How to face an interview by competences: 4 keys to get the job
Competency interviewing (or behavioral interviewing) is a type of interview used by experts in the selection of personnel, since it provides more advantages and is more effective in predicting job performance than the traditional interview.
Doing a good interview will determine if we are really suitable for the position we choose . 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 interview: everything you need to know
During a competency interview, and to get to know if the person interviewed is the right person for the position, the recruiter will focus on obtaining behavioral examples of the applicant's personal, academic and professional life.
The expert in personnel selection, after previously knowing the needs of both the position and the organization , will observe if 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 competences interview assesses other skills needed for the position and the specific organization, such as: how to relate to the colleagues, the desire to work in the company, the leadership ability, etc. The interview by competences, therefore, inquires about deeper aspects which better predict the future performance of the candidate.
The concept of competence
The concept of competence arises from the need to assess not only the set of knowledge, skills and abilities that a person can possess, but to appreciate their ability to use them to respond to specific situations and solve problems that may arise in the workplace. In addition, it refers to the conditions of the individual and their behaviors, and takes into account the attitudinal and evaluative component that is present in their actions.
The concept of competence is multidimensional and includes four components different:
- Knowing how to be : it is the personal dimension, the attitudes and values that guide the behavior.
- To know : it is the technical dimension, and it refers to the academic data, or knowledge that the person possesses.
- Know to do : it is the methodological dimension, the ability to apply knowledge. They are skills, skills, acting methods, etc.
- Know to be : it is the participatory dimension. It refers to the abilities related to interpersonal communication and cooperative work.
The previous work of an interview by competences
When interviewers ask questions based on competencies, they are looking for answers that show that a person will respond successfully to the challenges of the position, which will fit into the working group and that will effectively use their skills and experience in daily tasks. Therefore, depending on one position or another, the interviewer's questions may be directly related to the specific tasks of the job, their interpersonal skills or their degree of motivation that produces employment.
For example, the questions will be different for a factory worker than for a receptionist. Each of these positions requires different skills , some specific competences. But in addition, in the case of the receptionist, working in a five-star hotel will not be the same as in a three-star hotel. The clientele of one or the other hotel, is going to propitiate that the candidates possess some attitudes or others.
In order to correctly define the necessary competences, there must be previous work by the human resources department or the recruiter, in which a knowledge of the position is obtained (tasks, work schedules, etc.) and aspects of the organization that will influence the work (for example, the work environment, the values of the company, etc.). All this information will be translated into a clear language, that is, the behaviors and skills that are required will be well defined. This will allow the interviewer to know exactly the specific needs of the position, and will facilitate their ability to predict in the selection process, that is, will allow to know if the worker fits in both the work and the company.
How to prepare for a competency interview?
An interview is essentially a casting, therefore, you have to be well prepared to avoid falling into "The 10 most common mistakes that are made in a job interview."
To show the best self image, we are going to give you some tips and tips that can be very useful in order to overcome the filter imposed by the human resources departments of companies.
1. Know yourself
Knowing oneself is essential to make a good interview. Write down your strengths and weaknesses, and think about what you can contribute to the company if you are the one selected.
2. Investigate the position
You must investigate the position offered, so you can know the skills needed for the job. In addition, you can reread the description of the offer to know the functions and requirements that the company requires.
3. Find information about the organization
Investigate the values that the organization promotes, its culture, inquire about the area in which you will work, etc. Surely looking at your website you can find important information.
4. Prepare the questions
If you have followed the steps above, you may have an idea of the most important competencies for the position to which you aspire. Now you can prepare well the possible questions that you think may arise during the interview. Think of examples from your experience that show that you have these skills, and prepare anecdotes and examples. Above all it explains what you did in the situation that you are going to explain. You do not need to learn exactly what you are going to say, but you can have an idea of what they are going to ask you. This way you will go more safely and answer questions more fluently.
If you are not used to attending interviews by competitions, the model STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) can be useful for you to structure the answers well. Once you have the competence, think about the situation (situation), the task (task), the action (action) and the result (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 competency interview
Finally, we present some questions with their respective competences:
- Customer orientation : Tell me a situation in which you consider that you satisfactorily met the needs of a client. How did you act in this situation?
- Problem resolution : Tell me about a problem you found in your previous job. What solution did you take? Why?
- Resistance to stress : When do you consider yourself to have been in a truly stressful situation? How did you react to?
If you need to know more about frequently asked questions in interviews , do not stop reading:
"The 10 most common questions in a job interview (and how to deal with them)"
