Prepare Yourself For A: Competency Based Interview

This report has been prepared as part of an SHL Research project and is not commercially available.
It is not intended to provide

information for selection procedures.
www.ceb.shl.com
Prepare yourself for a
Competency Based Interview
ame
!r. Rahul "umar Sinha
#ate
$% &ebruary '$(%
Introduction
This report is designed to help you prepare for a Competency Based Interview.
Competency Based Interviews are increasingly being used by employers as they
have been shown to help make selection decisions more objective and effective.
"Competencies" refer to the job-related behaviours that good performers display
and a Competency Based Interview aims to measure how likely you are to e!hibit
these behaviours.
The "uestionnaire that you recently completed is designed to identify which of
these behaviours come easily to you and which ones you might find more difficult#
or have to work harder to achieve. This insight into your likely strengths and
weaknesses should aid your preparation for an interview.
Structure of this report
This report divides competencies that influence performance across many different
jobs into $ broad areas. %ach area is described in terms of its relevance and
importance to particular job functions. &ou can see e!amples of jobs where this
competency area is most relevant and e!amples of what it means to demonstrate
this competency# or "what good looks like" are also listed.
'or each competency area your potential has been assessed based on the
responses you gave to the "uestionnaire and is presented in terms of the likelihood
that this area is one of your strengths.
(e have also included some e!ample "uestions related to the $ competency areas
that you might be asked in your job interview. Competency Based Interviews
usually involve situation-based "uestions# which target the specific behaviours that
you have displayed in a previous situation that are related to this competency. To
succeed in such an interview# you)ll need to have strong and relevant e!amples
which illustrate your behaviours in the past.
*+ 'ebruary ,*-+
Prepare yourself for a Competency Based
Interview Mr. Rahul Kumar Sinha , of -.
/ ,*-+ 012# a part of C%B. 3ll rights reserved.
Your Competency Potential Report
(hen considering the description of your competency potential# it is important to
remember that it4s based on the answers you gave and represents the way you
see your own behaviour# rather than how your behaviour might be seen by
someone else. The "uestionnaire is not infallible and# as with all "uestionnaires# its
accuracy depends on how honest and candid you were when you completed it.
This report summarises your potential in $ broad areas of competence. It gives an
indication of your likely strengths and areas which you may re"uire development.
It is important to remember that none of these behaviours are static and a low
score means that the behaviour is less likely to come naturally to you# but can
"uite possibly become one of your strengths if you work on it5
Report Key
The overall likelihood of you displaying a strength in each area is shown in the bar
graphs on the right hand side of the report as shown below.
1 ! " #
$nli%ely to
be a
strength
&ess li%ely
to be a
strength
Moderately
li%ely to be a
strength
'uite li%ely to be
a strength
(ery li%ely to be a
strength
S)& *reat + Competency areas
2eading and 6eciding
0upporting and Co-operating
Interacting and 7resenting
3nalysing and Interpreting
Creating and Conceptualising
8rganising and %!ecuting
3dapting and Coping
%nterprising and 7erforming
*+ 'ebruary ,*-+
Interview Mr. Rahul Kumar Sinha . of -.
Competency Potential Summary
The table below shows a summary of your competency potential in the $
competency areas assessed. 6escriptions and e!ample interview "uestions for
these $ competency areas can be found on the ne!t few pages of this report.
&eadin, and -ecidin,
1 ! " #
Moderately li%ely to .e a stren,th
These behaviours are important for roles of increased influence and responsibility# and
mostly associated with leadership and management. 7eople in such roles need to be
prepared to make difficult decisions and take responsibility for them. (hen leading
other people# it is important to attend to both task- and person- side of issues. The
work of others has to be structured# organised and coordinated. 3t the same time#
managers need to support personal development# reward good performance and
motivate people to achieve work goals.
/0ample Roles where these .ehaviours are important1
- 9anagers:0upervisors
- ;udges
- Company 6irectors
- 0urgeons
- 7oliticians
- 9ilitary 8fficers
*+ 'ebruary ,*-+
Interview Mr. Rahul Kumar Sinha + of -.
&eadin, and -ecidin,
2hat *ood &oo%s &i%e1
- 3cts decisively and takes responsibility.
- Is prepared to make difficult decisions and take calculated risks.
- %mpowers# develops and motivates others.
- 6efines roles and responsibilities and coordinates others.
- <ecognises and rewards good performance and builds effective teams.
/0ample Interview 'uestions1
3utline a situation that re4uired you to ta%e a particularly 4uic% and definitive
decision.
- (hat factors did you take into account when making your decision=
- 1ow comfortable were you at having to make such a "uick decision=
- 1ow might your decision have been different if you had had more time to consider the
issues involved=
5ell me a.out a time when you had to ta%e char,e of a ,roup of people in order
to achieve a particularly important outcome.
- 1ow did it come about that you took this leadership role=
- 1ow did others respond to you in this role=
- 1ow would you describe your leadership style in this situation and how effective was it
on this occasion=
*ive me an e0ample of somethin, you have done to .rin, out the .est in
another person or when you created a learnin, opportunity for someone.
- 1ow successful were you in your endeavour=
- (hat does empowerment mean to you as a manager=
- (hat skills would you like to improve to aid you to manage and set up learning
opportunities=
*+ 'ebruary ,*-+
Interview Mr. Rahul Kumar Sinha > of -.
Supportin, and Co6operatin,
1 ! " #
(ery li%ely to .e a stren,th
?nderstanding other people# being tolerant and sensitive to their feelings# and treating
them fairly and ethically are important behaviours when working in direct contact with
other people# such as colleagues# clients or customers. (hen working as part of a team
it is very important to support others and cooperate rather than compete. %!pressing
sympathy and considering the emotional needs of others is a key aspect of this
behaviour.
- @urses
- Counsellors
- Aeneral 7ractitioners
- <etail 3ssistants
- Customer 0ervice (orkers
- 3ny job that involves working closely
with a team
- 7uts the team first and offers support to other team members.
- Consults others and recognises their contributions.
- ?nderstands other people# showing sympathy when necessary.
- Tolerates other people4s views and needs.
- 3cts ethically and treats people fairly.
- 7rovides service by responding to client needs# showing courtesy and dealing
appropriately with dissatisfied customers.
*ive me an e0ample of when you had to .e particularly supportive to others in
a team.
- (hat factors did you consider when trying to decide how best to support them=
- 1ow in touch do you think you were with their feelings and concerns=
- 1ow did you identify what type of support was needed=
5ell me a.out the last time that you were faced .y a moral or ethical dilemma
at wor%.
- 1ow did you feel=
- 1ow did you resolve the dilemma=
- (hat factors affected how you dealt with the situation=
*ive me an e0ample of a time when you had to satisfy a particular customer or
client need 7this could .e an internal or e0ternal 8customer89.
- 1ow did you ensure that you set and delivered to agreed timescales and delivery
standards with the customer=
- 1ow did you make sure that the client:customer was fully satisfied with your work=
- 1ow effectively do you think you satisfied the client4s e!pectations=
*+ 'ebruary ,*-+
Interview Mr. Rahul Kumar Sinha B of -.
Interactin, and Presentin,
1 ! " #
In order to win people round to a particular point of view# as in sales-related roles# it is
important to make a good first impression# be confident# convincing and have good
presentation skills. 9ore broadly# to interact successfully with others and build
productive relationships# one needs to be adaptable# take time to build and maintain
people networks# and deal tactfully with any disagreements.
- 0ales 3gents
- 9arketing 9anagers
- 2awyers:Barristers
- <ecruitment Consultants
- 7ublic <elations 9anagers
- 9anagement Consultants
- %state 3gents
- Cuickly establishes lasting and useful relationships with people.
- 0uccessfully negotiates# mediates and persuades.
- Communicates and presents effectively# adapting style to suit the listenerDsE.
5ell me a.out a time when you found it difficult to .uild an effective wor%in,
relationship with a customer or collea,ue.
- 1ow did you deal with this=
- (hat efforts did you make to understand the situation from other people4s
perspective=
- To what e!tent did your relationship change=
-escri.e a situation where you had difficulty persuadin, someone around to
your point of view.
- (hy did you try to persuade him:her=
- 1ow successful were you=
- (hat did you do to try and persuade them and what would you do differently ne!t
time=
5ell me a.out a time when you have had to present ideas or information in a
formal settin, to others 7such as a presentation to a ,roup of people9.
- 1ow did you feel during the presentation=
- 1ow did you decide what style to adopt in the presentation=
- 1ow do you feel the presentation went# and what feedback did you receive=
*+ 'ebruary ,*-+
Interview Mr. Rahul Kumar Sinha F of -.
:nalysin, and Interpretin,
1 ! " #
Moderately li%ely to .e a stren,th
These behaviours are important for roles re"uiring good analytical skills. (hen working
with information or solving problems# it is important to evaluate and review critically
and produce solutions that are rational# practical and based on evidence.
Communicating information and ideas effectively in writing and sharing e!pertise with
others is essential for knowledge to disseminate through an organisation.
- %conomists
- 7hysicists
- 7olitical 3nalysts
- %ngineers
- 0tatisticians
- Computer 0cientists
- 3ctuaries
- IT 3nalysts
- Business 3nalysts
- Aathers information and evaluates it critically
- 9akes rational judgements and produces solutions to problems.
- (rites in an engaging style and adapts writing style to suit the intended reader.
- 0hares information and e!pertise with others.
- 3ctively seeks to develop job knowledge and skills and to learn about the organisation
and its market.
-escri.e a ;ud,ement that you have had to ma%e that re4uired you to .e
especially rational and o.;ective.
- To what e!tent did your final judgement differ from your own initial view of the
situation=
- 1ow typical was this of your usual approach when analysing issues or problems=
- (hat information did you collect to ensure that you remained objective=
2hat type of written documents do you produce in your current 7most recent9
role<
- (hich of these do you find most difficult or challenging to produce and why=
- 1ow much do you enjoy this aspect of your work=
- 1ow do you decide how to structure your written work and the level at which to pitch
it=
- (hat feedback have you received about your written communication at work=
2hen was the last time you attended any %ind of trainin,<
- (hat did it involve=
- 1ow did you apply the information=
- (hat feedback did you receive after the training=
*+ 'ebruary ,*-+
Interview Mr. Rahul Kumar Sinha $ of -.
Creatin, and Conceptualisin,
1 ! " #
'uite li%ely to .e a stren,th
Creativity and imagination are crucial for tasks and roles that re"uire producing
something new and original. It is not only creativity that drives innovation# but also
providing the right environment for new ideas to flourish. 3ll areas of work have
emerging knowledge or technology# and it is important to be open to these new ideas
and be keen to learn. Concentrating on the big picture and thinking about the long term
are also important for achieving ambitious# long term objectives.
- 'ashion 6esigners
- 7roduct 6esigners
- 3rchitects
- Choreographers
- Creative (riters
- (eb 6evelopers
- Biochemists
- 7hysicists
- 0trategy Consultants
- Aenerates new ideas and readily considers new or unconventional approaches.
- 3nticipates future trends and imagines future possibilities.
- 1as a clear vision of long term goals and develops strategy to achieve them.
*ive me an e0ample of when you have shown creativity.
- Talk me through the processes that you went through when generating ideas or
alternatives. 1ow many alternatives did you generate=
- 1ow did you decide which idea or alternatives to apply in practice=
- 1ow well did your ideaDsE work in practice=
*ive me an e0ample of a time when you used a less common approach to wor%.
- (hy did you choose to follow this approach=
- (hy do you think your approach was different=
- (hat was the end result=
5o what e0tent has your current 7or previous9 role allowed you to thin%
strate,ically<
- 6escribe the time-scales under which you typically plan and operate.
- 1ow much do you enjoy planning in the longer term=
- 6escribe your role in a strategic planning process in which you have been involved.
- 1ow do you go about balancing day-to-day issues with those that are more long term=
*+ 'ebruary ,*-+
Interview Mr. Rahul Kumar Sinha G of -.
3r,anisin, and /0ecutin,
1 ! " #
3ll employers want people who are organised# conscientious# committed# follow rules
and can be relied upon to work on a task independently. These "ualities are particularly
important for busy roles where accurate and reliable e!ecution is the key. (hen
planning and managing projects# or scheduling and organising events# it is important to
prioritise# multitask and use time effectively. 6elivering work of high "uality re"uires
commitment# effort and an eye for detail.
- 3uditors
- Computer 0ystems 3dministrators
- 7roject 9anagers
- 3viation Inspectors
- 3ccountants
- 7ersonal 3ssistants
- 'acilities 9anagers
- 1ealth and 0afety Inspectors
- 7roduction 9anagers
- (orks towards high standards and constantly monitors and improves own
performance.
- 6evelops realistic and achievable plans breaking work down into manageable parts.
- (orks systematically# setting objectives and prioritising effectively.
- ?ses time efficiently and monitors progress against deadlines and milestones.
- Is committed to e!cellence and the organisation.
- 3ccepts direction and complies with rules.
- Is dependable and works well autonomously.
2hat is the most challen,in, pro;ect or piece of wor% that you have had to
or,anise<
- 1ow did you structure the project and your planning of it=
- (hat made this project so challenging=
- 2ooking back# how could you have been better prepared or organised=
*ive me an e0ample of when you had to wor% to an important deadline.
- (hy was this deadline so important and what did you do to ensure it was met=
- To what e!tent did you meet the deadline and all that it re"uired=
- (hat feedback did you receive afterwards=
Can you tell me a.out a time when it was essential that you followed clear
policies or procedures<
- 1ow typical is it for you to follow rules and procedures in a situation like this=
- 1ow successful were you in following these policies and procedures closely=
- 1ow do you feel when operating in areas that do not have such clear policies and
procedures=
*+ 'ebruary ,*-+
Interview Mr. Rahul Kumar Sinha -* of -.
:daptin, and Copin,
1 ! " #
9ost organisations go through periods of change or high pressure and some jobs are
likely to involve uncertain or stressful situations on a regular basis. 3djusting and not
feeling threatened in unfamiliar environments re"uires fle!ibility and the acceptance of
change as a normal part of life. %ffectively coping with pressure# setbacks or criticism
re"uires the ability to stay calm# view things positively and switch off from work when
rela!ing.
- 7olice 6etectives
- ?mpires:<eferees
- 9ental 1ealth Counsellors
- 0ales 9anagers
- 'ire 0ervice (orker
- %!patriate (orkers
- 3dapts and responds well to change.
- <emains composed and effective in ambiguous or uncertain situations.
- (orks productively under pressure and rela!es outside work.
- Heeps emotions under control and maintains a positive attitude despite setbacks.
- ?ses criticism constructively and does not dwell on unfair criticism.
2hat is the ,reatest chan,e that you have had to adapt to recently<
- 1ow was the need for change identified and what was its impact upon you=
- 1ow much variety do you like in your day-to-day work role=
- (hat do you view as the benefits Dand any disadvantagesE of the changes=
-escri.e a situation when you had to wor% under a hi,h de,ree of pressure.
- 1ow did you feel while you were under this amount of pressure=
- 6o you think others would have noticed a change in your behaviour during this time=
- (hat did you do to help you cope with this pressure and what might you do differently
if this situation arose again=
5ell me a.out a time when you were unfairly criticised.
- (hy do you think this happened=
- 1ow did you respond=
- (hat was the outcome=
*+ 'ebruary ,*-+
Interview Mr. Rahul Kumar Sinha -- of -.
/nterprisin, and Performin,
1 ! " #
6emanding and results-oriented roles need "go-getting" and driven people# who are
ambitious and constantly stretch themselves to achieve goals. 7eople who work hard#
persist and push themselves to the limit are generally the top performers in any
organisation. In addition to drive# thinking commercially is a key behaviour for
generating new business and ma!imising revenues.
- 0ales 3gents
- 0tockbrokers
- 'inancial 8fficers
- <etail Buyers
- Treasurers
- Bankers
- 3ny target:results orientated job
- (orks energetically and enthusiastically and shows persistence.
- 3cts on own initiative and seeks new challenges and demanding goals.
- Thinks commercially# prioritising financial considerations and actively seeking
opportunities for new business.
-escri.e some particularly stretchin, tar,ets that you have wor%ed towards.
- 1ow were these targets set=
- 1ow motivating do you find targets like this=
- 1ow successful were you in reaching them=
5o what e0tent does your current 7previous9 role re4uire you to ta%e a
commercial view of the or,anisation=s performance<
- (hat personal targets do you have in relation to commercial success=
- 1ow# and to what e!tent# do you measure your own performance against these kinds
of factors=
- 1ow important is this in terms of your motivation=
*ive me an e0ample of a time when you spotted a ,ood .usiness opportunity.
- (hat was this opportunity=
- (hy did you think it was worthwhile=
- (hat was the outcome=
*+ 'ebruary ,*-+
Interview Mr. Rahul Kumar Sinha -, of -.
:B3$5 5)IS R/P3R5
The report herein is generated from the results of a "uestionnaire answered by the
respondentDsE and substantially reflects the answers made by them. 6ue consideration
must be given to the subjective nature of "uestionnaire-based ratings in the interpretation
of this data.
This report has been generated electronically - the user of the software can make
amendments and additions to the te!t of the report.
012 Aroup 2imited and its associated companies cannot guarantee that the contents of this
report are the unchanged output of the computer system. (e can accept no liability for the
conse"uences of the use of this report and this includes liability of every kind Dincluding
negligenceE for its contents.
This report has been prepared by 012 as part of an 012 <esearch project and is not
commercially available. It is not intended to provide information for selection procedures.
www.ceb.shl.com
/ ,*-+ 012# a part of C%B. 3ll rights reserved. 012 and 87C are trademarks of 012 Aroup
2imited which is registered in the ?nited Hingdom and other countries.
The 012 ?niversal Competency 'ramework is protected by copyright / ,**+ - ,*-+# 012
Aroup 2imited# and is trade mark of 012 Aroup 2imited.
*+ 'ebruary ,*-+
Interview Mr. Rahul Kumar Sinha -. of -.

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