tips/the-weird-and-wacky-world-of-interview-questions/