Competency vs behavioural interviews. Know the differences, And what to expect! - Chris Mee Group | CMSE
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Competency vs behavioural interviews. Know the differences, And what to expect!

May 25, 2022 By Catherine Mee Comments are Off

The CMSE Recruitment team are always looking for ways to assist our job candidates to prepare for interviews.

We’ve found over the years that clients can differ greatly in their approaches when it comes to interviewing process.  Two of the most consistently popular interview types that we find are, competency and behavioural. These can both help the Interviewer gain an understanding of each candidate when it comes to experience and approach to work. They also provide the interviewer with a fair way to compare the behaviours and skills of multiple candidates.

What’s the difference between behaviour and competency Interviews?

While both question types usually begin with “Can you tell me about a time when X…” or “Can you give me an example of an time when Y…” , each question type aims to uncover fundamentally different information.

Behavioural Interviews aim to understand the way a candidate works, and their potential fit within the team, based on an organisation’s values and way of operating.

Behavioural questions have no right or wrong answers. The interviewer is looking for examples from your experience which will demonstrate your working style and personal attributes.

Examples of common behavioural interview questions;

  1. Can you tell us about a time when you went above and beyond for a client/customer
  2. Can you give us an example of an occasion where attention to detail was vital and how you completed the task accurately?
  3. Can you give us an example of a time when you’ve been part of a group working toward a specific goal. What was your role in the group?

Alternatively, Competency Interviews aim to assess whether the candidate possesses the relevant skills and knowledge based on the specific job description of a role.

This interview type allows the interviewer to assess your skills, expertise and abilities and determine if you’re at the level of proficiency needed to be successful in the role.

Examples of common competency interview questions ;

  1. Can you tell us about a time when you used your creativity to solve a problem?
  2. Can you describe to us a time when you’ve led a team through a period of change?
  3. Can you describe a time when you were required to use available data / analytics to make an informed decision?

CMSE Recruitment specialises in the recruitment and placement of safety personnel across Environmental, Pharma, Medical Device, Fire Safety, Construction, Process Engineering and more. 

If you’re interested in having a confidential chat about your career progression in EHS, contract or permanent roles please contact the CMSE Recruitment team at 0818 315 415 or [email protected] 

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