I am still not convinced. You managed to spell competency incorrectly in your paragraph there (Compentenxy). You wouldn't have got the job right away just based on that no matter how good you may have been.
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Competency based interview
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CatfordCat
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In theory, competency based interviews are the best approach - it's fairer if all candidates are asked the same questions, and the interviewer/s are not making any assumptions about the candidate. It's also a reasonable way of getting the feel for whether candidate can expand on what they said in their CV / application or whether it was a load of old flannel.
In theory, it is asking about experience that will be relevant to the job in question rather than a load of hypothetical 'what would you do if...' questions - and a candidate's experience could have been gained from something that's not similar to the current job - some skills / experience suitable for some jobs could have come from voluntary work / studying / caring for relatives and so on.
A downside is that a carefully rehearsed single 'good example' can score higher than a depth of experience across a broad area.
I have had competency based interviews that have felt more like a good natter down the pub (albeit without a pint) with someone in my line of business, talking about stuff I've done in the past and what they / their organisation does (and have had job offers from such interviews.)
I've also had competency based interviews carried out by some HR automaton, who knows very little about the realities of the job, asking very rigid and narrow 'give one example of a time you did X' questions, and basically scoring you on coming out with the buzzwords they have got listed as their 'right' answers. I've tended to be less successful with them...
As with most things in life, there's ways of doing things.
In theory, it is asking about experience that will be relevant to the job in question rather than a load of hypothetical 'what would you do if...' questions - and a candidate's experience could have been gained from something that's not similar to the current job - some skills / experience suitable for some jobs could have come from voluntary work / studying / caring for relatives and so on.
A downside is that a carefully rehearsed single 'good example' can score higher than a depth of experience across a broad area.
I have had competency based interviews that have felt more like a good natter down the pub (albeit without a pint) with someone in my line of business, talking about stuff I've done in the past and what they / their organisation does (and have had job offers from such interviews.)
I've also had competency based interviews carried out by some HR automaton, who knows very little about the realities of the job, asking very rigid and narrow 'give one example of a time you did X' questions, and basically scoring you on coming out with the buzzwords they have got listed as their 'right' answers. I've tended to be less successful with them...
As with most things in life, there's ways of doing things.
kevconnor
Member
That comes from trying to write out a long post on an IPod and not proof reading it. Instant rejection.
What I think you may have been getting at before as an alternative is almost like a work trial, get the person doing some aspect of the job. That can and does work well in some situations, but is limited and if used wrongly or badly could unfairly favour older candidates.
No selection method is ever 100% and most are a marriage of convenience and necessity but it is a good method, though I accept it's possible to coach someone to pass a poorly constructed or simplistic competency based interview.
What I think you may have been getting at before as an alternative is almost like a work trial, get the person doing some aspect of the job. That can and does work well in some situations, but is limited and if used wrongly or badly could unfairly favour older candidates.
No selection method is ever 100% and most are a marriage of convenience and necessity but it is a good method, though I accept it's possible to coach someone to pass a poorly constructed or simplistic competency based interview.
About half of what you said agrees that competency based interviews aren't that good.
You would have failed a very simply constructed competency based interview. Do you think that would be fair?
Hope your interview went well mate! How did you find it, I have one next week for the same position and just wondering what to expect? Was it pretty in-depth, I’m expecting so!
Olikay93
Member
Hi matey sorry for the late reply! I feel it went well mate, so fingers crossed! They asked me things to do with coping with stress, bringing the best out of people, a lot of the questions where can you tell me about a time when... give specific examples mate, it scores you more points so try think of a few up before you interview. Just remember customer service and team work. It wasn't that in depth mate, just going through your experiences really, all in all I felt like it was a nice interview. They helped you out and ask for more info to get you more points of needed. Just don't stress mate, take your time and you'll be fine, remember you've passed the assessment day so you have the qualities they want! Good luck and hopefully see you on the other side my man!
Nice one, good luck to you both.
Olikay93
Member
That's mate you going for it to?
Olikay93
Member
Haha I've only just read this post! I appreciate that matey! I hope I do to, will keep you guys updated. I took the interview last Thursday so hoping I might here by the end of this week if I'm lucky. Fingers crossed
Indeed chief. Fingers crossed. No worries by the way. Ha ha. Hopefully you get good news through the post or via the gift of e mail this week.
No worries! Thanks so much for the info, that’s a really big help! Glad it was a nice interview, sounds quite chilled and relaxed which is good to know! Hope you hear back soon with some good news, bit cheeky keeping you waiting so long!
Iskra
Established Member
I think it's fairly normal to get mauled in your first competency-based interview. The key- like with all things in life- is how you recover from it.
There's a lot of idealism being floated in this thread, just to bring it back down to earth: there is no such thing as perfect recruitment and I doubt there ever will be.
Re: the SAS everyone who joins the army will have passed an interview at somepoint.
There's a lot of idealism being floated in this thread, just to bring it back down to earth: there is no such thing as perfect recruitment and I doubt there ever will be.
Re: the SAS everyone who joins the army will have passed an interview at somepoint.
Olikay93
Member
No problem, When's your interview? I know, they took a good couple of weeks to get me an interview date so don't think they rush to much lol. Ill give it until Monday and if I hear nothing I'll give them a call
Did you ever hear back Oli? I still haven’t had the outcome from mine!
Olikay93
Member
Hi mate! Yes I did, after chasing them mind. They have offered me the job starting January 15th. I'd call up mate I chased them after a week then 2 weeks after interview, called and emailed. I'd get calling and emailing mate try get an answer before Christmas. How do you feel it went?
Ah great news! Well done, nice quick start date too! You must be well chuffed!
Yeah I thought it went well actually, although they did say there was currently no positions for Sheffield so would probably be in the hold pool anyway. I’ll chase them up and see if they have any news!
Yeah I thought it went well actually, although they did say there was currently no positions for Sheffield so would probably be in the hold pool anyway. I’ll chase them up and see if they have any news!
Olikay93
Member
Dead chuffed mate! Can't wait to get started! Let me know when your hear mate, to be honest I was told no positions available until the interview at which point they told me the start date was 15th January
All the best. Great news for the new year.
Olikay93
Member
Thanks mate! Hope everyone's had a good Christmas and have a cracking new year!
Just heard back from Vibha! I got the job! In the hold pool now waiting for Sheffield vacancies, hopefully one comes along within the next 12 months!
Olikay93
Member
That's brilliant mate well done! How you feeling? Did they give you any time scales at all?
Congratulations mate, hopefully you get something soon.
Robin Edwards
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- 1 Dec 2013
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- 682
I work for a large Multi-National company that employs professionals all over the world and recruited from all over the world and from all cultures. The recruitment process will always want to ensure that an applicant selected is competent for the role required and if the person(s) carrying out the interview or recruitment process isn't able to weed out the "talkers" from those who may have a more "reserved" personality, they would be failing in my opinion. To suggest that a competence-based process is weighted against those people from some parts of the globe is again in my opinion, not true as a generalisation. As an applicant, not to be able to speak up about the positivity that one can bring to a role without it being "blowing smoke from one's arse" is quite frankly a nonsense regardless of your nationality or culture.
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