Attitude, experience or knowledge? Which of these three aspects do companies value most when choosing the candidate to occupy a position? Competencies and attitudes such as proactivity and motivation are increasingly valued by companies, especially when it comes to filling management positions and middle management. For this reason, competency interviews are becoming more and more common.
What are the features of competency interviews?
These types of interviews focus on the candidate’s attitudes and competences, which will not only demonstrate their professionalism, but will also show how they face situations and whether their way of working will match the company’s needs.
Experts in personnel recruitment opt for using competency interviews because these are an effective means of assessing whether the person will adapt to the position. Through the questions they ask, the recruiters are able to discern whether the candidate is aligned with the values of the company and whether they will fit in with the work team. Skills and competences are analysed, such as the ability to lead, to work as part of a team and to relate to their colleagues as well as their reasons for seeking this new position. In this way they aim to make sure that they are the ideal person, able to meet the company’s needs, and that at the same time that the company will meet the expectations of the candidate.
Questions in competency interviews
Making sure that the candidate’s profile is completely in line with what the company is looking for is one of the main difficulties that the recruiters face, and this is where the questions in competency interviews play a fundamental role in ensuring success.
To face an interview of this kind it is essential that the candidate who is thinking of making a change and seeking a better position, carries out an analysis exercise and gets ready for the interview by preparing their possible answers. To do this, they should analyse the skills and competencies that are required and above all be themselves during the interview. Talking about situations which they have experienced and where they have proven their worth will also help them to show how they work and their skills.
Examples of competency interviews
The questions in these types of interviews should be aimed at finding out what the candidate is really like and whether they would be able to undertake the role on a daily basis.
How do you react to situations of stress, in which you must resolve the situation immediately? Have you ever found yourself in a complicated situation which you have been able to resolve successfully? Why do you want to change jobs? What interests you particularly about our company? What do you think they can contribute? All of these are examples of competency interviews questions. Each of them provides valuable information, so it is essential that the recruiter knows the role to be undertaken and the company’s culture very well.
Nowadays, experience and knowledge are not the only things taken into account in the selection of personnel. The values and the candidate match with the company are essential both for the people who decide to change jobs and for companies. It involves a process of Matching values, in which both parties are satisfied and in which the competency interview is a vital way of assessing this match.
Are you looking to improve professionally? Claire Joster offers you the best professional opportunities. We are experts in the selection of personnel based on values.