Competency-based selection methods are based on the assumption that past behavior
is the best predictor for future behavior.
Competency-based questions are now common on both application forms and at
interview.
These questions are looking for evidence of skills that are used in the job and often
start with "Describe a situation where you had to ......" or "Give an example of when
you ....".
It's not enough to just say what you can offer. Just like a jury in court a selector
will need convincing. You do this by giving evidence.
Selectors are less interested in what you've done that how you've done it.
When have you planned and organized an event, taken the initiative or lead a team.
How do you cope with failure? Do you give up, or keep trying until you succeed. Or
perhaps try an alternative route to your goal. Keep a log of what you have done so you
can remember any evidence you can use.
What competencies is the selector looking for?
This will vary according to the job but competencies of importance to many recruiters
of new and recent graduates include:
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Communication skills
Negotiation
Persuasiveness
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Decision making
Problem solving
Planning and organisation

Teamwork

Leadership
Questions will then be asked in the format "Describe a situation where you showed
persuasiveness".
THE "CAR" APPROACH
A good way of dealing with this type of question is by using the CAR approach. CAR
stands for Context, Action, Result. It helps you to structure your answer as a mini
essay.
The CONTEXT forms an introduction, describing the scenario you faced, date and
place.
The ACTION forms the main body and should be the longest part.
The RESULT is the conclusion, and, like the introduction, should be quite short.
Sometimes CAR is called STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result). It's exactly the
same but with Situation and Task combined into Context. Just to complicate matters,
some organisations call it SAR: Situation, Action,Result and some TAO: Task, Action,
Outcome!
A few organisations have now added Reflection (what have you learned from the
experience and what would you do differently next time?) to give STARR!
STAR
=SAR
= CAR
= TAO
Situation
Situation
Context
Task
Task
Action
Action
Action
Action
Result
Result
Result
Outcome
(Reflection: what have you learned from the experience? What would you do
differently next time?)
EXAMPLE QUESTION:
Describe how your personal planning
and organisation resulted in the
successful achievement of a task.
EXAMPLE ANSWER:
CONTEXT Describe the situation and the Whilst employed at Weaver Bros. last
specific task you were faced summer I was given the task of
with, when, where, with
rationalising the stock control system
whom?
ACTION How? What action did YOU I would look at factors such as when
take? Sometimes people focus the stock was last ordered, what it
on what the group did without was used for and how often it was
mentioning their individual
used. I worked out a method of
contribution.
streamlining the paperwork involved
in this process and redesigned the
relevant forms, which I then
submitted to my manager.
RESULT What results did you
My ideas were accepted and
achieve/conclusions did you implemented and a 15% reduction in
reach/what did you learn from stock levels was achieved.
the experience?
The focus should be on you even if the situation involved a group, interviewers will
want to know what was your specific role in achieving the desired result.
When answering these types of questions:
Try to give quantifiable results if possible.
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"during my time as chairman, membership rose by 20"
"we raised £200 for charity"
"my marks improved from 55% to 65%"
You can't always do this, but it gives a much better impression of your achievement.

If the result was negative, then say what you learned from the experience and
what you would do differently next time.
Sometimes interviewers will ask you about a situation where you were
unsuccessful. This is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how well you
learn lessons from failure, but also to demonstrate qualities such as resilience
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(to bounce back and try again); determination; strength of character (when the
going gets tough, the tough get going!); flexibility;
"They expected answers
initiative; and lateral thinking. There is a saying
to questions in a
that "The most successful people have failed the
particular format:
most" as the best way to learn is via your mistakes.
Situation, Task, Action,
The examples you give can be from work, study
Result. This helped me to
or personal life – but try to give a variety. A good
formulate answers to
starting point is to use our Progress File to
questions in logical way
"brainstorm" everything you've done in your life in
and meant that I spent
the past few years.
most of the time talking."
Don't go into too much background detail - keep to
the point! Often there isn't enough room to use the
CAR approach, but it's still worth keeping in mind when you prepare your
draft answer.
Think of the most relevant examples, rather than the most "impressive".
If you are asked to describe a time when you had to give a presentation in
front of the public, a seminar paper which involved research and planning will
carry more weight than "presenting a bouquet to the Queen when I was four
years old"!
Use action verbs to improve your content.
Because many students are becoming so well prepared for competency-based
questions, some organisations now feel that they no longer reveal the true person
being interviewed and are moving to strengths-based interviews and motivationbased interviews.
Describe a situation when you saw an opportunity to really make a difference for
the future of a group, an activity or yourself.
The Good Answer
I knew that I wanted a year out in Africa and that I did not just want to travel but also
to share in the life of the country and its people. Teaching gave me such an
opportunity to put down roots in a community but, as this was a voluntary
programme, I needed to raise £2000 in order to take part in this project. I did this
by working very long hours in a factory over the summer to raise the funds that I
needed.
Demonstrates determination
I planned my year by reading a great deal about Tanzania, using websites to
research the country & speaking to Tanzanian students at the university. I also
asked the organisation that arranged the placement to put me in touch with
previous volunteers so that I could pick up tips from them on life in Tanzania,
the schools & what I should take with me.
Evidence of careful planning and forward thinking.
Despite all this planning I still found that I needed to be very flexible & to adapt to
teaching a class of 60 lively ten-year old boys with few text books & even less in
the way of scientific equipment. I had to adapt to this lack of resources & to bear
in mind that the pupils were learning English at the same time as they were learning
science.
Shows adaptability
This experience was the most satisfying of my life and the headmaster was so
pleased with the children's progress that he asked if I would be able to return at
sometime in the future.
Positive result given
The Bad
During the final year of my electronics degree, we were grouped into teams to work
on projects and I was told I was to be the leader.
Did not volunteer for the role
The groups were assigned at random so that we found ourselves working with people
who we did not know particularly well and we needed to assess one another's
strengths and weaknesses quite quickly to divide up the work of the project.
Our project involved designing and building a power meter to measure the output
from a high-power pulsed infra-red laser. Each member of the group was assigned
responsibility for a specific part of the work and we met weekly to discuss and assess
our progress.
No mention of his own contribution which could have been tiny - everything refers to
"we" or the group as a whole
We were given a mark of 62% for our project.
No individual mark given
The Ugly
One example of where I made a difference was when a group of my mates and I had
to decide which pub to go to. I took on the responsibility of making the decision.
Did not get the backing of the group: decided for himself!
One of my mates is into Real Ale and so wanted to go to the Red Lion, but another
likes music so he wanted the Kings Head. Using my initiative I suggested we go to the
Jolly Roger which was showing the Liverpool - Bolton match on Sky Sports. With
my skills of persuasion (I offered to buy the first round!) I convinced them all to
come with me to the Jolly Roger.
No account taken of the wishes of the other group members.
And The Plain Ridiculous!
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Being a Virgoan, my sense of assertiveness and resilience has prompted me to
continue with my ambitions to be a solicitor in a major city law firm. I am also
a seventh generation descendant of a Chinese princess and a Sulawesian
warrior, which makes me both an amiable and energetic person.
Up until a little while ago I used to compete in British-Eventing competitions
on my horse, from which I got a real kick.
Working on a farm has improved my communication skills which are
especially important when working with large livestock.
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My role included typing in details of accounts, customer liaison and moneylaundering duties.
Instrumental in ruining an entire operation for a chain operator
Proven ability to track down and correct erors.
I’m an accurate and rabid typist
I have excellent memory skills, good analytical skills, excellent memory skills.
I was closely involved in every aspect of my former company, right up to its
bankruptcy.
I am seeking challenges that test my mind and body, since the two are usually
inseparable.
What happens in a competency-based interview?
These are also known as skills-based, behavioral, situational or structured
interviews! They work on the principle that:
PAST PERFORMANCE IS THE BEST PREDICTOR OF FUTURE
PERFORMANCE.
The interviewer will therefore be seeking examples of
past behavior that provide him/her with concrete
"Questions they might
evidence that you have the necessary competencies to
expect to face at most
succeed in the job.
interviews (e.g. asking
for an example of teamThe interviewer will ask you a series of questions along
building, or showing
the lines of:
that they are a fast
learner) are difficult to
 Describe a situation when you ......
answer well if you are
 Give an example of a time when you .....
not used to them, and
haven’t prepared a list
of examples to draw
What is the best way to prepare for a
from. We’d recommend
competency-based interview?
students consider why
we’re asking the
 Read the employer's web site and/or job
description, and note the skills and competencies question. For example,
a good answer on teamthey require.
 Note down any examples you can think of when building outlines
difficulties you may
you have put these competencies into practice.
These examples could come from vacation or part- have had with other
team-members and
time work; university clubs and societies;
show that you
voluntary work; study at school or university;
understand what you
holidays and travel or personal and family
need to do to overcome
experiences.
that, rather than simply
 Compose a paragraph or so for each situation,
tell the interviewer that
outlining what happened, how you approached it
the team worked
and what the outcome was.
together really well."
Civil Service
The "CAR" format should help you to structure these
outlines (click on "The CAR Approach" tab above)
What if I can't think of any suitable examples?
Try and be as open as possible: the examples you give don't have to be high-level.
Planning and organizing a week's independent travel in Scotland is as valid an
example as a trek through the Himalayas.
If you really can't think of anything, consider how vital that competence is to the
employer. If, for example, leadership is a key factor, and you have really never taken
the lead in anything, are you applying for the right job? Would you be happy in it?
If there is only one area that is giving you problems of this type all may not be lost,
provided that you are strong in other areas.
Once you have done this, select the examples which you
feel are the best illustrations of the required
competence. These may be the ones that you choose to
use on the application form, or else will be the first
examples that you give in answer to the interview
questions. Don't forget the other examples, though
interviewers may sometimes probe for as many examples
as possible.
Answer questions in a
positive manner. For
every answer, try to
always refer to specific
examples of
experiences you had or
skills that you have
developed.
When you have answered these, the interviewer may
prompt you for further information. When you have
exhausted one topic, the interviewer will move on to the
next leaving little opportunity for discussion. At the end of
the interview, there may be an opportunity for you to ask
your own questions. This format may seem rigid,
unnatural and unfriendly to many interviewees but, as
well as providing evidence of competencies relevant to the
job, it is also seen as a fair and equitable method of
selection since all candidates are asked exactly the same
questions.
All you want to tell
them is that you have
the skills and by
working with them, you
are able to build upon
these skills and at the
same time make an
effective contribution to
their firm.
Kent student who
received two job offers
You will find below suggestions of what the underlying question that the
interviewer is getting at is, suggestions on how to answer, plus
examples of the sorts of answers you could use.
THE
QUESTION
THE REAL
QUESTION
THE ANSWER
EXAMPLES
Describe a
time,
perhaps
linked to a
challenging
task or
assignment,
when things
were
difficult and
you were
working
under
pressure

Describe a
recent
experience
of working
with other
people.
What did
you
contribute
and what
was the
outcome?

Give an
example of a
situation
where you
solved a
problem in a
creative
way.

How do
you cope
in difficult
situations?
Do you
panic?
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Can you
respond to
challenges
and set
yourself
goals?
How do
you get on
with other
people?
What role
do you
take in a
group?
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Are you
able to
focus on
goals and
targets?
Can you
think
laterally?
How do
you cope
with
solving
problems?
Are you
flexible
enough to
cope with
change
Briefly outline the
task and the
difficulties.
Show the steps that
you took to cope
with the situation.
If other people were
involved, be specific
about what your
particular role was.
State the result don't worry if the
outcome was not
100% successful but
show what you learnt
from the experience.
Outline the situation,
your particular role
and the task of the
group overall.
Describe any
problems which
arose and how they
were tackled.
Say what the result
was and what you
learned from it.
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Completing a
project that did
not run
smoothly as
anticipated.

Putting on a
drama or music
production.
A group project
at university.
A business
game or
"Young
Enterprise"
scheme.
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Working in a
fast-food
restaurant.
Handling
customer
complaints at
work.
Diagnosing a
problem on
your PC and
resolving it.
A group project
as part of your
course.

See our teamworking page for lots
of help.

Outline the situation
(what was the
problem?), the
various approaches
you might have taken
and the one that you
adopted.
Why did you choose
to tackle the problem
this way and what
was the result?

See our problemsolving page
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Balancing your
studies with a
part-time job.
Coping with a
family crisis or
illness.
Being landed
with extra,
unexpected
responsibility
at work.
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Settling in to
another
and
challenges
?
Describe
how you
handled a
situation
where you
had to
initiate and
complete a
task in the
face of
resistance
from others.
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Are you a
leader?
Are you
willing to
take on
responsibi
lity?
Do you
believe in
yourself
and your
aims?
university for
your year
abroad.
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What was the task,
who resisted you and
why?
How did you counter
their objections?
How did you go
about completing the
task and what was
the outcome?
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See our persuading
page
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Why are
you
applying to
us?
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Can you
persuade,
rather
than
coerce,
people
and gain
their cooperation?
Have you
prepared
properly?
Have you
read our
brochure,
thought
about
what we
are
seeking
and what
you have
to offer
us?
Are you
committed
to this
career?
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The good public
image the
organisation has as
an employer.
The opportunities it
offers for training
and career
development.
Experience of the
organisation, e.g.
through a vacation
job or course.
Information you have
gathered from talking
to people who work
for the organisation,
or its competitors.
Information you have
gathered from
reading the business
or professional press,
or searching the
Internet (NB.
Suggesting
how procedures
at work might
be carried out
more
effectively.
Gaining family
support for
coming to
University/goin
g on to
postgrad. study.
Dealing with
uncooperative
children on a
summer play
scheme.
Balancing the
books as
treasurer of a
student society.
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Researching the
company's web site
will be taken for
granted!)
Because the
organisation's area of
business fits in with
your personal,
academic or career
interests.
See our commercial
awareness page for
lots of help with this.
COMPETENCY-BASED INTERVIEWS -THE "STAR"
APPROACH
The acronym STAR stands for
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Situation
Task
Action
Result.
It is a universally recognised communication technique designed to enable you to
provide a meaningful and complete answer to questions asking for examples. At the
same time, it has the advantage of being simple enough to be applied easily.
Many interviewers will have been trained in using the STAR structure. Even if they
have not, they will recognise its value when they see it. The information will be given
to them in a structured manner and, as a result, they will become more receptive to the
messages you are trying to communicate.
Step 1 – Situation or Task
Describe the situation that you were confronted with or the task that needed to be
accomplished. With the STAR approach you need to set the context. Make it concise
and informative, concentrating solely on what is useful to the story. For example, if
the question is asking you to describe a situation where you had to deal with a
difficult person, explain how you came to meet that person and why they were being
difficult. If the question is asking for an example of teamwork, explain the task that
you had to undertake as a team.
Step 2 – Action
This is the most important section of the STAR approach as it is where you will need
to demonstrate and highlight the skills and personal attributes that the question is
testing. Now that you have set the context of your story, you need to explain what you
did. In doing so, you will need to remember the following:
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Be personal, i.e. talk about you, not the rest of the team.
Go into some detail. Do not assume that they will guess what you mean.
Steer clear of technical information, unless it is crucial to your story.
Explain what you did, how you did it, and why you did it.
What you did and how you did it
The interviewers will want to know how you reacted to the situation. This is where
you can start selling some important skills. For example, you may want to describe
how you used the team to achieve a particular objective and how you used your
communication skills to keep everyone updated on progress etc.
Why you did it
For example; when discussing a situation where you had to deal with conflict, many
candidates would simply say: “I told my colleague to calm down and explained to him
what the problem was”. However, it would not provide a good idea of what drove you
to act in this manner. How did you ask him to calm down? How did you explain the
nature of the problem? By highlighting the reasons behind your action, you would
make a greater impact. For example:
“I could sense that my colleague was irritated and I asked him gently to tell me what
he felt the problem was. By allowing him to vent his feelings and his anger, I gave him
the opportunity to calm down. I then explained to him my own point of view on the
matter, emphasising how important it was that we found a solution that suited us
both."
This revised answer helps the interviewers understand what drove your actions and
reinforces the feeling that you are calculating the consequences of your actions, thus
retaining full control of the situation. It provides much more information about you as
an individual and is another reason why the STAR approach is so useful.
Step 3 – Result
Explain what happened eventually – how it all ended. Also, use the opportunity to
describe what you accomplished and what you learnt in that situation. This helps you
make the answer personal and enables you to highlight further skills.
This is probably the most crucial part of your answer. Interviewers want to know that
you are using a variety of generic skills in order to achieve your objectives. Therefore
you must be able to demonstrate in your answer that you are taking specific actions
because you are trying to achieve a specific objective and not simply by chance.
How competency-based interview questions are marked
Before the interview, the interviewers will have determined which type of answers
would score positive points and which types of answers would count against the
candidates. For example, for questions such as "Describe a time when you had to deal
with pressure", the positive and negative indicators may be as follows:
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Positive indicators
Demonstrates a positive approach
towards the problem.
Considers the wider need of the
situation
Recognises his own limitations
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Negative indicators
Perceives challenges as problems
Attempts unsuccessfully to deal
with the situation alone

Used inappropriate strategies to
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Is able to compromise
Is willing to seek help when
necessary

Uses effective strategies to deal
with pressure/stress
deal with pressure/stress
In some cases, negative indicators are divided into two further sections: minor
negative indicators, i.e. those which are negative but which don’t matter so much;
and decisive negative indicators i.e. those for which they won’t forgive you e.g. not
asking for help when needed.
Marks are then allocated depending on the extent to which the candidate's answer
matches those negative and positive indicators. Here is an example of a marking
schedule for the table above:
0
No evidence
No evidence reported
1
Poor
Little evidence of positive indicators.
Mostly negative indicators, many decisive
2
Areas for concern
Limited number of positive indicators.
Many negative indicators, one or more decisive.
3
Satisfactory
Satisfactory display of positive indicators.
Some negative indicators but none decisive.
4
Good to excellent
Strong display of positive indicators
If the interviewers feel that there are areas that you have failed to address, they may
help you along by probing appropriately. For example, in answering the question
above “Describe an example of a time when you had to deal with pressure”, if you
focussed on how you dealt with the practical angle of the problem but you forgot to
discuss how you managed your stress during and after the event, the interviewers may
prompt you with a further question such as “How did you handle the stress at the
time?”. This would give you an opportunity to present a full picture of your
behaviour. This is where the marking can become subjective. Indeed, if an interviewer
likes you, he may be more tempted to prompt you and push you along than if he has
bad vibes about you.
Preparing for a competency-based interview
Preparation is key if you want to be able to answer all questions thrown at you
without having to think too much on the spot on the day of the interview; it requires
several steps:
1. Make sure that you understand which skills and competencies will be tested. It
sounds obvious, but some person specifications can be a little vague and you
will need to do some thinking in order to ensure that the examples that you
will be using hit the spot. For example, your person specification may say that
you need to have "good communication skills in dealing with third parties".
For someone who works in customer service and is expected to handle
complaints all day long, this will most likely involve a mix of
empathy/understanding as well as an ability to be assertive in a nice way
whenever required; however for someone applying for a commercial law post,
this will most likely involve an ability to explain complex matters in a simple
way, and not so much empathy. Understanding the requrements for the post,
whether they are stated explicitly or not in the person specification is therefore
crucial.
2. Identify examples from your past experience which you can use to
demonstrate that you possess the skills and competencies that you are being
asked to demonstrate. You do not have to find hypercomplicated examples; in
particular the outcome of the story does not have to be extraordinary; what
matters most is that the role you played in reaching the outcome was
substantial.
3. Learn to narrate the story using the STAR method. This means setting the
scene, explaining how you handled the situation by placing the emphasis on
your role, and detailing the outcome/result.