Top 30 Most Common What Are Competency Based Questions You Should Prepare For
Written by
James Miller, Career Coach
Landing your dream job often hinges on how well you navigate the interview process. Beyond discussing your skills and experience, interviewers want to understand how you've applied those abilities in real-world situations. This is where what are competency based questions become crucial. Unlike traditional questions that ask what you would do, competency-based questions delve into your past actions to predict future performance. Preparing for these questions is key to demonstrating your capabilities effectively. Understanding what are competency based questions and practicing your responses using structured methods like STAR can significantly boost your confidence and performance. This article will guide you through understanding what are competency based questions and provide a list of 30 common examples with tips on how to answer them effectively, helping you showcase your strengths and land the role. Mastering what are competency based questions is an essential step in modern job searching.
What Are what are competency based questions?
What are competency based questions? These are interview questions designed to assess specific skills, behaviors, or competencies required for a job role. Instead of asking hypothetical questions ("How would you handle a difficult client?"), they ask for concrete examples from your past experiences ("Tell me about a time you had to handle a difficult client"). The underlying principle is that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. Companies use what are competency based questions to evaluate a candidate's practical skills, such as teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, communication, and adaptability, by analyzing real-life scenarios they have faced. Preparing specific, detailed examples using frameworks like the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is vital for effectively answering what are competency based questions and demonstrating your relevant capabilities. These questions help interviewers gain insight into your typical reactions and approaches in professional settings.
Why Do Interviewers Ask what are competency based questions?
Interviewers ask what are competency based questions for several strategic reasons. Firstly, they provide objective evidence of your skills and competencies. Anyone can say they are a good problem-solver, but a well-structured answer to a competency-based question demonstrates how you solved a specific problem. This makes the evaluation less subjective and more data-driven. Secondly, what are competency based questions help predict future behavior. By understanding how you handled challenges or demonstrated skills in the past, interviewers can gauge how you are likely to perform in similar situations within their organization. Thirdly, they reveal crucial soft skills and behavioral traits that are often difficult to assess through standard questions. What are competency based questions uncover your thought process, resilience, emotional intelligence, and how you interact with others under pressure. Effectively answering what are competency based questions allows interviewers to build a clearer picture of you as an employee beyond your technical qualifications.
Preview List
Describe a situation where you had to work in a team.
Give an example of a time when you showed initiative.
Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a conflict.
Can you give an example of a time when you took on a leadership role?
Tell me about a time when you had to convey complex information to a non-technical audience.
Describe a situation where you faced a difficult problem. How did you solve it?
Give an example of a time when you had to adapt to a change in plans or circumstances.
Tell me about a time when you took responsibility for a mistake.
Describe a situation where you had to make a strategic decision.
Tell me about a time when you had to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
Give an example of a successful collaboration you were part of.
Describe a time when you went above and beyond for a customer.
Tell me about a time when you came up with an innovative solution.
Give an example of a time when you had to convince someone to do something.
Describe a time when you had to plan and organize a project.
Tell me about a time when you had to manage your emotions in a difficult situation.
Give an example of a time when you had to make a difficult decision.
Describe a situation where you had to analyze data to make a decision.
Tell me about a time when you built a strong relationship with a colleague or client.
Give an example of a time when you received and acted on feedback.
Describe a time when you had to adjust to a new process or system.
Tell me about a time when you motivated others.
Give an example of a time when you had to explain a complex concept to someone.
Tell me about a time when you faced an obstacle. How did you overcome it?
Describe a situation where you learned something new and applied it.
Give an example of a time when you managed a crisis.
Tell me about a time when you had to negotiate something.
Describe a time when you had to deliver results under pressure.
Give an example of a time when you mentored or coached someone.
Tell me about a time when you had to manage stakeholders with different needs.
1. Describe a situation where you had to work in a team.
Why you might get asked this:
To assess your ability to collaborate, communicate within a group, and contribute effectively towards a common goal, demonstrating essential teamwork skills.
How to answer:
Use STAR. Outline the team context, your specific role/task, the actions you took to support the team, and the collective positive outcome.
Example answer:
Situation: Led a project with tight deadlines requiring cross-departmental input. Task: Ensure collaboration and timely delivery. Action: Facilitated regular check-ins, assigned roles clearly, and mediated minor disagreements. Result: Project delivered on time, exceeding client expectations.
2. Give an example of a time when you showed initiative.
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your proactivity and willingness to take ownership and action without explicit direction, showing drive and potential leadership.
How to answer:
Describe a problem or opportunity you identified yourself, the action you took without being asked, and the positive impact it had.
Example answer:
Situation: Noticed a recurring inefficiency in a reporting process. Task: Improve accuracy and speed. Action: Researched automation tools, proposed a solution to management, and implemented it. Result: Reduced reporting time by 20% and eliminated errors.
3. Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a conflict.
Why you might get asked this:
Tests your interpersonal skills, ability to handle disagreements constructively, and find mutually acceptable solutions in stressful situations.
How to answer:
Explain the conflict, your approach to understanding perspectives, the steps you took to mediate or resolve it, and the resolution reached.
Example answer:
Situation: Two team members disagreed fundamentally on a project strategy. Task: Resolve tension and align the team. Action: Held a mediated discussion allowing each person to voice concerns; found common ground on objectives. Result: Team agreed on a hybrid approach, restoring collaboration.
4. Can you give an example of a time when you took on a leadership role?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your ability to guide, motivate, and direct others towards achieving a shared objective, demonstrating leadership potential.
How to answer:
Describe a time you stepped up, outlining the project or team, your actions in leading (planning, delegating, motivating), and the successful outcome achieved under your guidance.
Example answer:
Situation: Team project lacked direction after initial kickoff. Task: Provide leadership to ensure success. Action: Organized roles, set clear milestones, facilitated brainstorming, and kept team motivated through challenges. Result: Project completed successfully and received positive stakeholder feedback.
5. Tell me about a time when you had to convey complex information to a non-technical audience.
Why you might get asked this:
Measures your communication clarity, ability to simplify technical concepts, and tailor your message to different audiences effectively.
How to answer:
Describe the complex information, identify your non-technical audience, explain how you simplified or presented it, and the positive feedback or outcome.
Example answer:
Situation: Needed to explain a complex data analysis project to the marketing team. Task: Ensure they understood implications for campaigns. Action: Used analogies, avoided jargon, and created simple visual summaries. Result: Marketing team understood insights and adjusted strategy successfully.
6. Describe a situation where you faced a difficult problem. How did you solve it?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your analytical skills, critical thinking, and ability to troubleshoot effectively under pressure, demonstrating problem-solving capabilities.
How to answer:
Outline the difficult problem, the steps you took to analyze it, the solution you developed and implemented, and the positive results achieved.
Example answer:
Situation: Critical system bug appeared unexpectedly days before launch. Task: Identify and fix quickly. Action: Systematically isolated the bug, researched potential fixes, tested solutions rigorously, and deployed a patch. Result: Bug resolved, launch proceeded on time without further issues.
7. Give an example of a time when you had to adapt to a change in plans or circumstances.
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your flexibility, resilience, and ability to adjust quickly and effectively when faced with unexpected shifts, crucial in dynamic environments.
How to answer:
Describe the original plan, the unexpected change, how you quickly assessed the new situation, adjusted your approach, and still achieved desired outcomes.
Example answer:
Situation: Project scope changed significantly mid-way due to market shift. Task: Realign project goals and timeline. Action: Reworked the project plan, reprioritized tasks, communicated changes clearly to the team, and managed resources effectively. Result: Project completed successfully, meeting the new requirements.
8. Tell me about a time when you took responsibility for a mistake.
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your honesty, accountability, and maturity to own errors and learn from them, crucial for building trust and continuous improvement.
How to answer:
Explain the mistake, clearly state you were responsible, describe the steps you took to rectify it, and what you learned from the experience.
Example answer:
Situation: Missed a crucial detail in a report I submitted. Task: Correct the error and ensure data integrity. Action: Immediately informed my manager, corrected the report, and implemented a checklist for future work to prevent recurrence. Result: Error corrected quickly; implemented system improved future accuracy.
9. Describe a situation where you had to make a strategic decision.
Why you might get asked this:
Tests your ability to think long-term, consider various factors, assess risks, and make choices that align with broader organizational goals.
How to answer:
Outline the strategic context, the decision you needed to make, the factors and potential impacts you considered, the decision made, and the resulting outcome.
Example answer:
Situation: Department faced resource constraints on competing projects. Task: Decide which project to prioritize for funding. Action: Analyzed potential ROI, market impact, and strategic alignment for each; presented recommendation based on long-term value. Result: Prioritized project delivered significant returns, validating the decision.
10. Tell me about a time when you had to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your organizational skills, ability to prioritize, manage time effectively, and handle pressure while juggling various responsibilities.
How to answer:
Describe the situation with multiple tasks/deadlines, explain your method for prioritizing and managing them (e.g., lists, tools), and how you successfully completed them.
Example answer:
Situation: Had three urgent client requests and an internal report due same day. Task: Complete all high-priority tasks efficiently. Action: Created a detailed task list, prioritized based on urgency/impact, time-blocked my schedule, and minimized distractions. Result: All deadlines met successfully.
11. Give an example of a successful collaboration you were part of.
Why you might get asked this:
Similar to teamwork, this question emphasizes your ability to work effectively with others towards a shared outcome, highlighting synergy.
How to answer:
Describe the collaborative project, your specific contributions and interactions with others, how you supported collective efforts, and the positive outcome of the joint work.
Example answer:
Situation: Worked with engineering and marketing teams on a new product launch campaign. Task: Ensure alignment between technical details and messaging. Action: Facilitated joint planning sessions, translated technical features into benefits, and ensured consistent communication. Result: Successful launch with clear messaging and strong market reception.
12. Describe a time when you went above and beyond for a customer.
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your commitment to customer service, willingness to exceed expectations, and understanding of the impact of positive customer experiences.
How to answer:
Describe a customer situation, what was required, and how you proactively took extra steps or dedicated additional effort to ensure exceptional customer satisfaction.
Example answer:
Situation: Client had a complex issue right before a major presentation. Task: Ensure their system worked flawlessly for the event. Action: Stayed late troubleshooting, coordinated with support, and personally verified the fix with the client that evening. Result: Client had a successful presentation and provided glowing feedback.
13. Tell me about a time when you came up with an innovative solution.
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your creativity, ability to think outside the box, and find novel approaches to problems or improve existing processes.
How to answer:
Describe the problem or opportunity that required a new approach, explain your innovative idea, how you developed/implemented it, and the positive impact it had.
Example answer:
Situation: Repetitive data entry task was consuming significant time. Task: Find a more efficient method. Action: Researched scripting options, learned basic code, and wrote a script to automate the process. Result: Reduced task time by 90%, freeing up hours weekly.
14. Give an example of a time when you had to convince someone to do something.
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your influencing and persuasion skills, ability to articulate ideas, build consensus, and gain buy-in from others.
How to answer:
Describe the situation, what you needed to convince someone of, your approach to presenting your case or idea, the arguments you used, and the successful outcome.
Example answer:
Situation: Proposed adopting new software team was resistant to. Task: Get team buy-in for the change. Action: Presented benefits clearly, addressed concerns directly, offered training, and highlighted long-term efficiency gains. Result: Team agreed to trial the software, which was later adopted company-wide.
15. Describe a time when you had to plan and organize a project.
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your project management skills, ability to structure work, set timelines, allocate resources, and ensure tasks are completed efficiently.
How to answer:
Outline the project goal, the steps you took to plan (define scope, create timeline, assign roles), how you organized resources, managed progress, and the successful completion.
Example answer:
Situation: Tasked with planning and executing a departmental training workshop. Task: Organize logistics, content, and attendance. Action: Created a detailed plan with milestones, booked venue/speakers, managed registrations, and prepared materials. Result: Workshop ran smoothly, highly attended, and received positive feedback.
16. Tell me about a time when you had to manage your emotions in a difficult situation.
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and ability to remain professional and composed under stress or provocation.
How to answer:
Describe the difficult situation that challenged you emotionally, explain how you recognized and managed your feelings, and how you maintained professionalism or reached a constructive outcome.
Example answer:
Situation: Received harsh, unfair criticism in a public meeting. Task: Respond professionally without defensiveness. Action: Took a deep breath, listened actively, acknowledged their points without agreeing, and calmly proposed a follow-up to discuss specifics privately. Result: Maintained composure, defused tension, and had a productive follow-up conversation.
17. Give an example of a time when you had to make a difficult decision.
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your judgment, courage to make tough calls, ability to weigh pros and cons, and stand by your choices, especially when outcomes are uncertain or unpopular.
How to answer:
Describe the difficult decision context, the options you considered, the factors that made it hard, your decision-making process, the choice you made, and the outcome.
Example answer:
Situation: Had to decide between two promising project proposals with limited resources. Task: Choose the one with the highest potential impact despite risks. Action: Analyzed data, consulted stakeholders, assessed potential risks/rewards, and chose the project aligning best with long-term strategy. Result: The chosen project proved highly successful, validating the tough choice.
18. Describe a situation where you had to analyze data to make a decision.
Why you might get asked this:
Tests your analytical skills, ability to interpret data, extract insights, and use factual information to inform decisions, demonstrating data-driven thinking.
How to answer:
Describe the decision that required data, the data you collected or analyzed, your analytical process (identifying trends, drawing conclusions), how the data informed your decision, and the result.
Example answer:
Situation: Needed to decide budget allocation for marketing channels. Task: Determine most effective channels based on ROI. Action: Analyzed performance data from various channels (cost per lead, conversion rates, customer acquisition cost). Result: Reallocated budget to top-performing channels, increasing overall campaign ROI by 15%.
19. Tell me about a time when you built a strong relationship with a colleague or client.
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your interpersonal skills, ability to build rapport, establish trust, and maintain productive working relationships with others.
How to answer:
Describe the relationship you built (colleague or client), the initial context, specific actions you took to build rapport and trust, and how the strong relationship benefited the work or team.
Example answer:
Situation: Assigned to a new client known for being difficult. Task: Establish a positive working relationship. Action: Focused on active listening, understanding their needs thoroughly, delivering consistently, and being highly responsive. Result: Built trust over time, leading to a successful, long-term partnership and increased business.
20. Give an example of a time when you received and acted on feedback.
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your openness to criticism, humility, willingness to learn and improve, and ability to use feedback constructively for personal or professional growth.
How to answer:
Describe the feedback you received, how you responded to it (positively, seeking clarification), the specific actions you took based on the feedback, and the resulting improvement or outcome.
Example answer:
Situation: Received feedback that my presentations lacked clear calls to action. Task: Improve clarity and impact. Action: Asked for specific examples, researched effective presentation techniques, and practiced incorporating clear action steps into subsequent talks. Result: Later presentations were more impactful and received positive feedback on clarity.
21. Describe a time when you had to adjust to a new process or system.
Why you might get asked this:
Measures your adaptability, learning agility, and ability to transition smoothly when organizational procedures or tools change.
How to answer:
Describe the old process/system, the new one introduced, the challenges you faced in adjusting, the steps you took to learn/adapt, and how you successfully integrated the new approach.
Example answer:
Situation: Company switched to a completely new CRM software. Task: Learn and use the new system efficiently. Action: Attended all training, explored the software independently, asked questions, and helped train colleagues once proficient. Result: Became a power user quickly, maintaining productivity throughout the transition.
22. Tell me about a time when you motivated others.
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your ability to inspire, encourage, and influence colleagues to perform at their best, especially during challenging times.
How to answer:
Describe a situation where motivation was low or needed a boost, the methods you used to encourage or inspire the team, and the positive impact on their morale or performance.
Example answer:
Situation: Team was discouraged after a project setback. Task: Re-motivate the team to push through. Action: Acknowledged frustrations, refocused on the project's importance, highlighted individual contributions, and celebrated small wins along the way. Result: Team morale improved, and we successfully completed the project.
23. Give an example of a time when you had to explain a complex concept to someone.
Why you might get asked this:
Similar to conveying complex information, this assesses your ability to simplify and clearly articulate difficult ideas to ensure understanding across different knowledge levels.
How to answer:
Describe the complex concept, identify the audience, explain the techniques you used to simplify and communicate it effectively (e.g., analogies, visuals), and confirm their understanding.
Example answer:
Situation: Had to explain blockchain technology basics to marketing interns. Task: Make it understandable and relevant to their work. Action: Used simple analogies (like a shared digital ledger), focused on core concepts, and related it to familiar online processes. Result: Interns grasped the concept and contributed relevant ideas for campaigns.
24. Tell me about a time when you faced an obstacle. How did you overcome it?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your resilience, problem-solving skills, determination, and ability to persevere and find solutions when confronted with difficulties.
How to answer:
Describe the specific obstacle you encountered, explain why it was challenging, detail the steps you took to tackle and overcome it, and the successful outcome.
Example answer:
Situation: Key data needed for a project was inaccessible due to a technical issue. Task: Get the required data to proceed. Action: Collaborated with IT to diagnose the issue, explored alternative data sources, and created a temporary workaround to keep the project moving while awaiting a permanent fix. Result: Obtained necessary data, prevented project delay, and the technical issue was resolved.
25. Describe a situation where you learned something new and applied it.
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your curiosity, initiative in learning, and ability to quickly acquire and utilize new skills or knowledge to benefit your work or team.
How to answer:
Describe what you learned (skill, tool, knowledge), the context or motivation for learning it, how you acquired it, and a specific instance where you successfully applied it.
Example answer:
Situation: Realized basic data visualization skills were needed for reports. Task: Learn data visualization. Action: Took an online course, practiced with sample data, and then applied the skills to create clearer, more impactful reports for stakeholders. Result: Reports were better received and easier to understand, improving communication.
26. Give an example of a time when you managed a crisis.
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your ability to remain calm under pressure, make rapid decisions, coordinate efforts, and mitigate damage during unexpected, high-stress situations.
How to answer:
Describe the crisis situation (e.g., system outage, major customer complaint), your immediate actions to assess and stabilize, steps taken to resolve, and the final resolution or lessons learned.
Example answer:
Situation: Major client reported a critical bug halting their operations. Task: Resolve urgently and manage client communication. Action: Assembled a rapid response team, prioritized troubleshooting steps, provided constant client updates, and verified the fix personally. Result: Bug resolved within hours, client was reassured, and potential damage was minimized.
27. Tell me about a time when you had to negotiate something.
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your persuasive skills, ability to find common ground, compromise effectively, and reach mutually beneficial agreements.
How to answer:
Describe the situation requiring negotiation (e.g., resources, deadline, terms), the parties involved, your negotiation strategy, the key points of discussion, and the final outcome or agreement reached.
Example answer:
Situation: Needed an extended deadline for a project due to unforeseen complexities. Task: Negotiate a revised timeline with management. Action: Presented a clear case outlining the reasons, impact of delay, and a realistic new proposal, focusing on delivering quality over speed. Result: Secured a reasonable extension that allowed for successful project completion.
28. Describe a time when you had to deliver results under pressure.
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your ability to perform effectively and maintain quality when facing tight deadlines, high stakes, or stressful circumstances.
How to answer:
Describe the high-pressure situation and the results expected, explain how you managed the pressure (e.g., time management, focus), the specific actions you took, and the successful delivery of results.
Example answer:
Situation: Had to complete a critical report for a board meeting with only 24 hours' notice. Task: Deliver accurate report under extreme time pressure. Action: Prioritized tasks rigorously, focused solely on essential data/analysis, worked efficiently, and double-checked key figures. Result: Report completed and delivered on time, meeting all requirements.
29. Give an example of a time when you mentored or coached someone.
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your leadership, communication, and development skills, demonstrating your ability to support and help others learn and grow.
How to answer:
Describe the person you mentored/coached and their goal or challenge, your approach (listening, advising, teaching), the support or guidance you provided, and the positive impact on their development or performance.
Example answer:
Situation: Mentored a new team member struggling with project workflows. Task: Help them understand processes and gain confidence. Action: Set up regular check-ins, patiently explained steps, provided resources, and offered constructive feedback on their work. Result: Mentee quickly became proficient and a valuable contributor to the team.
30. Tell me about a time when you had to manage stakeholders with different needs.
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your ability to navigate complex relationships, communicate effectively, manage expectations, and balance competing interests among various parties.
How to answer:
Describe the situation involving multiple stakeholders with differing needs or priorities, how you identified and understood their perspectives, your approach to communicating and managing their expectations, and the outcome achieved.
Example answer:
Situation: Managed a project involving Sales (wanted speed), Marketing (wanted unique features), and Finance (wanted low cost). Task: Balance competing needs to deliver a viable product. Action: Met with each group to understand priorities, facilitated joint sessions to find compromises, and communicated trade-offs transparently. Result: Delivered a product that reasonably satisfied key needs for each stakeholder group.
Other Tips to Prepare for a what are competency based questions
Understanding what are competency based questions is just the first step; effective preparation is crucial for success. Practice is paramount. As leadership expert John Maxwell says, "Success is a journey, not a destination." Your journey through the interview process is improved with practice answering what are competency based questions. Don't just think about answers; speak them aloud. Use the STAR method for every practice response. This structure helps ensure you include all necessary details: the Situation, the Task you needed to complete, the specific Action(s) you took, and the Result you achieved. Tailor your examples to the specific competencies listed in the job description. If they seek problem-solving, have several detailed problem-solving examples ready for their what are competency based questions. Consider using an AI tool like Verve AI Interview Copilot to practice what are competency based questions. Verve AI Interview Copilot can provide feedback on your structure, clarity, and timing. Record yourself answering questions or practice with a friend. Review the job description and company values to anticipate the competencies they will assess with their what are competency based questions. Preparation using resources like Verve AI Interview Copilot at https://vervecopilot.com builds confidence and ensures you can effectively showcase your skills and experiences when facing what are competency based questions in a real interview.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the STAR method for answering what are competency based questions?
A1: STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. It's a structure for organizing your answers to provide a clear, concise example.
Q2: How many examples should I prepare for what are competency based questions?
A2: Prepare 2-3 robust examples for each core competency listed in the job description. Having varied examples is key.
Q3: Should my examples for what are competency based questions always be positive?
A3: While positive outcomes are best, it's okay to discuss challenges or mistakes if you focus on your actions, learning, and growth from the experience.
Q4: How long should an answer to a what are competency based questions be?
A4: Aim for 1-3 minutes per answer. Be detailed enough to provide context and actions but concise enough to keep the interviewer engaged.
Q5: Can I use examples from university or volunteer work for what are competency based questions?
A5: Yes, absolutely. Use relevant examples from any experience (work, academic, volunteer) that clearly demonstrate the required competency.
