“Tell us about a time when…” If those five words make your palms sweat, you’re not alone. Competency based interviews are now one of the most common interview formats in the UK, and they reward candidates who prepare, not those who wing it.

The good news? Once you understand what interviewers are listening for, these interviews become far more predictable. Here’s what you need to know, plus how to get our free 2026 guide with almost 100 practice questions.

What is a competency based interview?

A competency based interview, sometimes called a structured interview, tests specific skills by asking you for real examples of when you’ve used them. Your answers are then scored against criteria the panel agreed before you walked in.

So rather than “Are you good under pressure?”, you’ll hear “Give us an example of a time you worked under pressure.” The interviewer wants evidence, not opinion.

The competencies tested depend on the role, but the most common include leadership, communication, adaptability, conflict management, decisiveness, influencing, integrity, resilience and teamwork.

What questions will you be asked?

 

Most questions ask for an example, but they don’t always arrive in the same format. Interviewers often open with a general question, then dig deeper with a specific one. 

 

For example:

• “How do you manage upwards?” followed by “Give us an example of a time you fundamentally disagreed with a superior.”
• “How do you influence people when agendas conflict?”
• “Tell us about a situation where you made a decision and then changed your mind.”

Expect the uncomfortable ones too. Panels regularly ask about your biggest failure, a time you delegated to the wrong person, or when you were less successful as a leader than you’d hoped. These questions test self-awareness, so a candid answer with a clear lesson scores well.

How your answers are scored

Before the interview, the panel decides which behaviours earn points (positive indicators) and which lose them (negative indicators). Take “Describe a time when you had to deal with pressure”:

• Positive: a constructive approach, recognising your own limits, seeking help when needed, using effective coping strategies.
• Negative: treating challenges as problems, trying and failing to handle it alone, using inappropriate strategies.

Some negatives are “decisive”, meaning the panel won’t overlook them. Not asking for help when you clearly needed it is a classic example. Each answer is then typically marked on a scale like this:

Score	Rating	What it means
0	No evidence	No evidence reported
1	Poor	Few positive indicators; mostly negative, many decisive
2	Areas for concern	Limited positives; many negatives, one or more decisive
3	Satisfactory	Good positives; some negatives, none decisive
4	Good to excellent	Strong display of positive indicators

Use the STAR method

The STAR method is the most widely recognised way to structure your answers. Many interviewers are trained in it, and even those who aren’t will notice a well-organised story.

1. Situation: Set the scene briefly. Include only the context the listener needs.
2. Task: Explain what you needed to achieve and what your role was.
3. Action: The heart of your answer. Say what you did, how and why. Use “I”, not “we”, and avoid unnecessary jargon.
4. Result (and reflect): Share the outcome, using numbers where you can, and what you learned.

The Action and Result are where most marks are won. Panels want to see that you acted deliberately to reach a specific goal, not that things worked out by chance.

How to prepare

The aim is to arrive with your stories ready, so you’re not scrambling for examples on the day.

• Study the job description. Read it, then read it again. If you’re working with a consultant, take detailed notes on their brief. Both will tell you which competencies are likely to come up.
• Map your examples. For each likely competency, pick one or two real situations from your career that show it clearly.
• Write them out in STAR format. Then practise saying them aloud until they flow naturally without sounding rehearsed.
• Prepare for the tough questions. Have a failure, a conflict and a mistake ready, each with a clear lesson.

Ready to put this into practice? Our free 2026 guide gives you everything in one place:

• Almost 100 real competency questions across 19 competencies, from adaptability to sensitivity to others
• A step-by-step breakdown of the STAR method, with tips for each stage
• How interview panels score your answers, including the indicators that win and lose marks
• Practical advice on preparing your examples

Keep it open while you prep, test yourself on the questions, and walk into your next interview knowing what’s coming.

If you would like a copy of our free guide email enquiries@paulharpersearch.co.uk and we will send a copy to you.

Paul Harper MBA ACII Dip PFS

Managing Director, Paul Harper Search