robin kessler - competency-based interviews (2006)

Master the ToughNew Interview Styleand Give Them theAnswers That WillWin You the Job

Competency-BasedInterviews

By

Robin Kessler

Franklin Lakes, NJ

Copyright 2006 by Robin Kessler

All rights reserved under the Pan-American and InternationalCopyright Conventions. This book may not be reproduced, inwhole or in part, in any form or by any means electronic ormechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by anyinformation storage and retrieval system now known or hereafterinvented, without written permission from the publisher, TheCareer Press.

COMPETENCY-BASED INTERVIEWSEDITED BY JODI BRANDON

TYPESET BY ASTRID DERIDDERCover design by DesignConcept

Printed in the U.S.A. by Book-mart PressCartoons found on pages 72, 84, 98, 114, 144, 176,

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Dedication

This is for my mother, with love and thanks.

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Acknowledgments

As always, a huge thank you to everyone who helpedwith this book. I would, however, like to give a few peoplesome special recognition.

To Paula Hanson, thank you for doing the initial editingand providing advice when I came up against problems.Any kind of problems. And for hanging in as a good friendfor a very long time.

To Steven Lait, editorial cartoonist for the OaklandTribune and ANG Group, who drew the cartoons for thisbook, thank you for doing great work for Competency-Based Interviews, and being the best editorial cartooniston the planet and one of my favorite cousins.

To the consultants, Cara Capretta Raymond, MichaelFriedman, Dr. Kay Lillig Cotter, and Ken Abosch, thankyou for sharing your expertise, time, opinions, and personalcompetencies. Having the opportunity to talk with each ofyou has helped me make this book considerably stronger.

To David Heath, Dessie Nash, Blake Nolingberg, MindyWertheimer, Erica Graham, Chip Smith, Kalen Phillips,Stephen Sye, Diane Schad Dayhoff, Mary Alice Eureste,and Bill Baumgardt, thank you for being subject matterexperts in your professional areas and answering all myquestions.

To Dr. Jon Wiener and Martha Williams, thank you forsharing some of your favorite quotations with me.

To Ron Fry, Michael Pye, Kristen Parkes, LindaRienecker, Laurie Kelly-Pye, Jodi Brandon, Astrid deRidder,and the rest of the staff at Career Press, thank you fordoing a great job of making my words look good, the booklook better, and being great to work with.

To my other friends and relatives, thank you for puttingup with my leaving early, not calling as often, and not beingas available to go out to dinner, the movies, or anythingelse. Since this book is now finished, call me.

Robin Kessler

Contents

Introduction 9

Chapter 1 Understand Competency-BasedInterview Systems 21

Chapter 2 Identify Key Competencies 33

Chapter 3 Know What Interviewers AreTrained to Look For 49

Chapter 4 Expect Competency-BasedBehavioral Questions 61

Chapter 5 Prove CompetenciesWith Examples 73

Chapter 6 Look Like a Strong Candidate 85

Chapter 7 Consider Other ImportantInterview Tips 99

Chapter 8 Check to Make Sure You AreReady for the Interview 115

Chapter 9 Look at Case Studies for Ideasto Make Your InterviewingStronger 127

Chapter 10 Understand How a TypicalCompetency-BasedInterview Flows 145

Chapter 11 Learn From Other Interviewees 155

Chapter 12 Send a Thank-You Note,Follow Up, Get the Offer,and Negotiate 177

Chapter 13 Actively Manage Your Careerin Competency-BasedOrganizations 189

Chapter 14 Use Competency-BasedResumes to Get Your NextInterview 199

Chapter 15 Think Long-Term and MakeChange Work for You 213

Appendix A: List of Core Competencies 219

Appendix B: Competencies for Case Studies 237

Appendix C: Examples of IllegalPre-employment Questions 245

Notes 247

Bibliography 249

Index 251

About the Author 255

9Introduction

What can you do today to be a star at interviewing andimprove your career? How can you get that specific offeryou want from the organization you want to work for? Howcan you move forward in your career?

Think strategically.What makes Lance Armstrong keep winning the Tour

de France? It takes more than luck to win a major sportsevent seven times. Hes been so successful that, as of 2005,hes chosen to retire.

Why do publishers choose certain book proposals andnot others? Why do certain products do especially well andothers dont?

How did Oprah become a star, and what does she doto make sure she stays a star? How can she be so good atinterviewing others on her show, acting, and developingand publishing her magazine? When Oprah decides topromote a book through her book club or by having theauthor on her show, book sales increase dramatically.

Why did youor someone you knowget into aprestigious college? Why do certain people get selectedfor the best assignments and the best jobs? What causesother qualified candidates to be rejected?

Competency-Based Interviews10

The answers to these questions are complex, but if we reallythink about it, there are three basic steps we all need to take toimprove our ability to get what we want.

The faster we identify the changes and adjust our own approach,the faster we will be successful. Realistically, we need to expectthese changes. New tools, new approaches, and new strategiescan cause decision-makers to make different decisions. If we adaptto these changes earlier than others, we increase our probability ofwinning.

Thats it. Lance and Oprah may have extra-strong athletic orartistic abilities, and they are obviously smarter than average. Butboth have also overcome major life challenges, namely cancer andchild abuse. Clearly, both celebrities figured out what it took to getahead in their fields, and they have mastered staying ahead of thegame as their competition became more savvy.

One of the key characteristics that will significantly help youmanage your own career as effectively as possible is learning howto interview more effectively and convince the interviewer that youare the best candidate for the job. Interviewing well is critical if youwant to be successful.

So how can we take the three steps that it takes to win andapply them to interviewing? This book will show you how to bemore successful by:

What It Takes to Win1. Learning what it takes to win is the first step.2. Doing the things that it takes to win is the

second step.3. Recognizing that what it takes to win changes

sometimes rapidlyis the third step.

Introduction 11

l Teaching you how to recognize the changes in interviewingat the most sophisticated organizations.

l Explaining what todays interviewers are looking for.

l Helping you adjust your own way of interviewing toemphasize how your competencies match the employersneeds.

l Developing a plan to ensure you perform well in everycritical interview.

When systems change and grow, we need to be smarter thanour competitors and recognize those changes as early as possible,the way Lance and Oprah have always done. If we arent aware,our own careers may be affected in a negative way. We need timeto develop and adjust our strategy, because employers do periodicallychange the systems they use to select employees.

If we dont change our own approach, we will eventuallybecome less valuable to our employer. We all need to takeresponsibility for actively managing our careers, and that includeschanging our strategy to respond to the changes introduced byemployers. As we become even more astute, we may be able toanticipate some of these changes and prepare for them.

This book will give you a newand betterstrategy you canuse to help you interview more effectively and improve your abilityto get the job you want in the best organizations. If you use thisapproach, you will increase your chances of:

l Being selected for the most competitive positions.

l Winning the best job at a new organization.

l Getting a great first job or internship.

l Being chosen for that critical promotion in your currentorganization.


l Taking control of your career path.

l Increasing your salary.

l Getting more satisfying assignments and more challengingwork.

Whats Different?Understanding the way human resources managers, line

managers, and professionals approach selecting employees hasalways given candidates an advantage in the interview process. Ifyou know what the interviewer is looking forand you are savvyenough to know how to use this informationyou will have anedge in the interview.

Ive been told that at least half of the Fortune 500 and othermajor organizations in the United States, in Europe, andinternationally are now using competency-based systems to helpselect and manage their human resources.1 Here are just a fewexamples: American Express, Johnson & Johnson, Coca-Cola,Toyota, Bank of America, BP, Wells Fargo, General Motors, HP,Radio Shack, HCA, Carlson Companies, BHP, IBM, GeneralElectric, PDVSA, Anheuser-Busch, Girl Scouts USA, the U.S.Federal Reserve System, and the province of British Columbia inCanada.

Some of these organizations have worked with competency-based systems for more than 15 years, and they are becomingincreasingly sophisticated with the applications they are using. Othercompanies, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations haveadopted competencies more recently, or are looking at the possibilityof using them in the near future. Competency-based applicationshelp organizations manage their human resourcesfrom selectingemployees to evaluating, training, paying, and promoting them.

Competency-based selection processes and competency-based appraisals are the two most common ways companies are

Introduction 13

using competencies to help improve the caliber of their employees.More and more companies are including a list of competenciesthey need in their own Website ads and Internet advertisements onWebsites such as www.monster.com and www.careerbuilder.com.Since January 2003, when I saw the need for the book Competency-Based Resumes, the number of jobsite advertisements thatspecifically list the competencies the employer is looking forcontinues to significantly increase every time I check.

On November 23, 2005, Monster.com ran advertisementsasking for competencies from organizations of all sizes.Companies with competency-based job advertisementsthat day included:

l Kaiser Permanente l Deloittel Ernst & Young l Shell Oill Marsh & McLennan l Ingersoll Randl International Paper l St. Paul Travelersl Hitachi Consulting l MetLifel Heidrick & Struggles l Honeywelll Royal Caribbean Cruises

That same day, CareerBuilder.com ran an advertisementfor a Competency Modeling Manager for Wal-Mart.Rockwell Automation advertised for an EngineeringCompetency Leader, and Excellus BlueCross BlueShield inRochester, New York, was looking for a Manager, ProjectManager Competency Center. McGraw-Hill advertised fora Director, Talent Management who would conduct aneeds analysis to create an executive competency modeland future leader profile. Other organizations runningads on CareerBuilder.com specifically mentionedcompetencies on November 23, 2005, included:

l Sears l Cingular Wirelessl Administrative Office of the United States Courtsl PriceWaterhouseCoopers


Employees at the best competency-based employers have theability to look up information about critical competencies on theiremployers Website or in employee handbooks or manuals. Thecompetencies for their current positions are almost always coveredas part of their appraisal.

What Are Competencies?Paul Green, in his book Building Robust Competencies (Jossey-

Bass, 1999), defines an individual competency as a writtendescription of measurable work habits and personal skills used toachieve a work objective. Some organizations use a slightlydifferent definition for competencies: underlying characteristics,behavior, knowledge, and skills required to differentiate performance.They define what superior performers do more often, in moresituations, and with better results.

Put simply, competencies are the key characteristics that themost successful performers have that help them be so successful.Organizations benefit from working with competencies because itgives them a better, more sophisticated way to manage, measure,and improve the quality of their employees.

The use of competencies is continuing to grow. According toSigne Spencer, a senior consultant with the Hay Group in Bostonand the coauthor of Competence at Work (John Wiley & Sons,1993), In the last ten years, we have seen an explosion of interestin competency work at all levels worldwide.

The relevant competencies that have been identified for allpositions organization-wide are called core competencies. Butcompetencies used in interviewing (and other applications) may beidentified at the department or functional level, or even at theindividual level. It takes different competencies to be successful asan accountant than to be successful as a sales professional. InChapter 2, I will spend more time explaining competencies andgiving you the information you need to successfully identify therelevant competencies for the position you want, before the interview.

Introduction 15

Many organizations choose not to use the term competencies.They call the key characteristics that it takes to be successfulby other terms: success factors, attributes, values, dimensions, andso on. There are subtle differences in what each of these termsmean, and decision-makers have good reasons for choosing them.For candidates, though, it simply makes sense to look at all of thesecategories for information describing what the employer is reallylooking forthose key characteristics or competencies.

Competencies are not just a trend, and the competency-basedsystems designed by consultants and corporations can be complex.This book will help you understand competency-based selectionsystems and give you the tools you need, as a candidate, to navigateyour way through them.

What Are Competency-Based Interviews?Today, more interviewers at the best employers are using

behavioral interviewing techniques to help determine how competentcandidates are in the key areas most critical for success. Behavioralinterviewing has been used for more than 20 years in mostsophisticated organizations, but many of these organizations haveonly been using behavioral interview questions targeting relevantcompetencies in the last five or 10 years. Other organizations beganworking with competency-based interviewing even before thattimeframe.

Interviewers at many of the best organizations are being trainedto use competency-based systems and evaluate candidates in amuch more complex way than in the past. They are taught to:

l Evaluate the candidates fit for the position based on theirperceived competency level.

l Assess the candidates nonverbal and verbal communicationin a more sophisticated way.

Organizations may use different names, including targetedselection interviewing and evidence-based interviewing, to describe


what is essentially competency-based interviewing. Somecompetency-based interviewing is based on the approach of askingprimary questions targeting each key competency. Anotherapproach asks interviewers to identify evidence of competenciesby listening closely to the answers to questions, follow-up questions(also called probes), and more follow-up questions. In Chapter 1,well be looking at these approaches in more detail.

Most career counselors and candidates havent changed theirapproach to interviewing, resumes, and other job search techniquesto consider the competencies more of the best employers are nowlooking for. Instead, they are marketing candidate strengths andaccomplishments the same way they always have. It is time toaccept that the job market has changed and become moresophisticated. It simply makes sense to change your own approach.

Competencies are the way the majority of the most respectedorganizations measure whether to interview and hire candidates.For candidates or employees trying to turn their interview into a joboffer, its time to change and be more strategic. Its time to understandhow to use your own competencies to convince employers you arethe best candidate for thembecause you can prove to them youhave the critical competencies they need.

Its up to you to learn how to interview the current, competency-based way. To do this, you need to:

1. Understand competency-based interview systems.

2. Identify the key competencies for the position.

As the saying goes, you dont want to befighting todays war using equipment, strategy,and tactics from the last century.

Introduction 17

3. Know what interviewers are trained to look for.

4. Expect competency-based behavioral questions.

5. Prove your competencies with examples.

6. Look like a strong candidate.7. Consider other important interview tips.8. Check to make sure you are ready for the interview.9. Look at case studies for ideas to make your interviewing

stronger.10. Understand how a typical competency-based interview

flows.11. Learn from other interviewees.

12. Send a thank-you note, follow up, get the offer, and negotiate.

Once you have started your new position, you may also need tolearn to conduct competency-based interviews. And you will bemore successful in your new position if you take the time to followthe suggestions we give in Chapter 13 on managing your career ina competency-based organization and in the final chapter on howto think long-term and make change work for you.

By following the suggestions in the book, you will perform betterin any interview and increase the probability of an offer. Learningto master the competency-based interview will give you skills thatwill help you interact better with other professionals in meetings,one-on-one interactions, and other types of interviews.

Organizations also benefit from their candidates learning howto be interviewed more effectively. If more people give good,thoughtful answers that illustrate their experience with competencies,managers will have better, more complete information to use whenthey make their decision about which candidate is the most competentfor the job.

Many strong, highly competent candidates may benefit frominterview coaching or training to help them think about their bestaccomplishments in each competency area before the interview.


Most managers know that the best employees arent always thebest interviewees.

Are you ready to start sharpening your interviewing skills sothe interviewer will realize you are the most competent candidate?Lets start now.

At the end of every chapter, a question and answer summary isincluded for your review. These summaries will give you theopportunity to reread the most important points and ensure youunderstand them. Take the time you need to grasp the conceptsand ideas before moving on to the next chapter.

Key Points for the Introduction

An individual competency is a written description ofmeasurable work habits and personal skills used to

achieve a work objective.

Paul Green

Key Questions

What does it take to win intodays organizations?

1. Learning what it takes to win.2. Doing the things that it takes

to win.3. Recognizing that what it takes

to win changessometimesrapidly.

Answers

What are competencies?

What are core competencies?

The key characteristics that the mostsuccessful employees have that helpthem be so successful.

Core competencies are skills usedorganization-wide to help achieveorganization objectives or goals.

Introduction 19

What are behavioral interviewquestions?

Behavioral interviewing is based onthe theory that past behavior is thebest predictor of future behavior. Inother words, past success predictsfuture success.

In addition to the corecompetencies, what are theother levels of competencies?

What are the two mostcommon competency-basedapplications?

l Competency-based appraisalsl Competency-based screening and

interviewing to select candidates.

Key Questions Answers

How can you increase yourability to get the position youwant?

Competency-based organizationsrely on a different system for look-ing at what it takes to be success-ful in jobs, particularly whenselecting, promoting, and trainingtheir employees. Understandinghow competency-based systemswork is vital to success in todaysorganizations.

Surprise! The most important thingto remember is that these systemsalways change. You need to adjustyour own approach to match theemployers changes.

l Department or functionall Individual


How can you keep promotingyour competencies?

How are companies using com-petencies to strengthen theirworkforce?

It is important to keep marketingyour competencies even aftergetting the position. Other strategicmarketing tools are: competency-based resumes, cover letters,networking, and interview skills.Remember to focus on thecompetencies required by yourprospective employeror yourcurrent employer, if you want tobe considered for promotion orother opportunities.

They are using competencies to:l Advertise for candidatesl Screen candidate resumesl Interview using behavioral

techniquesl Select employeesl Evaluate employeesl Train employeesl Promote employeesl Reward employeesl Determine assignments

Key Questions Answers

What can you do to excel ininterviews for very competi-tive positions?

To master the tough interview style,your answers to interview questionsmust be focused (focused on thecompetencies desired), powerful(use powerful words to describeyour competency), and concise(make a point, make it clear, and useprecise wording).

21

Chapter 1

UnderstandCompetency-BasedInterview Systems

When we were students, most of us realized theimportance of understanding what the teacher or professorwas looking forwhich assignments were required andwhich were optional. And if we are playing sports, we needto understand the strengths, vulnerabilities, and game plan ofour opponent, even if we are the #1 seed in the tournament.When we give a business presentation, we need to identifyour goals and understand the needs and interests of theaudience before we start developing the speech.

Figuring out what other people are looking for is criticalto being successful in most things throughout life. Assumingwe have the basics, we simply have to provide the evidenceand, in an interview, convince them that we fit.

Before we start preparing for an interview, it is importantto understand the method of interviewing that will be usedby the interviewer. Some organizations are still traditional intheir approaches to interviewing. Many managers still askquestions that help them make decisions about candidatesbased simply on whether or not they like them. In addition,they may focus on whether the candidate meets their basicrequirement on credentials, such as grades and classstanding. Most law firms and many of the more traditionalcompanies are still interviewing candidates this way.


Some managers use hypothetical questions based on giving thecandidate a scenario and asking what he or she would do. Peoplewho like this interview style believe it gives them a chance to seehow candidates think on their feet, but many others believe that it isnot as effective as finding out how individuals have performed inthe past.

Most of the managers at organizations with strong, positivereputations have realized that the old-style interviews dont seemto be that effective in helping them choose employees. Theyvechanged to the competency-based interview style.

Whats Changed?Recognizing how the labor market has changedand learning

how to make those changes work for youcan make the differencebetween success and failure.

The most sophisticated employers are primarily usingcompetency-based interview systems to select candidates. If youhavent interviewed recently or if you come from a different culture,you probably know you need some help to do well in the interview.Some candidates think they know what to expect in the interview,and it may take a few bad experiences before they decide their oldapproach is not working as well as it used to.

But even if you are articulate, think well on your feet, have thebest credentials, and are confident you are a great candidate,preparing for the interview is important. Remember that how wellyou perform on the interview gives the interviewers an idea of thequality of work they can expect from you in the future.

Whether you are writing a resume, preparing for an interview,or getting ready for a performance evaluation, becoming more awareof what competencies the employer is looking for is the first step tohelp make you more successful. The next step? Learn what youneed to know to prove to the employer that you are strong in thesecritical competency areas.

Understand Competency-Based Interview Systems 23

How Does a Competency-Based Interview Work?Very simply, a competency-based interview uses behavioral

questions to help the interviewer assess the candidate based oncritical competencies that have been identified by the employer.The interview is highly structured, with key questions provided forthe interviewers to help them determine how strong candidates arein specific competency areas.

Key DefinitionCompetency-based interviews are structured and usebehavioral questions to help the interviewer assesscandidates based on critical competencies identified forthe position.

Whether you are a candidate who wants to work for anorganization using competency-based systems or an employeecurrently working in a competency-based company, it is importantto recognize that it may be time to change your own approach tothe process. Retool and retrain. Adjust the sails. Add a warm-upperiod before running. Accept the fact: In todays most sophisticatedorganizations, almost all are using competency-based interviews.

The most commonly used competency-based interviewing styleis based upon asking candidates primary questions targeted to thecritical competencies for the position. Almost every major consultingfirm working to help organizations identify competencies, includingLominger, Personnel Decisions, Inc., Hay Group, and HewittAssociates, encourages its clients to use structured, competency-based interviewing processes that they have developed.

One well-known example of this approach is Targeted SelectionInterviewing, which was developed by the consulting firmDevelopment Dimensions Inc. On its Website, the firm marketsTargeted Selection by saying it uses behavioral interviewing andhelps organizations:


l Identify the competencies needed for all key positions.

l Build interviewing skills and confidence for more accurateselection decisions.

l Increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the employeeselection process.

Another interviewing approach related to competency-basedinterviews starts with the manager asking a question about a majoraccomplishment and then asking follow-up questions to probe foradditional information about competencies, strengths, andweaknesses. An example of this approach is Lou Adlers The OneQuestion Interview.

Both styles are covered in more detail later in this chapter.Although the style may be a little different, managers are taught

to ask candidates behavioral questions, based on the theory thatpast behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. In other words,past success is the best predictor of future success. The managersare then asked to assess how competent the candidate is in severalcritical areas.

Key DefinitionBehavioral questions are based on the theory thatpast behavior is the best predictor of future behavior.

To gain the understanding we really need to perform well in acompetency-based interview, we need to first understand theanswers to this question: What are the two basic interview stylesthat consider competencies?


Interview Style #1:Competency-Based Interviews (Most TypicalApproach) Example: Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson, ranked #1 on the 2005 Corporate ReputationSurvey 1, has worked with competency-based interviewing for morethan 10 years. They have developed interview guides for their seniorleaders (executives), people and individual leaders (professionalsand managers), and for campus interviewing.

Susan Millard, Vice President for Strategic Talent Managementat Johnson & Johnson, said, Predicting future success on the joband the competencies that matter the most to performance, andoperating with the highest ethical standards are critical to assurewe have the talent needed to power our growth and culture atJ&J. She also talked about how successful their 2005 recruitingevent with 700 MBAs and managers was because they used theirupdated competency-based Global Leadership Profile InterviewGuides and were able to identify some particularly strong candidates.

Their interview guides review how the interviewer shouldprepare before the interview, suggest ways to open the interview,encourage the interviewer to review the candidates backgroundand ask questions, and provide several behavioral questions for eachcritical competency for the position that interviewers can choosefrom during the interview. The interviewer is asked to rate thecandidate on the competency and his or her communication skills.

Though every example in J&Js guide is strong, I chose to showyou the Results and Performance Driven example, because itrepresents one of the most frequently used competenciesby everyorganization. Other organizations often use synonyms to describethe same competency. This one competency can be called:

l Achieves Results

l Drive for Results

l Performance Bias

l Achieves Goals

Co

mp

ete

ncy-B

ase

d In

tervie

ws

26

(For explanations of the ratings for the following chart, see C

hapter 3.)

Planned Behavioral Questions1. Describe an instance when you were particularly effective at achieving end results. What steps did you take

to achieve these results?2. Think of an example when you consistently exceeded internal or external customer expectations. How did

you do this? What approach did you use?3. Provide an example of a project or team you managed in which there were many obstacles to overcome. What

did you do to address those obstacles?4. Tell me about an example of what you have done to obtain information to better understand a customer.

What did you do? How did this information improve your customer service?5. It is not always easy to achieve required work goals or objectives. Describe a stretch goal or objective that

you were able to achieve. Why was this a stretch goal? What was the result?

Goal oriented; remains persistentwhen obstacles are encountered;encourages others to beaccountable for their actions;relentlessly focused andcommitted to customer service;thinks creatively.

Flawless executionHolds self, direct reports, and othersaccountable for seamless and compliant execution of tasks andprojects.

Accepts stretch goalsEagerly embraces stretch goals; measuresachievements through metrics.

Customer centric thinkingMakes the customer the center forall decisions to build value; imposes customer focus on others andchallenges them to exceed customer expectations.

Results and Performance Driven Key Examples

Understand Competency-Based Interview

Systems

27

Situation/Task Action Result

Reprinted with permission of Johnson & Johnson Strategic Talent Management

Communication ___________________________________ Results and PerformanceDriven Rating


Interview Style #2:The 1-Question Interview

Another current approach to interviewing starts with onequestion and asks the candidate a series of follow-up questions toprobe for additional information. This interview technique providesan interesting and different way to assess a candidate by listeningfor evidence of the candidates competency (and criticalcompetencies) in his answers to the questions.

The basic technique is shown in this excerpt from an articleby consultant Lou Adler, whose firm, Adler Concepts, teachesinterviewing skills classes to some major clients. He encouragesthe interviewer to first ask the candidate to think about his or hermost significant accomplishment, and then to tell the interviewerabout it. Then he teaches the interviewers to probe and get thefollowing information about the accomplishment from the candidatein 15 to 20 minutes:

l A complete description of the accomplishment.

l The company you worked for and what it did.

l The actual results achieved: numbers, facts, changes made,details, amounts.

l When it took place.

l How long it took.

l The importance of this accomplishment to the company.

l Your title and role.

l Why you were chosen.

l The three to four biggest challenges you faced and howyou dealt with them.


l A few examples of leadership and initiative.

l Some of the major decisions made.

l The environment and resources available.

l How you made more resources available.

l The technical skills needed to accomplish the objective.

l The technical skills learned and how long it took to learnthem.

l The actual role you played.

l The team involved and all of the reporting relationships.

l Some of the biggest mistakes you made.

l How you changed and grew as a person.

l What you would do differently if you could do it again.

l Aspects of the project you truly enjoyed.

l Aspects you didnt especially care about.

l The budget available and your role in preparing it andmanaging it.

l How you did on the project vs. the plan.

l How you developed the plan.

l How you motivated and influenced others, with specificexamples to prove your claims.

l How you dealt with conflict with specific examples.

l Anything else you felt was important to the success of theproject.


Adler encourages interviewers to conduct this type of interviewbecause he believes the insight gained from this type of questionwould be remarkable. Just about everything you need to know abouta persons competency can be extracted from this type of question.2

Comparing the 2 Types of InterviewsThat Consider Competencies

From your perspective, as an interviewee, whats the differencebetween the two types of interviews weve been talking about inthis chapter?

Each type of interview gives the interviewers good, substantiveinformation about candidates. Both ask the interviewers to listen tothe candidates answers and determine how strong they are in criticalcompetency areas important to be successful in the position.

The most common type of competency-based interview looksat several of the most critical competencies and asks the candidateto answer behavioral questions targeting the competencies. Thesecond type goes in depth on one or two accomplishments and asksthe candidate to look at these accomplishments from differentperspectivesincluding competencies.

So why does this matter? It is not as if the interviewer givesyou a choice. And basically, you dont need to spend time worryingabout the type of interview the interviewer is going to use.

But if you do recognize the type of interview, it may help youthink ahead and give the interviewer slightly better answers.

By following the advice in this book, youll be prepared for bothtypes of interviews weve mentionedand any variation of acompetency-based interview that someone develops in the future.You need to start thinking about how to prepare for these types ofinterviews. This book, though, is going to emphasize helping you toprepare for the first type, because it is so much more common.

When you develop accomplishments proving you are strong ineach relevant competency, you can expect follow-up questions to


probe how much you know or simply to clarify something that isunclear to the interviewer. Start becoming aware of how eachaccomplishment can provide evidence in more than one competencyarea. As you think about each accomplishment, consider the follow-up questions you could be asked to get information about yourcompetence in several key areas. If you do that, you will be readyfor either type of interview.

Be smart, be savvy, and figure out what you can expect.

Answers

Key Points for Chapter 1

Competency-based interviews are currentlybeing used by many of the most sophisticated

organizations throughout the world.

Key Questions

How can you tell that you arebeing given a competency-basedinterview?

Competency-based interviews arehighly structured and use behavioralquestions to help the interviewer getgood answers from the candidate.These answers help interviewersassess candidates more effectivelybased on the critical competenciesidentified for the position.

Is every organization usingcompetency-based interviewingmethods?

Most of the more sophisticatedorganizations worldwide are usingcompetency-based interviewing.

But some of the more traditionalcompanies and law firms are stillinterviewing and making importantdecisions based upon the candidatescredentials and if the interviewerlikes the candidate.


What is the difference betweenthe two styles of interviewingmentioned in this chapter?

The first style is the most widelyused type of competency-basedinterview. Interviewers will askcandidates behavioral questionstargeting each competency areaidentified as being important to beingsuccessful in the position. Candidateshave the opportunity to talk about anumber of accomplishments. Thesecond style asks the candidate tolook at an accomplishment and thenprobe for additional informationincluding looking at accomplishmentsfrom the perspective of differentcompetencies.

How are competency-basedinterviews highly structured?

Typically, most organizations haveidentified three to five primaryquestions targeting each criticalcompetency area that interviewersmay use to get the information fromthe candidate needed to assess theirlevel of competence.

What is behavioral interviewing? Interviewing based on the theorythat past behavior is the bestpredictor of future behavior.

AnswersKey Questions

33

Chapter 2

Identify KeyCompetencies

I not only use all the brains that I have,but all that I can borrow.

Woodrow Wilson

Like former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, many ofus believe in trying to be as smart as we can before theactual interview. Taking the time to learn what theorganization is looking for before the interview is critical ifyou plan to convince the interviewer that you are the bestcandidate for the job. If you need to borrow the informationfrom other people or by doing online research, take the hintfrom Nikes advertisement: Just do it. Nike, by the way, isanother company that works with competencies.

Countries sharing the same language can have differentpriorities for competencies, and within each country youcan expect to have organizations with different needsand different competencies. Organizations develop theirown lists of competencies and may work closely withconsultants to benefit from their expertise in competenciesand competency modeling.

More conservative companies would probablyemphasize different competencies than more progressiveorganizations, such as Ben and Jerrys or Starbucks. Thinkof the difference between United Airlines and Southwest,


for example. Or IBM and Dell. In every case, the competencies needto be consistent with the corporate culture the senior managers aretrying to create.

What is the best way to figure out what the hiring manager isgoing to be looking for in the interview? Competencies are a greatplace to start.

Some organizations have identified competencies for theirpositions, and they are listed as part of their online advertisements.The key competencies (or similar words such as success factors,dimensions, or values) may also be part of a job description that arecruiter can provide. Other organizations may not have directlylisted their competencies for the position, but in reality, they are alllooking for competent people for their positionswhether or notthey have formally identified competencies.

For example, Coca-Cola listed an opportunity onMonster.com in December 2005 for a Human ResourcesDirector in Atlanta, Georgia. In the advertisement, Gen-eral Competencies were listed as:

Building Value-Based Relationships: Generating alliancesinternally and externally by continuously identifying andacting on those things that will create success for the Com-pany and its customers, bottlers, suppliers, communi-ties, and governments.

Contributing to Team Success: Actively participating as acommitted member of a team and working with other teammembers to help complete goals and deliverables.

Customer Focus: Making customers (external and inter-nal) and their needs a primary focus of ones actions; de-veloping and sustaining productive customerrelationships; creating and executing plans and solutionsin collaboration with the customer.

Identify Key Competencies 35

Providing Feedback: Objectively observing, analyzing, andsharing your perception of other peoples performance toreinforce or redirect behavior to improve performance andbusiness results. Providing feedback that is timely, specific,behavioral, balanced, and constructive.

Work Standards: Setting high standards of performancefor self; assuming responsibility and accountability forsuccessfully completing assignments or tasks; self-imposing standards of excellence rather than havingstandards imposed.

Consulting: Providing timely, specific information,guidance, and recommendations to help groups, managers,and others make informed committed decisions that willlead to sustainable impact.

Establishing Collaborative Working Relationships:Developing and using collaborative relationships for thepurpose of accomplishing work objectives; developingrelationships with other individuals by listening, sharingideas, and appreciating others efforts.

When the competencies are not directly identified, you need todo several things to begin to identify the competencies for the positionon your ownbefore the interview. The four major steps to identifythe competencies are:

1. Think about the obvious competencies for the position.

2. Look at advertisements and postings from competitors.3. Compile a list of competencies from other sources, including

employment Websites, advertisements in newspapers,magazines and journals, professional associations, and theorganizations Website.


4. Select 10 to 15 competencies that would be the most criticalfor the position you are interested in from Appendix A.

If you already work for an organization and need to interviewfor a promotion or a new position, you may be able to find therelevant list of competencies for the position:

l On the company Website.

l On performance appraisals for employees currently in theposition.

l In employee handbooks or other company manuals.

l By asking a colleague or friend working in the relevantdepartment in the organization.

One of the main ways you can show how strong a candidateyou are is to prepareto do your homework. Take the initiative tobe resourceful and make every effort to find this list. Even if theorganization hasnt defined this list, you can make a smart andeducated guess about the most critical competencies.

When the competencies arent directlyidentified, look further.

Step 1: Think About the Obvious Competenciesfor the Position

In sales, it is critical to focus on results. It doesnt matter howmuch the managers like you if you dont close the sale.


When you dont see the word competencies as a heading in anonline job posting or advertisement, read further. You may seephrases and words that look like core, departmental, and individualcompetencies under headings such as Required Qualifications,Job Requirements, or Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

Step 2: Look at Jobs Posted on the Websites ofOrganizations That Directly Compete With theEmployer

Also check to see if any of the competitors have the equivalentposition posted on Monster, CareerBuilder, or one of the other jobsites on the Internet.

Then, try to decide if the same competencies fit the positionyou are interested in, or if they need to be reworked for any otherreason. (In other words, consider the culture of the organization.)For example, it would be reasonable to assume that the corporateculture at Celestial Seasonings differs from the culture at LiptonTea enough to cause the competencies that it takes to be successfulto also be differenteven for the equivalent position.

Step 3: Start to Compile a Complete, ThoroughList of Competencies for Your Position

There are several ways to develop a broader list of competenciesfor a particular position. For example, if you are interested in beingconsidered for an IT project managers position at a company thathas not listed competencies in its advertisement, go to:

l An employment Website, such as Monster.com orDice.com, and type in competencies IT project manager.Look through several of the ads to see if the competenciesidentified for these positions match what you know aboutthe position at the particular organization you want to workfor. (Remember that you do not have to limit this search toyour geographic area!)

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n Integrity and Credo-based Actionslives Credo values; builds trust; tells the truth; initiatestransparency into problems; demonstrates genuine caring for people

n Strategic Thinkingdriven to envision a better future; takes any role or job and makes it better;has relentless dissatisfaction with status quo; motivated to leave things better than they were;a change agent

n Big Picture Orientation with Attention to Detailable to cooperate in two worldssimultaneously e.g., growth and cost control, enterprise and operating company success; seesthe why as well as the what; can zoom in or out as needed

n Organization and Talent Developmentmotivates and empowers others to achieve a desiredaction; enjoys developing a diverse group of people; champions diversity; instills confidence;attracts good people; demonstrates a track record of people development; brings out the bestin others; net exporter of successful talent; invests time to be personally connected with theorganization

Identify Key Competencies

39

n Intellectual Curiositysees the possibilities; willing to experiment; cultivates new ideas;comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty

n Collaboration and Teamingputs interest of enterprise about own; works well across functionsand groups; builds teams effectively; inspires fellowship; instills a global mindset; championsbest practices

n Sense of Urgencyproactively senses and responds to problems and opportunities; works toreduce cycle time; takes action when needed

n Prudent Risk-takinginner confidence to take risks and learn from experience; courage to grabopportunities or shed non-viable businesses; willing to make tough calls

n Self-awareness and Adaptabilityresilient; has personal modesty and humility; willing to learnfrom others; patient, optimistic, flexible, and adaptable

n Results and Performance Drivenassumes personal ownership and accountability for businessresults and solutions; consistently delivers results that meet or exceed expectations; makes thecustomer central to all thinking; keeps the focus on driving customer value

v2. 02/08/06 Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc.

Reprinted with the permission of Johnson & Johnson Strategic Talent Management


l The Websites for the companies competing with theorganization that has the position you want. Go to theCareers section of their Websites, and look atcompetencies listed in each of their IT project managerpositions.

l Employment advertisements for similar positions innewspapers and association publications to see if they havelisted competencies.

l Your professional association Website. (For projectmanagement, you would want to go to www.pmi.org if youlive in the United States, to www.apm.org.uk in GreatBritain, or to an equivalent site for your own country. Forhuman resources, go to www.shrm.org.) Look at jobopportunities listed to see if the organization has identifiedcompetencies for the position. Also, check out the researchcapabilities of the association. Information about keyprofessional competencies may be available online or bycalling a research professional on the organizations staff.

l The Website of the organization itself. See if you can findinformation about the corporate culture to help you identifywhich competencies seem to be valued. One area that cangive you insight into the culture is if they have informationabout the organization mission, vision, or values posted onlineor available in other organization publications. Read annualreportsparticularly focusing on letters from the chairmanand CEO. See if you can determine what the organizationvalues or where the organization is having problems (orfeeling pain). Learn more about the organization from othersources. Look for clues indicating the competencies theorganization needs now and will need in the future to besuccessful.


Analyze online or traditional advertisements and job postings,and focus on words that might be on an organizations list ofcompetencies organization-wide or for a particular position.Remember that most of the competencies can be stated severalwaysmost words have synonyms.

Take the time to identify the most relevant competencies forthe specific position by starting with core, department or functional,and individual competencies that have been identified for yourprofessional area. Most organizations typically identify between eightand 12 of the most critical competencies for most positions to makeit easier for managers and employees to track and evaluate theinformation.

Key PointNotice that the approach used in this book is differentfrom the traditional approaches to getting ready for aninterview. The competency-based interview approach, likethe competency-based resume approach, always looks atthe employers needs first. Then you are encouraged tothink about how you fit what the employer is looking forthe critical competencies the employer needsto besuccessful now and in the future.

One way to help yourself think about this isto simply ask the question, What competencieswould I look for if I was the hiring manager?

Also spend a few minutes thinking about the level of expertisein each competency needed to be successful in the position, andwhat kind of experience you can mention to prove you have thatcompetency at the right level. Many of the more sophisticatedorganizations evaluate your level when they are listening to your


answers to interview questions and watching your nonverbalcommunication.

When an organizations needs change, the competencies neededmay also change. Consider how radically different the FederalEmergency Management Agencys (FEMA) needs were one weekbefore, and one week after, Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana andthe Mississippi Gulf Coast in late August 2005. Dealing with a majorcrisis on a larger scale than we are used to can cause what it takesto be successful to change. Most of us watching the responsesaw that government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels

According to Signe Spencer from the Hay Group, the10 most standard competencies being used byorganizations are:

1. Achievement/Results Orientation

2. Initiative

3. Impact and Influence

4. Customer Service Orientation

5. Interpersonal Understanding

6. Organizational Awareness

7. Analytical Thinking

8. Conceptual Thinking

9. Information Seeking

10. Integrity

These competencies are not listed by rank order. Theyare simply the 10 most common.

Adapted from Competency-Based Resumes, page 28


did not respond well. They were not successful in how they handledthe crisis.

In other examples, a new CEO may decide to change thestrategy of the companyfrom being the lowest-cost producer tothe highest-quality producer. The technical and businesscompetencies needed by the company may need to change to makethe new strategy successful.

A consulting firm or a law firm may get a major new client thatinsists on better customer service than the firm is used to providing.Suddenly, the entire firm must learn the latest customer serviceinformation, and evidence of strong customer service may helpcertain employees have a faster track to partnership.

Even considering these reasons for an organization to reviewits list of competencies and consider prioritizing them differently, itis still reasonable to expect that the majority of the 10 standardcompetencies would be listed as competencies for most organizations.

When we look at each competency, though, it is important toremember that different levels of knowledge, skills, and abilities areneeded to be successful depending on the level of the position in theorganization. For example, we would expect a senior vice presidentof human resources at a major company to be much stronger inorganizational awareness (political savvy) than a recent collegegraduate just starting to work in human resources.

Organizations typically identify three to five competency levelsand can use different terms to describe them. At Penn StateUniversity, for example, the levels are baseline, intermediate,proficient, advanced, and mastery.1 Many senior-level managers inan organization may be rated the equivalent of the advanced levelon some competencies, intermediate or proficient in others, andreceive the mastery rating in only one area, if at all.

Some organizations choose to recognize the differences expectedbased on level within the organization by weighting the competenciesone way for a junior level professional and another way for managersin the same functional area. The example in the box shows you theway one competencyplanning and organizingcan be explaineddifferently for a supervisor, middle manager, and senior manager.


Competency Levels: Planning and OrganizingCompetency definition: The ability to visualize a sequenceof actions needed to achieve a goal and to estimate theresources required. A preference for acting in a structured,thorough manner.

Individual Contributors to Supervisors

l Manage own time and personal activities.

l Break complex activities into manageable tasks.

l Identify possible obstacles to planned achievement.

Middle Managers

l Produce contingency plans for possible futureoccurrences.

l Estimate in advance the resources and time scalesneeded to meet objectives.

l Coordinate team activities to make the best useof individual skills and specialties.

Senior Managers

l Identify longer-term operational implications ofbusiness plans.

l Effectively plan utilization of all resources.2


Because organizations may identify different competencies,and functions and departments within organizations may havedifferent needs, a more complete list of competencies is includedin Appendix A.

Step 4: Select the Most CriticalCompetencies for the Position

Read through the competencies included in Appendix A verycarefully. Mark the competencies that are the most significant forthe position you are interested in. Then go back and edit the list tochoose the competencies that you think the hiring manager wouldselect. Identify the 10 to 20 most important.

At this point, youve selected the competencies that would bethe most critical for the position. Decide if there are some functional/departmental or individual position competencies that you think thehiring manager might put on the list. For example, if you areinterested in a sales professional role, is there a possibility that inaddition to achieving results, territory management might be criticalfor success? Do you think the engineering manager hiring a chemicalengineer for a plant might be interested in your knowledge ofstatistical process control?

Because most organizations identify between eight and 12competencies for each position, my suggestion is to identify 10 to15 competencies. This will improve the chance that your list includesthe competencies the organization selected. Look through the listand think about how important the competency is toward beingsuccessful in the position. Because many organizations weight thecompetencies based upon importance, it is worth spending sometime to consider which competencies deserve the most emphasis.

While recognizing that organizations may define different levelsof expertise for each competency, I believe that the best way towrite a competency-based resume or to prepare for a competency-based interview is to:


l Identify the most critical competencies for the position.

l Think about how to explain your accomplishments to provethat you have a high level of experience in the keycompetency areas.

So at this point, youve put together a good list of competenciesfor the particular position you want. Keep trying to improve thelistthrough research or by asking your networking contacts.

Great work! Youve completed the first major part of gettingready for a competency-based interview. Now we are ready tobegin working on the next step to help you succeed in a competency-based interview.

What other resources canhelp employees identifycompetencies for interviewswithin their organization?

The organizations Website.

Performance appraisals for theposition.

Employee handbooks and otherinternal organization manuals.

Colleagues working in the releventdepartment or in the position itself.


The competency-based approach always looksat the employers needs first.


What are the first steps towardsidentifying the right competenciesto help you prepare for acompetency-based interview?

Think first about the obviouscompetencies for the position.

Then look at the advertisement,posting, or job description from theorganization. More organizationsthan ever before are being directand listing the competencies theyneedespecially in their online ads.


AnswersKey QuestionsIf the organization didnt providea list of the competencies theyare looking for:

How do you get started compil-ing your own list of key compe-tencies? Where do you find someclues as to what these competen-cies could be?

l Think about what competencieswould be obvious for theposition.

l Look at advertisements andpostings from competitors forequivalent positions to see ifthey have directly listed thecompetencies theyve identifiedfor the positions. Then try todetermine if the same compe-tencies work for the positionyou are interested in.

l Visit employment Websitessuch as Monster.com orCareerBuilder.com and look atequivalent jobs for competencylists.

l Look at the Websites for compa-nies that are competitors to theorganization that has the posi-tion you want.

l Read through your professionalassociation Website thoroughly.

l Find employment advertisementsin newspapers, associationpublications, and other sources tosee if you can glean what aretypical competencies for theprofessional area.

l Go to the Website from theorganization you are interestedin and read through theirpublications to find informationgiving you clues about theirculture and values.


Never ascribe to malice that which can beadequately explained by incompetence.

Napoleon Bonaparte


What are some of the mosttypical competencies used byorganizations?

Heres a list of the most standardcompetencies used by organizations:

1. Achievement/ResultsOrientation

2. Initiative

3. Impact and Influence

4. Customer Service Orientation

5. Interpersonal Understanding

6. Organizational Awareness

7. Analytical Thinking

8. Conceptual Thinking

9. Informational Seeking

10. Integrity

Remember these are the most stan-dard and are by no means the onlycompetencies that may be desiredby your target organization.

Each organization develops its ownlist of competencies, and the listcan be dramatically different basedupon the culture and goals of theorganization.

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Chapter 3

Know WhatInterviewers AreTrained to Look For

You got to be careful if you dont know whereyoure going, because you might not get there.

Yogi Berra

To add a new interpretation to Yogi Berras point, whenyou dont know what to expect in your job search, you areunlikely to do as well in your interview and get the offer.This chapter will give you some ideas about whatinterviewers in the best companies are trained to look fortoday.

Knowing what interviewers want can give you asignificant edge when you are preparing for an interviewas long as you are smart enough to use the information theright way. Always consider the organizations needs first,then how you match those needs. Before the interview,you need to think about how you can provide evidence tothe interviewer that you are competent in the areas theorganization needs to be successful.

Well first cover some of the basics included ininterviewer training. What does any interviewer look forwith any candidate? What are the types of questions thatorganizations dont want interviewers to askbecause theymight lead to lawsuits or discrimination charges? Then welltalk about how competency-based interviewing builds onthese basics to provide interviewers with more structure


and a new and better way to evaluate candidates. The goal is tohelp the interviewer recognize when the candidate has the keycharacteristicsor competenciesthat it takes to be successful ina particular job or in an organization.

Remember this quote from Aristotle Onassis: The secret tosuccess is to know something nobody else knows. Once you havesucceeded in your interview, you may choose to share some of thesecrets of interviewing well with others. I hope you do. Or evenbuy them a copy of this book. But that is your decision.

What Have InterviewersAlways Been Looking For?

The answer is simple: the best candidate for the job. That hasnot changed. Interviewers are expected to identify strong candidatesthrough the interview process, offer them a position, and thenencourage the candidates to accept the offer. It may help you, as acandidate, to realize that interviewers only look good when theyfind someone good enough to get the offer.

Good interviewers want you to do well in yourinterviewtheir whole job is to get someone hired.They dont look good to their organization whenthey eliminate all candidates.

Traditionally, most interviewers look for three things:

1. Can you do the job?Do you have the right experience and education to do the

work? Many interviewers focus their questions in this area. Theydont realize that most employees who eventually leave organizationsactually do have the right background, but may not have the discipline,determination, communication skills, or interpersonal skills to besuccessful.

Know What Interviewers Are Trained to Look For 51

2. Will you do the job?You may have a great educational background and the best

technical experience, but you may be lazy. Being disciplined, hard-working, and determined still counts for quite a bit with mostinterviewers.

3. How well do you fit with their people, department,organization, and culture?This is the category that covers your social skills and

communication style. You may have the best education andexperience. You might be someone who takes work seriously andworks very hard. Or you may be an absolute jerk who cant workwell with other employees. You may think you are smarter or betterthan other employees. You may just have poor communication skillsthat get you in trouble at work. Or you may simply have a differentpersonality than most of the other, more arrogant employees. Thesethings matter to managers because most of them have spent moretime than they wanted dealing with conflicts between employees.

Interviewers will usually make decisions about how well you fitthe organization unconsciously. This is the category where yournonverbal communication counts. In any interview, you need torecognize that interviewers are going to be trying to determine:

l Do you have good social skills?

l Are you articulate?

l Do you use good grammar?

l Are you dressed appropriately?

l Do they like you?

l Do you have the same sense of humor as the rest of thegroup?

l Do you seem to know how to handle yourself appropriately?

l How will your personality fit with the people you will needto work with?


More information about the importance of nonverbal com-munication in the interview process is included in Chapter 6.

What Are Interviewers Taughtto Avoid Legal Problems?

Almost all of the better, more sophisticated organizations traintheir managers, supervisors, and college recruiters to avoid askingquestions and behaving in ways that can cause a candidate or anemployee to file a discrimination charge or a lawsuit. Most countries,states, and provinces have employment laws in place to protecttheir citizens and residents against discrimination. When federaland state laws conflict, most good human resources managersencourage their organizations to comply with the stricter law.

In the United States, federal laws (and many state laws) protectagainst discrimination based on race, sex, age, religion, disability,veteran status, color, and ethnicity/national origin. So questions aboutyour marital status, sexual orientation, religious life, illnesses orinjuries, where your family is from, or any other protected type ofquestion should not be asked in the interview. For some examplesof illegal questions, please review Appendix C.

Interviewers in the United States are trained to focus theinterview on what it takes to be successful on the job and awayfrom the candidates personal life. Good training programs teachinterviewers not to ask questions about these protected areasunless there is a bona fide occupational reason to do so. An exampleof a legitimate bona fide occupational qualification? Interviewersselecting a new minister or rabbi. In that case and only that kind ofcase, they would be allowed to ask questions about the candidatesreligion or religious views.

Interviewers at government contractors and subcontractors arealso trained to give a preference to someone who comes from oneof the protected classes when candidates are equally qualified.

In Europe and many other parts of the world, interviewers aremore likely to ask questions about the personal life of a candidateas a way to get to know him or her. And it still is not that uncommon


for candidates in the United States to tell stories about being askedillegal or inappropriate questions.

Why does this still happen? Interviewers may not have beentrained on EEO and diversity, or basic interview skills. Or they maysimply think that the laws dont matter and they dont have to followthem. Or they may not be very sophisticated.

As a candidate, you may be asked an illegal or inappropriatequestion. If you are, put the question in context. Donttake it personally, and dont get angry. Then think aboutany business need that might be the real reason for thequestion, and see if you can respond to that underlyingneed in your answer. Always show respect for theinterviewer.

I can remember during an on-campus interview being askedby a vice president of human resources at a major utilitycompany in the Midwest whether I thought Id ever getmarried. I knew the question was illegal. I first put thequestion in context: He had just told me his daughter wasin a similar MBA program. I thought that he probably careda lot more whether his daughter ever married than whetherI did.

Then I thought about the underlying business need hisquestion represented: Would he put energy, effort, andfinancial resources into training me and just have me leavea few years later?

Here is the response I gave him:

I dont know if Ill ever get married. I do know how hardIve worked to get a good education and my MBA. I knowhow important it is to me to have a good career, and Iknow that will always be important to me.

Although I didnt go to work for his organization, I did getasked back for a second interview.


If you consider the 79,432 discrimination charges filed in 20041in the United States, you can begin to understand why moreorganizations are moving toward more structured interviews. Givinginterviewers a list of questions to choose from that have alreadybeen approved by good human resources and legal departmentscan significantly reduce the chance that rogue interviewers will askillegal questions that lead to discrimination charges or lawsuits.

Competency-based interviews are highly structured and provideinterviewers with a list of three to five primary questions in eachcompetency area. One significant benefit? Competency-basedinterviews reduce the probability of an interviewer asking a candidateillegal and even inappropriate questions. Most employers wouldprobably say, though, that the main benefit of competency-basedinterviews is their focus on the competencies the organization ordepartment really needs to be successful.

Joe Gorczyca, Senior DirectorHuman Resources at HP, isresponsible for human resources for the companys worldwide salesand global supply chain organizations. At HP, he says, In additionto focusing on competencies required for job performance, we tryto focus on competencies that reinforce the corporate culture.

If you think about the benefits to an organization, it is easy tounderstand why competency-based interviews have become thestandard.

How Are Interviewers Trained Differentlyfor Competency-Based Interviews?

In addition to spending time talking about interviewing basicsand EEO and affirmative action concerns, training to conductcompetency-based interviews:

l Focuses on the key competencies for a particular positionand core competencies for the organization.

l Helps the interviewer know what to listen for and observeto be able to assess the candidate more accurately.


One of the most important core competencies at Johnson &Johnson is Integrity and Credo-based Actions. According toUneeda Brewer-Frazier, Director of Management Education andDevelopment at the company, Because of the strong credo-basedculture at Johnson & Johnson, we work hard to select people whotreat other employees and customers with respect, dont cut corners,and demonstrate integrity through their work and actions. It is soimportant within Johnson & Johnson that it really impacts everyaspect of how we do business and how we treat people.

Johnson & Johnson trains interviewers about their competenciesand provides them with an interview guide that includes a list ofplanned behavioral questions for each competency. Interviewersare encouraged to ask follow-up questions to probe for additionalinformation when an explanation isnt complete or the response isunusual or unclear.

So the interviewer, after going through the introductions andclarifying some things in the candidates background, begins themain part of the interview with a competency-based question. Inaddition to the example included in this chapter on Integrity andCredo-based Actions, you might want to review the example inChapter 1 on the competency Results and Performance Driven.

The interviewer is asked on the following Johnson & Johnsonform to write about the candidates answers. Specifically, theinterviewer is asked to look at the three main parts of any answerto a behavioral question: Situation/Task, Action, and Result (STAR).Because these three parts are looked at carefully by mostinterviewers from organizations using behavioral interviewing, it isimportant to understand what the interviewers need to identify.

1. Situation/Task. What is the basic situation, task, orproblem that you are giving to answer the behavioral question?Expect to give the details. (Note: Some organizations use the wordProblem instead of Situation or Task.)

2. Action. What action did you take to make the situationbetter? What decisions did you make to handle the task or resolvethe problem?

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Planned Behavioral Questions1. Tell me about a time at work when you objectively considered others ideas, even when they conflicted with

yours.2. We do not always work with people who are ethical or honest. Was there ever a time when you observed

another employee or direct report do something that you thought was inappropriate?3. Often there are people in an organization who deserve more credit than they receive. Tell me about a time

when you were involved in a situation such as this. How did you handle the situation?4. Often it is easy to blur the distinction between confidential information and public knowledge. Can you give

me an example of a time when you were faced with this dilemma? What did you do?5. Describe a time when you were asked to do something at work that you did not think was appropriate. How

did you respond?

Lives and champions our Credo-values; displays command of onesself and responsibilities; strongpersonal integrity; creates andmaintains an environment oftrust.

TransparencyDoes not hold back on what needs to be said.Shares information in a truthful manner.

TrustworthyEasily gains the trust of others through appropriateethical behaviors. Behaves consistently in similar situations.

Builds trustTreats others with dignity and respect. Models theCredo values and holds others responsible for their actions.

Integrity and Credo-Based Actions Key Examples

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Situation/Task Action Result

Reprinted with permission of Johnson & Johnson Strategic Talent Management

Communication ___________________________________ Integrity and Credo-basedActions Rating


3. Result. What was the result of the action? How did itbenefit the organization or your department? What did you learnthat will help you be even stronger in the future? Any major lessonslearned for you or your organization? Did you make money for theorganization? Did you save time?

Chapter 4 will go into more detail to help you learn how torespond more effectively to behavioral questions using these threeareas. (Johnson & Johnson calls it STAR. Many career counselorsknow this approach under the acronym PAR, or ProblemActionResult. Others refer to it as SituationActionResult, but Im notaware of any calling it SAR. When an organization wants to look atthe result first, be aware that STAR can easily become RATS.)

In a competency-based interview at Johnson & Johnson, theinterviewer is asked to look at the candidates answers in eachcompetency area and rank them according to the following scale:

5 Much more than acceptable (Significantly exceedscriteria for successful job performance)

4 More than acceptable (Exceeds criteria for successfuljob performance)

3 Acceptable (Meets criteria for successful jobperformance)

2 Less than acceptable (Generally does not meet criteriafor successful job performance)

1 Much less than acceptable (Significantly belowcriteria for successful job performance)

So the more you can find out about the position and what ittakes to be successful in it before the interview, the more likely youare to be able to give the interviewer strong answers that helpprove that you would be competent in the position.

The interviewer is also asked to assess the candidatescommunication skills as shown in the following:


CommunicationClearly conveying information and ideasthrough a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner thatengages the audience and helps them understand and retain themessage.

+ 0 q q q

q q q

q q q

q q q

q q q

q q q

Organizes the communicationMaintains audience attentionAdjusts to the audienceEnsures understandingAdheres to accepted conventionsComprehends communication from others

Communication Rating


If you know what the interviewer is looking for, you willhave an advantage your competitors dont.

What do interviewers alwayslook for?

The best candidate for the job.

What three main points coverwhat interviewers are lookingfor?

1. Can you do the job?2. Will you do the job?3. How well do you fit with their

people, department, organization,and culture?

Why is it important to knowwhat the interviewer is going tobe looking for before you areinterviewed?

It can give you a significant edge overother candidates in the interview.Try to identify the employersneeds first, then start thinking abouthow you can prove to the employerthat you have experience and skillsin these critical competency areas.



AnswersKey QuestionsWhat are the protected classesunder United States employmentlaws?

l Race l Sexl Age l Religionl Disability l Colorl Veteran statusl Disability/National Origin

As a candidate, what is the bestway to handle an illegal ques-tion?

l Put the question in context.l Dont take it personally, and

dont get angry.l Identify the business need

underlying the question, andrespond to that business need inyour answer.

Why have more organizationsmoved to structured,competency-based interviews?

1. To reduce the chance that badinterviewers will ask illegalquestions during the interview.

2. To help interviewers focus onselecting candidates based on thecompetencies the organizationneeds to be successful.

3. To help organizations reinforceand strengthen their corporateculture.

What is included in competency-based interview training?

l Interviewing basics.l EEO and affirmative action/legal

and illegal questions.l Key competencies for the position.l Verbal/nonverbal communication.l Assessing candidates on compe-

tencies (including communicationskills).

What are the three main parts agood interviewer will listen forin a candidates answer to abehavioral question?

l Situation/Task/Probleml Actionl Result

What are the acronyms used byinterviewers to describe the threemain parts of a good answer to abehavioral interview question?

l STARSituation/Task, Action,Result

l PARProblem, Action, Result

61

Chapter 4

Expect Competency-Based BehavioralQuestions

Plans are only good intentions unless theyimmediately degenerate into hard work.

Peter DruckerTo take a small amount of license with Peter Druckers

quote, you need to, as a candidate, plan to work hard tosucceed in a good competency-based interview. Learningto give your best, high-quality answers to the questions isnteasy. Even if you know you are good verbally, you could bebetter if you anticipate what will happen in the interview,and practice. You need to actively prepare.

Actors rehearse their lines and movements for weeksbefore a play or being filmed in a movie.

Medical students and doctors practice surgical techniqueson human cadavers. Before a particularly difficult surgeryusing a different, new technique, surgeons spend hoursstrategizing and planning.

The best litigators work with mock juries and even gothrough mock trials before a major trial to help themanticipate the real jurys concerns and issues. The bestcoaches and players spend hours training, physically andmentally. They identify the other teams strengths andweaknesses, review films of their games, and then adjusttheir own plays to improve their chance of winning.


Like the best actors, doctors, lawyers, coaches, and players,the best interviewees plan for their interviews and prepare. If theywant to work at the most sophisticated companies and organizations,they know they need to anticipate competency-based behavioralquestions. If they already work for a competency-based organization,they should be savvy and recognize the need to prepare for theirinterviews thinking about the competencies needed for the newpositionwhether it is a promotion or a transfer.

The best interviewees today expect behavioral interviewquestions targeting the competencies needed to be successful inthe position. They focus on the most important competencies theemployer is looking for, and then start thinking about how they canprove they are strong in each of these key competency areas.

What Are Competency-BasedBehavioral Questions?

Competency-based behavioral questions are questions askingfor examples from your past behavior and experience to help theinterviewer assess how strong you are in key competency areas.

Remember that the theory behind behavioral questions is thatpast behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. If theinterviewer wants to predict whether you are going to be successfulat something in the future, he needs to find out how successfulyouve been in the past.

Competencies basically provide the interviewer with a targetfor behavioral interview questions. As an interviewee, you need tobe focused on the same target: competencies. If you work thisprocess the right way, the competencies youve focused on are thesame competencies the interviewer is targeting.

Expect Competency-Based Behavioral Questions 63

What Must Be Included When Responding toCompetency-Based Interview Questions?

There are three parts to any good answer to a behavioralquestion:

1. Situation or Task or Problem

2. Action

3. ResultGood interviewers are trained to listen for the three parts of the

answer. At Johnson & Johnson, for example, the interviewers areeven asked to take notes and provide the candidates answers bythese three areas on their interview evaluation form. See pages 38and 39.

The best order to talk about the three parts, though, depends onwhich part of the answer is the most important to the interviewer.If you are interviewing with someone who is very results-oriented,start with the result. If the most critical piece to the interviewer isan understanding of the process, start with the situation or the action.

Spend some time, then, thinking about whether the result or theprocess will make your point most effectively to the decision-makerthe interviewer. As with any good sale, you need to thinkabout the customers wants and needs, and make sure that you talkabout what is the most important to the interviewer first.

What Is the Best Way to Prepare forCompetency-Based Interview Questions?

Take the time to be strategic. Work through this list:1. Look at the key competencies youve identified for the

position you plan to interview for.

2. Think about your strongest accomplishments that prove yourcompetencein each key competency area. Make sureto include at least a few accomplishments that are notalready on your resume.


3. Pick examples to talk about that show as high a level ofcompetence as possible, unless you are interested ininterviewing for a position that you are overqualified for.

4. Then think about how you can explain the accomplishmentto the interviewer, using conversational wordswhetherin English, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Russian,or another language.

5. Be reasonably concise but also complete with your answers.

6. Remember to be positive and to make sure your nonverbalcommunication supports what you are saying. Dont givethe interviewer a mixed message. Read Chapter 6 for moredetails about nonverbal communication.

How Does This Work?Here are a few examples to show you how to begin proving

your own competence. Ive chosen examples from differentprofessional levels, from entry-level to executive. In most cases,the examples the candidates chose to talk about also show they arestrong in more than one competency area. See if any of theseexamples describe something youve done yourself. Pay attentionto the way the candidate gives the answer by picking the key pointsthat are the most important to telling the story. Notice that:

l These examples use conversational language.

l The candidates stay focused, without going off on any kindof tangent.

Lets look first at the competency Initiative. Other competen-cies with specific examples are included in Chapter 5.

Expect Competency-Based Behavioral Questions 65

InitiativeChief Financial Officer, Healthcare Company, interview withlarge hospital system.

Question: Give me an example of a time that you wereable to take the lead in changing financial policy orpractice for your organization.

Situation/Problem: When I became the Chief InvestmentOfficer, the senior managers and board were used to takingvery little risk with the investment portfolio. The problemat the time was that by playing it so conservative, thereturns were lower than I thought they should be.

Action: I spent six months educating key senior managersand board members about the potential benefit of taking atleast 15 percent of the portfolio and using hedge fundsand other nontraditional investment strategies. I met withthem one-on-one and presented my recommendations atthe end of the year board meeting.

Result: With support from the Chief Financial Officer andthe CEO, I persuaded the board to change the companysinvestment policy to allow up to 25 percent of theinvestment portfolio to be invested in hedge funds andother, more esoteric investments.

What competencies

robin kessler - competency-based interviews (2006)

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