Competency Based Interview Questions

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

I was facilitating a group discussion on interviewing last night. The conversation drifted to the types of questions normally used and of course behavioral questions came up.  The eyes rolled with the discussion of behavioral questioning.   Of course behavioral questioning is based on the assumption that past behaviors are an indicator of future behavior. We all batted around some of the sticky questions from the past and discussed their value.

I then brought up competency-based questioning and asked if anyone was familiar this. Since it’s been reported that more sophisticated companies today are using this method I thought it was a prudent topic for discussion.  No one had anything to say about it except, “what now?”  As if to say, isn’t behavioral enough of a potential trap?

I have to admit, I’m not an expert on Competency-Based Interviewing per se.  But I’ve read Robin Kessler’s book, “Competency-Based Interviews.”  And it’s a good one. But it’s not say that her explanation is that easy to follow.

At the group meeting last night, the ultimate killer question came up.  ”Can you give us an example of a competency-based question.” I couldn’t.  But I told them I would write this post and give examples today.

First it’s important to define what competency means.

Paul Green in his book Building Robust Competencies, defines an  individual competency as a “written description of measurable work habits and personal skills used to achieve a work objective.” Or put another way, Competencies are the basic functional and behavioral requirements to successfully perform on the job. And individual’s competencies are key character traits that the most successful achievers have that help them to be such high achievers.

We have all heard of core competencies, those useful bullets on a resume like loyalty, honesty, reliability, integrity,  the inner core of a persons habits. But take competencies further – functional competencies. These competencies  are the “technical” needs of a job or profession. For example, a functional competency for a IT Administrator might be knowledge of database design and networking solutions, while a functional competency for a HR Manager might be knowledge of Federal and Local hiring regulations.

Individual competencies are the skills, traits, and characteristics that hiring managers identify in the best performers.

So, in giving examples of competency-based questions, in very elementary fashion, I’ll say it’s the  skills, traits and characteristics of a person blended into the fold of a behavioral business situation.

Here goes 3 examples:

1. Explain to us a situation where you had multiple challenging projects with different time priorities to manage. How did you handle it?
2. Tell us about a time when you were instructed to do something you considered unethical. What was the situation and how did you handle it?
3. Describe to us how you helped overcome a department HR problem and what were the end results.

See, how the focus of these questions centers on a specific challenge and questions how you used your problem solving, analytical thinking, or principled values to take action and move the challenge to a successful conclusion?

Suggestion… study up on competencies and the competency-based interviewing groundswell. I’ts not hard if you’re ready for these types of questions.

Comments?

Worst Interview Mistakes Made by Women

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

Since this was a major article by Forbes Women, I thought it worthwhile to pass on.  You judge for yourself.

http://tinyurl.com/n7w8m9

Love to hear your comments?

Overqualified…don’t take it personally.

Monday, July 20th, 2009

It’s pretty much universal in the professional career ranks that “overqualified” means that the company doesn’t know what to do with you, can’t afford you, you’ll make the rest of them look unqualified, we’re looking for younger people, etc .  Don’t blame it on a recruiter, it comes straight from the companies department hiring authorities doctrine.

DO NOT take it personally.  I repeat, don’t let it get to you.  An excuse not to hire you is just exactly that.  An excuse.  It could just as easily have been that they didn’t like your purple tie, or the color of your hair, or that leisure suit, or the wrong degree or something just as stupid. If they call it “overqualified” just chalk it up to just another company who didn’t get it.

If indeed they are looking for a newbie to train, something little more than an intern, then they should say so and indicate you just don’t fit the profile.  But to call it “overqualified” is just lazyness.

In these tough times, the smart companies will take advantage of the “wonderfully experienced and talented” people out there on the market. If the subject begins to peek its head out early in the interview, take liberties early to express how grateful you are to be sitting in an interview with a company who is insightful enough to be seeking experienced people. And somewhere slip in that you will be anxious to be led and learn so much more by such a sophisticated company.

Remember, “overqualified” is just a code work for excuse.  Take heart in that it has nothing to do with you.

Don’t Blow The Interview

Monday, July 20th, 2009

You’ve gotten that all-important interview, next week, oh my gawd, it’s so important to ace it. A salary, benefits, pay the bills, stop the bleeding.  Geez you need to get that job.  But… what if you don’t ace it? What if you give a bad answer? “I better study,” you say to yourself.  But what? So many possible questions, what’r the interviews going to be like? The first bead of sweat appears on your top lip.

Here’s a little bromide for that stress building……….

Ever hear of tonality? The arrangement of all the tones and chords of a composition. Yep.  It’s the same in how we speak: the composition of words, inflection, tone, body language, confidence, pitch, and so on. Studies have shown that a higher percentage of decision making is built on the tonality of the candidate’s presentation. Even more so than the words spoken by the candidate. In the interview it’s important to remember this, chemistry wins out over 95% of the time. And chemistry is the fitting-in with a group. The way a candidate connects with his/her potential company.

So, the need to try and memorize all the possible answers to all those possible tricky questions outlined in that “1,001 Interview Questions” is useless. Staying calm, professional and in control is much more powerful than a correct answer in most cases. It’s not always the “right answer” the hiring managers are looking for. Instead, the way  you answer the question lights up the room.

So, if you get that impossible question, “why are manhole covers round,” don’t let your stress transform your shirt into a dripping sponge. Don’t  let it send you into a blossom of rambling  diatribe. Ever heard the term, “grace under fire?” That’s what it’s all about. Give your best answer and show your strength of character with your chin up, a straight back and not a hint of panic in your reply.

Have you had an experience where tonality has proven difficult for you in an interview? Have you labored over answers, seeking to give a response that met the expectations of the interviewer but only stumbled with poise and confidence in the reply?  Do you agree with this assessment?

Love to hear your thoughts.

Goals or Planning… What’s Best?

Monday, July 20th, 2009

“People don’t change when they feel good.”

-Og Mandino

When we’re out of work, we’re not feeling too terribly good. So what is it that pushes us to set goals? Pain. When it’s painful enough such as the unemployment insurance running out, the mortgage is 60 days behind, they’re talking repo on the family SUV…….. we eventually sit up and say, “I better get serious about this job search.”

Goals, goals, goals, we hear it all the time for things like securing our financial security, for climbing the corporate ladder or in athletics. Now it’s being trumpeted in the job search. why, because they work.

So, what’s the difference between having a plan, and setting goals. Aren’t they the same? Isn’t the goal just to get a job?

No not really. Here’s the way it breaks out: there’s planning, wishing, dreaming and goals.

Wishing – “I wish I could get a job making $100k a year.”

A wish is an expression, a desire or hope concerning the future or fortune. Wishing is usually fleeting, and passes with little residual effect. But wishing over a prolonged period of time can morph into dreaming.

Dreams – “I want to live in Vail,Colorado.”

Dreams are just that – ethereal, celestial, not of this earth. But let’s not dismiss dreams because the greatest of all accomplishments started with the most ridiculous of dreams, imaginative thoughts of what can be. It’s a beginning point. But you have to move past dreams.

Planning – “I’ll perform a six part set of actions to locate, engage and accept a job I want.”

A good start, admirable and doable. But it’s much more helpful if planning is packaged with time tables, short term requirements, assessments, and motivators. Which leads up to the whole package of goals.

Goals - ”I will live and work at in Vail, Colorado. I will accomplish this by creating a plan                          and working the plan to move to Vail and make $100k a year by March of next year.

What’s so great about goal setting?

Good goal setting gives an job seeker an edge in four areas:

1. They provide direction.

2. They employ a doable plan.

3. They provide feedback.

4. Goals motivate and provide a daily purpose.

Tips for effective goal setting:

1. Set both short-term and Long-term goals.

2. Identify task goals in addition to outcome goals.

3. Work a plan with action as the primary activity.

4. Evaluate your goals.

5.   Make your goals doable.

So make your goals more than just about getting a job. Make the goal that of getting the kind of job you want, the kind of job you can attain, the compensation you deserve and the job you deserve. And set those goals now.