Have you been invited to a competency based or behaviour interview and want to know how to prepare? Want to be sure of getting a pass?

Competency based and behaviour interviews are still in use by so many employers, They bring fairness and objectivity to the recruitment process and remove bias. While they make it easier for you to compete, they are complex and the questions can be very difficult to answer successfully so as to score high.

In this post we outline our key actions to prepare for your competency based interview and pass.

Top tip: Learn about competency based interview questions and answers here.

Why Preparing For a Competency Based Interview is Essential

Preparing for a competency-based interview is essential because it enables you to demonstrate your suitability for the role with clear, structured examples. These interviews assess how you’ve applied key skills and behaviours in real-life situations. Without preparation, you risk giving vague or unfocused answers that fail to meet the criteria.

By preparing, you:

• Align your answers with the employer’s expectations.
• Use the STAR method to structure responses clearly.
• Showcase relevant achievements and outcomes.
• Improve confidence and reduce interview anxiety.
• Stand out with tailored, impactful examples.

Ultimately, preparation significantly increases your chances of interview success.

How to Prepare For a Competency Based Interview – 8 Key Steps

Yes, competency based interview can be a challenge and many clients we coach struggle with getting their answers right. Having said that with proper preparation, success will come.

Competency-based interviews are widely used in the public sector, including the NHS and Civil Service, as well as in private companies. Unlike traditional interviews, these are designed to assess how you’ve handled specific situations in the past to predict how you’ll perform in the future. To stand out and succeed, thorough preparation is essential.

Here are 8 key steps to follow to help you pass your Competency Based Interviews

1. Analyse the Requirements of the Role

Start by reviewing the job description and person specification carefully. Identify the core competencies the employer is looking for—these might include communication, leadership, teamwork, decision-making, or resilience. In the Civil Service, for example, these are often aligned with the Success Profiles framework, including Behaviours, Strengths, and Experience.

2. Review Your Experience and Relevant Achievements

Once you know what they’re looking for, reflect on your past experiences where you demonstrated those behaviours successfully. Think of examples from your work, studies, voluntary work, or placements that demonstrate your strengths in the key competencies. Choose a variety of situations to show your adaptability and range. For example, you might use one example to highlight your teamwork skills and another to demonstrate your ability to lead or problem-solve.

3. Use STAR or IPAR Method

Most competency-based interview answers are structured using the STAR technique:

• Situation – Describe the background or context.
• Task – Explain what you had to do.
• Action – Detail the steps you took.
• Result – Share the outcome and what you achieved.

This method helps you stay focused, logical, and impactful in your responses.

4. Choose Your Examples Carefully

Preparing for a competency-based interview involves more than just reviewing your CV—it requires a strategic approach to showcasing your skills through real-life examples. The examples you choose must be relevant, complex and detailed.

Top Tip: InterviewGold makes your preparation really easy. Learn more about how it works here.

5. Tailor Your Examples to the Role

Research the organisation and understand their values, as your examples should align with their culture and goals. Tailor each story to show not just what you did, but how you did it and the impact it had. Once you have your stories, map them to the relevant competency. If the competency is “Working Together,” choose an example where collaboration led to a successful outcome. If it’s “Delivering at Pace,” think of a time you met a tight deadline under pressure. Be specific and include measurable results when possible.

6. Create Your Answers

It is best to avoid the temptation to just turn up and give an answer off the top of your head. Always prepare your example in advance, edit it until it is concise and demonstrates the relevant competency perfectly.

Keep your response concise, relevant, and tailored to the job role. Use active language and focus on positive results that showcase your skills and competencies. Practicing several STAR examples in advance ensures you stay structured and confident during the interview. STAR helps you demonstrate your value clearly and effectively.

7. Verbalise Your Answers Aloud

Rehearsing your answers is a key part of preparation. Speaking out loud helps you become more confident and natural during the interview. Record yourself or practise with a friend, mentor, or career coach. This helps you refine your answers, avoid rambling, and ensure you stick to the STAR structure.

8. Prepare for Follow-Up Questions

Interviewers often ask follow-up questions to probe deeper into your example. Be ready to explain your decision-making process, how you managed challenges, or what you would do differently. Stay honest and reflective—self-awareness and learning are valued traits.

Finally, bring a positive mindset. Competency-based interviews are your opportunity to prove your value through real results—be honest, confident, and ready to tell your professional story with purpose.

“I had 2 job offers“

Georgia, London

“Just one week after joining InterviewGold I had two interviews and I got offered both jobs. Basically, I knew which questions were going to come up and I was well prepared to answer them perfectly.”

See more InterviewGold success stories

5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Preparing For  Competency Interviews

We coach many candidates who have failed with their competency and behavioural applications and interviews. These failures are usually due to some of the most common mistakes being made.

Here are 5 common mistakes people make when preparing for a competency-based interview :

1. Not using structured examples: Most employers expect to hear a well structured example and failure to give one will result in a low score. Forgetting to use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method often leads to vague or incomplete answers.
2. Actions are too generic:  Candidates sometimes describe team efforts without highlighting their individual contributions, which makes it hard for interviewers to assess their personal impact.
3. Examples are not relevant: In addition, quite often the examples chosen are not relevant and do not show the correct behaviours.  For example, if Communicating and Influencing is being examined, your example must be all about this and must show the correct positive behaviours and strengths expected.
4. Overlooking the job competencies: Not aligning answers to the specific behaviours or skills in the job description can make responses feel off-target.
5. Answers not detailed enough:  The actions part of your answer are where you will earn most scores. These must be sufficiently detailed with the correct keywords so that you earn top marks.

Your Competency Interview Preparation Made Easy With InterviewGold 

Are you struggling with competency or behavioural based interviews? Perhaps your answers are just not scoring well on an application or in the interview?

Whatever your situation, preparation is vital and to be more precise the ‘right’ preparation is key. With the InterviewGold online training system your competency interview preparation is made easy. Tailored to you and your target job, you get expert STAR answers created for you, expert advice and training all  proven to help you win the job offer in your very next interview.