Competency-Based Selection Interviewing Techniques

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Competency-Based Selection Interviewing Techniques
Susan Haywood, MA, CHRP Senior Consultant HRSG
(Human Resource Systems Group) 6 Antares Drive,
Phase II Suite 100 Ottawa ON K2E 8A9 Tel  (613)
745 6605 x239 shaywood_at_hrsg.ca www.hrsg.ca  
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What is a competency?

• Observable abilities, skills, knowledge,
  motivations or traits defined in terms of the
  behaviours needed for successful job performance.
• Term that describes a pattern or cluster of
  actions taken to achieve a result.

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Competencies Another view
Visible, surface, easy to identify and manage
Skill Knowledge
Hidden, difficult to identify and manage
Self-concept Trait Motive
Source Spencer Spencer, 1993
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Why competencies?
Competencies translate the strategic vision and
goals for the organization into behaviours or
actions employees must display for the
organization to be successful.
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Past behaviour is the best predictor of future
behaviour

• "Behaviour is an action or
• a reaction in a specific situation
• with a known result."

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Behavioural Interview Question

• Gain information about a candidates past
  performance and accomplishments that relate to
  the target job
• "Tell me about a time when you encouraged other
  members of a group/team to contribute.

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Components of a Behavioural Answer

• Situation / Task

• Describes the circumstances which resulted in the
  accomplishment

• Action

Describes what was done in a particular situation

• Describes whether the action taken (or not taken)
  was effective or appropriate

• Result

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Situation

• I was really getting tired of all of the
  telephone message slips getting lost in the
  reception areas and the managers not noticing
  whether they had messages.

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Action

• So I put up a bulletin board with everyones
  name on it. When the messages came in they were
  pinned on the board beside the applicable
  managers name.

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Result

• This way, none of the messages got lost and the
  managers always noticed whether they had any
  messages.

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Behavioural Answers are NOT

• Hypothetical / Theoretical
• Feelings Opinions
• Vague

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A good behavioural example includes the
following components
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Sensitivity to Cultural Differences
Response Styles

• Self-promotion
• Silence
• Directness
• Minimal Answers

• Stress / Intonation
• Vocabulary

Language Styles

• Eye Contact
• Hand or Head Shakes

Non-Verbal Differences
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