Examples of Competency Based Questions
What was the most difficult problem that you have experienced at work and what action did you take?
What has been your biggest achievement and how did you achieve it?
When have you taken a stand against a group on something you felt to be a matter of principle?
What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome to get where you are today? How did you overcome it?
What was the most pressurised work situation you have been in during the last year? How did you handle it and what did you do?
Give me an example of a situation where you have experienced conflict with a work colleague – how did you deal with this conflict and overcome it?
What was your most satisfying (or most disappointing) experience in presenting an idea or proposal and trying to gain support for it from management?
Tell me about a task or project that you have been involved in. What was your role? What did you actually do?
Have you experienced a situation that seemed to be slipping out of control? (If so) what have you done to correct it?
What were your work objectives for last year? Were they achieved? What action did you take when they were first discussed and established?
How well informed do you feel you are in what is going on in other departments of the organisation? How do you keep informed?
What was the biggest decision you made in the last year? What alternatives did you consider? Why did you do it that way?
What work problems have you recently been asked to solve? Tell me about what you did to achieve the solutions?
Tell me about a time when you have gone the ‘extra mile’ for your organisation.
Give me some examples of projects or tasks where you postponed immediate action. Why?
Are you doing a good job? How do you know?
Tell me about some disappointments you have had at work. How did you respond?
Tell me about a time at work when you found that things were not arranged as you had expected or been led to suppose? What did you do? How did you feel? How effective was your behaviour?