How to Answer competency-based interview questions

How to Answer competency-based interview questions by Michael Cheary ‘Tell me about a time you’ve had to answer a competency question…’Competency questions (AKA behavioural interview questions) have become so popular in modern recruitment that there’s almost no hiding from them. Often characterised by an opening such as ‘Tell me about a time…’ or ‘Give an example of how…’, these types of interview questions strip back the importance often placed on experience and qualifications.Instead, their primary function is to test how well you can do the job at hand, according to your attributes.We’ve already focussed on what you need to know about competency questions, but here’s our advice on answering five of our favourites, courtesy of ‘Why You? 101 Interview Questions You’ll Never Fear Again’: Competency interview questions 1. Tell me about a time you supported a member of your team who was strugglingWhilst it may seem like a pretty straightforward competency-based question, there is actually one big hidden consideration to think about when selecting your best story, which goes far beyond the typical STAR method of answering.While many companies rightly value teamwork and empathy in their staff, the cold, hard truth is they do so because they think that helping and caring is of benefit to their bottom line.The best answers to this question not only stress how you supported a colleague in crisis, but also how your support translated into improved performance for the company.Basically, be nice…but in a way that brings benefits back to the business.Right answer: ‘My job comes with a fair amount of analysis on a day-to-day basis, which means I’m confident using software like Excel. One of my newer colleagues didn’t have much experience and was having a tough time with their reporting, so I offered to help out a few days after work to get him up to speed. Since then, he’s never had a problem with reporting, and I’ve never had a problem getting a drink if he’s at the ba r.’Wrong answer: ‘Team? If I’m honest, I like to think of myself as more of a one man wolf pack…’Common interview questions and answersCustomer service interview questions 2. Give an example of a time you’ve had to improvise to achieve your goalTranslation: Can you think on your feet?This question is basically a kind of unholy hybrid between a curveball and a classic competency question. It’s designed to take you out of your comfort zone and see how you cope under pressure, but it’s also asking for a real-life experience to back up what you say.So what sort of anecdote are you looking for? Improvisation is all about facing the chaos, trusting yourself to handle the unexpected and overcoming fear of failure to come out swinging.Think of a time when you used your initiative to get out of a sticky situation and you’ll have nothing to worry about.Right answer: ‘My previous company often hosted client conferences, which were an important revenue driver for the busines s. For each event we booked an MC to introduce speakers and keep things entertaining. At a conference last year, to my horror, our scheduled MC came down with food poisoning the night before the event. We were too close to the event to find a replacement, so as the event manager, it fell to me to fill in. I was incredibly nervous, but after a lot of deep breaths and a little practice backstage, I got through it. I had some great feedback, and my presenting skills even improved as a result, which was a bonus.Wrong answer: ‘I improvised a lot on my CV to get this interview…’Six reasons you havent met your goalsInterview types: What you need to know 3. Why are you a good fit for the company?Let’s face it: everyone wants to be wanted.A recruiter is unlikely to be overly enamoured by a candidate who looks like they’re simply playing the field. So, instead of selling why you’d be a great hire for any company, the best approach here is to demonstrate why you’re a perfect matc h for this one in particular.Do your homework. Take some time before the interview to look at the company’s website and their social media presence, for example. This should give you an insight into the organisation’s personality and culture, and identify the things they believe really makes them stand out.Once you have all this information, you have a blueprint. Now use your own skills, accomplishments and personality and tie them in with everything you’ve learned to hack together the perfect response.Right answer: ‘Based on the research I’ve done about your company, yours is an organisation that really values staying on the cutting edge of technology. I was especially impressed with some of the technical details I read about the XYZ project. I think there’s a really good fit between my interest in evolving my own skills and technical knowledge, and the fact that your firm is known for continual technical improvements. That’s one reason I’m really excited to have th e opportunity to work here’Wrong answer: ‘You have a job. I need a job. Put your hands together, and everyone’s a winner.’Interview question: ‘Why do you want this job?’Four things to take to a job interview 4. Which websites do you use personally? Why?The secret to answering this one directly relates to the role you’re applying for.If it’s a traditional role in a less tech-savvy kind of business, the chances are the interviewer is fishing to find out how you keep abreast of the latest industry trends. If that’s the case, nothing overly fancy is required, just a quick rundown of some of the best news sites for your sector should suffice.However, if you get the impression that your interviewer is inviting you to show off your techie credentials, always try and oblige them. Give them a rundown of apps on your iPhone home screen, detail how you decided on your preferred blogging platform or complain about how your favourite plug-ins perform on one browser or another ( N.B. don’t choose Internet Explorer as your browser of choice).Choose which camp your job falls within and go with it.Right answer: ‘I probably check websites like TechCrunch and Mashable about once a day. They’re a great source of news about a wide range of industries, and definitely help me keep up with any particular tech-heavy chats around the coffee machine.’Wrong answer: ‘I’m a pretty big fan of Facebook. By the way, did you get my friend request?’Interview tips: Our advice to help you ace the interview 5. If you were offered the job, what’s the first thing you’d change?Approach with caution. This is about as loaded as a question comes…If you’re specifically asked to do a turnaround job or get the sense that the role is about making changes, go ahead and highlight some specific areas that strike you as in need of work.However, bear in mind that barging in and disregarding the experience and opinions of your new co-workers is unlikely to go down too well w ith your prospective team. You’re trying to get across that you’ll bring ideas to the table, not that you’re a bully.Make sure that when you suggest areas for improvement, you do so with tact. Stress consultation and the need for information gathering. Words like ‘evolve’, ‘add’, ‘contribute’ and ‘develop’ can be more effective than ‘change’, ‘transform’, ‘overhaul’ or ‘fix’.Remember: no one likes a know-it-all.Right answer: ‘I can see from the job description that part of this role will involve helping to manage the company’s social media channels. I noticed in my research that you don’t post very often and the tone seems a little inconsistent. I’d be looking to help develop a more reliable voice and personality for the brand, to help set us apart from the competition.’Wrong answer: ‘I’m glad you asked. I’ve brought along a thirty-seven slide PowerPoint presentation detailing each change. Can someone dim the lights?’How to: de al with stress in an interview Need more interview questions?Not sure any of these questions will come up? Don’t panic. We’ve got plenty more…Buy James Reeds new book: Why You? 101 Interview Questions Youll Never Fear Again and start loving Mondays now.How to prepare for an interviewPre-interview checklist   The worst thing you can do at an interview? OK, so out of all the classic interview nightmares, which are the ones that really worry jobseekers the most?We spoke to a group of university students to find out and see if recruiters actually agree 11 things to do when your interview goes badly  Post-interview checklist  Still searching for your perfect position? View all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accorda nce with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. 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A Day In The Life Of A Masters Student

A Day In The Life Of A Masters Student Can you survive a Masters degree? I am sure you do not need me to tell you that completing any Masters degree is extremely difficult. Crazy workloads, lack of sleep, coupled with excessive energy drinks and maybe dealing with the fear of entering into a new environment again are all part and parcel of the Masters experience. As true as all of this is, I am completely certain it all sounds familiar to you. Where have you heard all of these things before? That’s right, Bachelors degrees! All of these things are what comes along with making the commitment to undertake a qualification to improve your career prospects and that is exactly what you sign up for with a Masters degree. As heavy as the workload is, I promise you it can be accomplished. By the time you have completed your three years degree, you would have learnt how to push yourself to the limit intellectually and this skill and determination can carry you through a Masters degree, if it can be maintained throughout. A Masters degree is nothing to be intimidated by if you were able to complete your Bachelors. Sometimes it can even be a way to redeem a bad undergraduate degree grade. I have friends who have achieved 2:2 and below in their Bachelors and were still able to complete Masters degrees. There is absolutely no past grade achieved at one moment in time that can define how determined a student is to succeed at another moment in time. Nonetheless, you should still be aware and mentally prepared for what you will be in for if you choose to do a Masters course. Below I have listed some of the differences I came across whilst completing my own. Time The time frame which you are given to complete  an assignment  is shortened by approximately 3x (a three-week time limit in Bachelors would be worth one week for Masters). There is no time to be wasted and time must be pre-scheduled around deadlines for work and socialising, otherwise it becomes incredibly easy to neglect one aspect of life to prioritise another. Furthermore, when something is going wrong with an unfair lecturer or maybe the fact that there have been 8 deadlines in a 10-day period, there is no time to complain. Time becomes such a precious resource that it cannot be wasted on anything other than completing work or revising for an exam. Marking The marking becomes far harsher, by about 10%; therefore a first class Bachelor’s coursework would be a 2:1 (upper second class or merit) at Masters level as you are expected to be producing work of exceptional quality. This can be a difficult pill to swallow at the beginning because the use of initiative is relied upon heavily and your previously high standard of work is now considered average or less than average. However, this is all part of the experience and only strengthens your work. Independence Explaining an assignment? That becomes a luxury of the past. Other than a brief overview, the vast majority of lecturers will not provide any further guidance for assignments or labs. As you have completed the Bachelors degree previously, it is expected that you have a high level of knowledge before beginning the assignment or being presented the topic. For this reason lecturers (generally) do not supervise for Masters coursework nearly as much as they do for Bachelors coursework. Maintaining good friendships with those around you is crucial during a Masters course because there is always someone who knows something that you do not know and they can only help you, in exchange for you helping them. To answer the original question, can you survive a Masters degree? The answer is dependent upon whether you were able to survive your Bachelors degree. If you made it through your Bachelors degree, then the answer is yes, but with a pinch of salt. Determination is absolutely key! Particularly during the dissertation period, it is imperative that you do not lose focus. Always remember: firstly, there is nothing beyond your reach and secondly, it is perfectly natural and expected for anyone to get bad grades now and then, as long as you keep improving your work. MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR:   1.  Why Do We Fail? 2.  Starting University Again, Here Is My Experience 3.  Are Self-Esteem And Self-Confidence Mutually Exclusive? 8

What Overqualified for a Job Really Means

What Overqualified for a Job Really Means It never seems to make any sense. You work your whole career learning skills and gaining experience. Then one day, an employer or hiring manager tells you in a rejection email, “You are overqualified for this position”. And you wonder, “What does that really mean?”The more you think about being too good to do a job, the less it makes sense to you. You fit the job qualifications and requirements and now that is a bad thing?If this has happened to you before, we explain what the hiring manager or employer was really trying to say by labeling you “overqualified” and how to avoid it.They Cannot Understand Why You Want the JobIf the job does not seem to pay well, it seems like you will get bored too quickly, or the hiring manager did not like your answer to the interview question, “Why do you want to work here?” they may call you overqualified.To them, it makes no sense that you would take a job beneath your abilities that does not challenge you. They do not want to hire a person who will be bored and unmotivated because the work is too easy. Hiring managers and employers may even feel they are helping you by rejecting you. They feel this way because, in their eyes, the job is beneath you.They Feel Unworthy of Your Talent and AbilitiesImagine for a moment you are a business owner running a startup. Your experience is as small as your budget and you are learning as you go.Then, you post a job listing and an experienced Google engineer applies. What do you do? It may be easy to say you will hire him or her, but the reality is this person has the experience you find intimidating, plus you have no idea how you can afford him or her.Maybe one day they will look to hire you. But until that time, you are just too good for the company because of your experience. You know this is the case if an employer bluntly says with a curious tone, “I do not understand why you want to work here.”They Fear They Will Lose You QuicklyLet’s face it. A person with great skills and experience always runs the risk of not sticking around too long. The processes behind hiring, training, bringing people up to speed and all of the administrative processes in between...all cost time and money. Companies do not want to go through the process if they predict you will likely to quit within a year.If they know your skills are relevant and that there is a risk you will be gone within a year, they may use the label “overqualified”. The risk is greater than the reward to them.This label can also be applied if they see you are a job hopper, and given every company would kill to have you, they may pass on you while using this label.They Fear You Are a Litigious Risk or Culture FitSadly, this is the result of operating in a country with Equal Employment Opportunity laws (EEOC) and less-than-respectable business owners.If a company fears you run the risk of one day filing a lawsuit for any form of discrimination, or you fall into a legally protected class of jo b candidate, they may call you overqualified. Meanwhile, the real intent behind the label is discrimination based on age, race, gender, and disability.Settling lawsuits is expensive and not all bosses are scrupulous. Bosses make mistakes, too. If they slip up and do something that leads to a lawsuit, it always reflects poorly on a company’s reputation. Companies may just not want to deal with all of it and use safe words to get out of hiring someone such as “not a good culture fit”.What to Do About All ThisYou cannot change what you are and your experience, so try some of these things to help.Update your resume to remove information that may unnecessarily lead to biased decision-making:Date you graduated PicturesMake your reasons for wanting to work at a company have “epic meaning”. Make your experience sound geared towards you achieving your mission in life. Explain why your experience and their company will complete your mission of working for a company that you truly be lieve in.Above all, never allow what you know to be obstacles get in the way of your career progression. You are only limited by the fear that is holding you back!