COMPETENCY BASED INTERVIEWS
Criteria for evaluating competencies
Competencies describe all work related personal attributes, knowledge, experience, skills and values that a person draws on to perform their work well.
Competency based questions are either:
- Situational - where the candidate is presented with a potential future scenario and asked how they would be likely to handle it, or
- Behavioural - which work on the basis that the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour.
Candidates are asked to give examples of how they have acted in particular situations in the past.
Criteria
Strategic Thinking:
The ability to maintain a broad overview of business challenges. Drives the business forward to achieve long-term goals while realising short-term goals. Can recognise new patterns and creates new concepts or models to explain situations. Identifies, develops and communicates new ideas or processes which challenge established methods and prompt new opportunities for the business. Identifies key or underlying issues in complex situations.
Judgement and Decision Making
The ability to seek out and sift relevant information and assess the issues. Makes rapid decisions that respond to the short-term pressures yet do not compromise company’s long-term strategies. Identifies and evaluates relevant information, draws logical conclusions based on objective evidence.
Problem Solving
The ability to identify a problem and break it down into its constituent parts. Linking together and evaluating information from different sources, and identifying possible causes of the problem.
Achievment and Results Orientation
Displays a strong desire to achieve results, and has strong sense of urgency, setting stretching targets and working hard to achieve challenging goals. Makes best use of own and other's skills
Confidence, Resilience and Self Awareness
Demonstrates self-confidence in the business environment, shown in terms of direction, drive, self-confidence and conviction that a good job will be done, thereby giving others reassurance. The ability to stand up for what one believes is right. Is clear and in control, states own position strongly.
Negotiating, Negotiating, Negotiating
Able to gain agreement or acceptance for ideas or action plan through influence, persuasion or negotiation; looks for win/win solutions
Teamwork
Achieves results by working with others. Able to collaborate effectively across different functions/areas in the organisation. Appropriate style and approach to leadership -involves others and demonstrates support. Leads by example, gains respect from others through merit rather than status.
Customer Focus
The desire and willingness to address the needs of others. Pays close attention to internal and external customers needs with the aim of establishing long-term relationships, striving for ‘partnerships’ rather than traditional customer-supplier interface.
Communication
Conveys information clearly, accurately and convincingly both orally and in writing. Recognises the importance of listening to and understanding needs of others.
Continuous Development
Reviews own performance and actively identifies own learning needs and opportunities. Is effective in applying new learning in a work context. Looks for opportunities and better ways of doing things.
Planning and Orgnaising
Establishes future priorities and visualises all foreseeable changes required to meet future requirements. Identifies appropriate resource requirements, including staff, to achieve long-term objectives.