Strengths-Based vs Competency Interviews

What is a competency interview?

For decades, this was the standard interview format for almost every graduate scheme and entry-level role.

The logic behind a competency interview is simple: past behaviour is the best predictor of future performance. If an employer needs you to be good at solving problems, they will ask you to prove that you have solved problems in the past.

The interviewer will have a checklist of required competencies (e.g., teamwork, leadership, resilience, communication). They will ask you a question designed to test one specific competency at a time.

Common competency questions:

• "Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult team member."
• "Give me an example of a time you failed to meet a deadline. What did you learn?"
• "Describe a situation where you had to persuade someone to see your point of view."

How to answer competency questions (The STAR method)

If you are asked a competency question, structure your answer using the STAR method. Without a clear structure, it is easy to ramble, miss the point, and leave out the details the interviewer needs to score you.

• Situation (10%): Briefly set the scene. "During my second year of university, I was the treasurer of the debating society."
• Task (10%): Explain what the specific problem or goal was. "We realised we had a £500 shortfall for our annual event, and I had two weeks to raise the funds."
• Action (60%): This is the most important part. Explain exactly what you did to solve the problem. Do not say "we did this"; say "I did this." "I negotiated a sponsorship deal with a local law firm by pitching our society's demographics to their graduate recruitment team."
• Result (20%): Explain the outcome, using numbers if possible. "I secured £600 in sponsorship, which covered the shortfall and left us with a surplus for the next term."

Preparation tip: Before the interview, write down five or six versatile STAR stories from your work experience, university, or extracurriculars. You can usually adapt these core stories to fit almost any competency question.

What is a strengths-based interview?

In recent years, many major employers have moved towards strengths-based interviews. EY is one of the best-known examples, and the Civil Service assesses strengths alongside behaviours, experience, and ability as part of its Success Profiles framework.

The logic here is different: what you enjoy doing is more important than what you have already done. An employer can teach you how to use Excel or how to audit a bank, but they cannot teach you to genuinely enjoy solving complex puzzles or working with people.

Strengths-based interviews aim to strip away rehearsed answers. They are fast-paced, and you might be asked 15 to 20 short questions rather than 5 long competency questions.

Common strengths-based questions:

• "What is always left at the bottom of your to-do list?"
• "Do you prefer starting tasks or finishing them?"
• "How do you feel when plans change at the last minute?"
• "Describe a successful day."

How to handle strengths-based questions

You cannot prepare STAR examples for a strengths-based interview. If you try to force a rehearsed story into a strengths question, you will sound robotic and miss the point of the exercise.

Prepare by knowing yourself

That does not mean you cannot prepare at all. Before the interview:

• Write down the tasks that give you energy and the ones that drain you, from your studies, jobs, and hobbies.
• Look for the strengths the employer says it values on its careers site, and think about where they genuinely overlap with yours.
• Ask a friend to fire quick questions at you, like "Do you prefer planning or doing?", so you get used to answering without a script.

Show your energy

Assessors are evaluating your body language, tone of voice, and enthusiasm as much as the words you say. When you talk about something you genuinely enjoy, your face lights up and you speak faster. They are looking for those natural reactions.

Be honest (within reason)

If they ask what you leave at the bottom of your to-do list, do not say "Nothing, I am perfect." Give a truthful answer that shows self-awareness. "I tend to leave routine admin tasks until the end of the day because my energy is highest in the morning, and I prefer to use that time for complex problem-solving."

Do not sit on the fence

If they ask, "Would you rather be a big fish in a small pond, or a small fish in a big pond?", pick one and justify it. Say why you thrive in that environment. Answering "A bit of both" shows a lack of decisiveness.

Why employers use both

Many employers now use a blended approach. They might start an interview with a few competency questions to check your baseline skills, and then move into strengths-based questions to see what kind of culture fit you would be.

The best way to prepare for a blended interview is to have your STAR examples ready, but remain flexible. Listen carefully to the phrasing of the question.

• If it starts with "Tell me about a time...", go straight to your STAR structure.
• If it starts with "How do you feel when...", drop the script, be honest, and show your enthusiasm.

You will usually also face motivational questions like "Why this company?" and "Why this role?" Prepare for these the same way you would for an application form, but be ready to go into more depth.

Questions to ask at the end

Most interviews finish with "Do you have any questions for us?" Always have two or three ready. Good questions show genuine interest and help you decide whether the job is right for you.

• "What does a typical first few months look like for someone joining this programme?"
• "What do the people who do best on this scheme have in common?"
• "What is something you have enjoyed working on recently?"

Avoid questions you could have answered with a quick look at the careers site, and save questions about salary and holiday for when you have an offer. Our guide on how to handle graduate offers covers that stage.

FAQ

• What if I don't have enough experience for competency questions?↓

  What if I don't have enough experience for competency questions?

  Employers hiring for early careers do not expect you to have managed a corporate team. You can use examples from a part-time retail job, a university group project, volunteering, or even a difficult situation you navigated while travelling. The skill is what matters, not the setting.

• Can I ask for a moment to think during a competency interview?↓

  Can I ask for a moment to think during a competency interview?

  Yes. It is perfectly acceptable to say, "That's a great question, do you mind if I take a few seconds to think of the best example?" It shows composure and prevents you from rushing into a bad answer.

• How do I know which interview style the employer will use?↓

  How do I know which interview style the employer will use?

  Most large employers will tell you in the interview invitation, and many describe their approach on their careers site. If they do not, you can ask the recruitment team directly, or look at recent candidate reviews on sites like Glassdoor, bearing in mind that processes change from year to year.

Next steps

Interviews can happen at several stages: in a recorded video interview, as part of an assessment centre, or as a final interview with a senior manager. For how they all fit together, see our full applications and assessments guide.

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