Competency Based Interview Questions: How to Prepare

What Are Competency Based Interview Questions?

Competency based interview questions — also called behavioural interview questions — ask you to provide specific examples from your past experience to demonstrate that you have the skills required for the role. Instead of asking "Are you a good communicator?", an interviewer will ask "Tell me about a time you had to communicate complex information to a non-specialist audience."

This format is used by the majority of UK employers, from the NHS and Civil Service to FTSE 100 companies and graduate schemes. Knowing how to answer these questions well is one of the most transferable interview skills you can develop.

The Most Common Competency Based Interview Questions

Teamwork

• Tell me about a time you worked as part of a team to achieve a goal.
• Describe a situation where you had to work with someone you found difficult.
• Give me an example of when you supported a colleague who was struggling.

Leadership

• Tell me about a time you led a team or project.
• Describe a situation where you had to motivate others.
• Give me an example of a decision you made that others disagreed with.

Problem solving

• Tell me about a time you identified a problem and found a solution.
• Describe a situation where you had to think creatively to overcome an obstacle.
• Give me an example of when things didn't go to plan — what did you do?

Communication

• Tell me about a time you had to explain something complex to someone with no specialist knowledge.
• Describe a situation where your communication skills prevented or resolved a misunderstanding.
• Give me an example of when you had to adapt your communication style.

Working under pressure

• Tell me about a time you worked to a tight deadline.
• Describe a situation where you had multiple urgent priorities — how did you manage?
• Give me an example of when you remained calm in a stressful situation.

How to Answer Using the STAR Method

The STAR method is the standard framework for answering competency questions in UK interviews. Structure every answer as follows:

• Situation — Briefly set the context. One or two sentences maximum.
• Task — What was your specific responsibility in that situation?
• Action — What steps did you take? Focus on what you did, not the team.
• Result — What was the outcome? Quantify it where possible.

For a detailed breakdown with worked examples, see our guide to the STAR method interview technique.

How to Prepare Your Competency Examples

1. Read the job description carefully. Identify the core competencies listed and map a STAR example to each one.
2. Build a bank of 6–8 strong examples. Choose versatile stories that can be adapted to cover teamwork, leadership, problem solving, and communication.
3. Write them out in full first. Drafting forces you to find specific details rather than relying on vague recollections.
4. Practise aloud. Aim for answers of two to three minutes. Anything shorter lacks depth; anything longer loses the interviewer.
5. Use recent examples. Aim for the past three to five years. University projects, placements, and voluntary work are all valid if you're early in your career.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Talking about the team instead of yourself. Use "I" not "we" — interviewers are assessing your individual contribution.
• Skipping the Result. Always close the loop. What happened? What did you learn?
• Being too vague. "I communicated effectively" tells the interviewer nothing. Say exactly what you did and why.
• Choosing examples that reflect badly on others. Focus on what you did positively, not what others did wrong.
• Fabricating examples. Interviewers probe with follow-up questions. Use real experiences, even modest ones.

Sector-Specific Competency Questions

Different sectors emphasise different competencies. For NHS-specific questions, see our guide to NHS interview questions UK. For Civil Service roles, see our guide to Civil Service interview questions.