Also referred to as a structured, behavioural or situational interview, competency-based questions are designed to test one or more of your skills or competencies, and they are fast becoming the preferred method of interviewing throughout the manufacturing sector.
The questions act as a beneficial tool for hiring managers to identify whether you have the specific skillset necessary to deliver consistently in the role for which you are applying. This is your opportunity to give the interviewer an insight into your employment history and to demonstrate how you have applied critical competencies to successfully accomplish tasks.
Examples of Competency-Based Interview Questions for Manufacturing
In a competency-based interview, you will be asked to describe a situation from either a previous job, your education, or your personal life, that demonstrates one of the competencies that the employer is looking for.
Here are the classic competencies you should expect to be questioned about during your manufacturing interview with examples:
- Leadership: “Tell me about a time you took the lead in a project and what was the outcome?”
- Teamwork: “Give me an example of how you supported a member of your team who was struggling.”
- Communication: “Describe a time when you faced conflict and how you addressed it.”
- Problem solving: “Tell me about a time you became aware of a potential problem and how you resolved it.”
- Planning and organisation: “Describe a situation when you had to work to a tight deadline.”
Depending on the particulars of the role, you are likely to be required to demonstrate additional competencies, such as critical thinking, adaptability and flexibility, especially in regards to developing new skills.
In preparation for your interview, reflect on your current role and think carefully about the ways in which you have demonstrated the competencies we have highlighted.
Boost Your Chances of Success by Following Our Advice on The STAR Interview Technique.
The STAR technique is a straightforward and structured way of responding to a competency-based question. The Acronym Stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR).
- Situation: Provide the interviewer with lots of context and include details to increase the credibility of your story.
- Task: Expand on the information you have provided by outlining the task at hand. Give the interviewer an idea about the importance of the task, as well as the challenges you faced.
- Action: Describe the actions you took to guarantee a successful outcome, with an emphasis on your individual contribution. Be sure to identify the competency that the interviewer is looking for and structure your response with this in mind.
- Result: Detail the outcome of your actions, quantifying your answer, where possible, by backing it up with figures or statistics.
While we are unable to provide you with your answers, we hope that our advice helps you to approach each question in the right way and ultimately to impress at your competency-based interview!