Competency-based interviews (CBIs) are designed to assess how you’ve handled situations in the past — because past behaviour is a strong predictor of future performance.
Expect questions like:
🗣️ “Tell me about a time you led a team through a challenging project.”
🗣️ “Describe a situation where you had to influence a stakeholder.”
Each question links back to a core competency — such as leadership, problem-solving, adaptability, or communication.
How to prepare:
Use the STAR method:
- Situation – set the scene
- Task – what needed to be done
- Action – what you did
- Result – what was achieved
Pro tip: Re-read the job description and identify which competencies are key. Prepare 4–5 strong examples that you can adapt to different questions.
In executive search, we use competency-based interviews all the time — and a strong, structured answer can set you apart.
