Competency-based interview guide
Competency-based interviews (CBIs) ask you to evidence specific behaviours through past examples, scored against a published rubric. They're the default format across the UK public sector and most structured private-sector graduate / management hiring.
How CBIs are scored
Each question targets one competency. Panellists score independently against a 1–7 scale (or equivalent), looking for specificity, scale, personal contribution and measurable outcome. Vague or hypothetical answers ("I would…") consistently lose marks because they can't be evidenced.
Common UK competencies
- Leadership and people management
- Communication and influencing
- Decision-making and judgement
- Planning and delivery
- Problem solving and analysis
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Customer / service focus
- Adaptability and resilience
A four-step preparation plan
- Map the job spec. List every competency mentioned in the advert and person spec.
- Bank your stories. Aim for 8–10 STAR stories that between them cover every competency.
- Rehearse out loud. Time yourself — 2 to 3 minutes per answer is the sweet spot.
- Get scored. Use a structured rubric (or a tool like Interviewr) so you know which band you're hitting before the real panel.
Common mistakes that cost marks
- Talking about the team's actions instead of your own.
- Skipping the Result, or giving it without numbers.
- Picking an example that's too old or too small.
- Answering hypothetically — "I would normally…" is not evidence.
Practise full CBI rounds
Interviewr generates a tailored competency interview from a job description, then scores your answers against a rubric calibrated to UK hiring panels.