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Competency-based interview questions with a scoring guide

24 competency-based questions across eight competencies, 12 strengths-based questions, follow-up probes, and a 1 to 4 scoring guide that shows what good evidence sounds like. Copy the full bank or print it.

Scoring guide

Score each answer against the evidence, using STAR to check nothing is missing.

Score	Label	What the answer includes
4	Strong evidence	A specific, recent example. Clear explanation of their own actions and reasoning. A measurable or observable result, and reflection on what they learned.
3	Good evidence	A relevant example with their own actions and a result, but limited detail on reasoning or learning.
2	Limited evidence	A general or hypothetical answer, mostly about the team, or an example that only partly shows the competency.
1	Little or no evidence	No relevant example even after probing, or an example that shows the opposite of the competency.

Competency-based question bank

Choose the competencies that match the criteria in your person specification. Ask one main question per competency and use the probes to get to the candidate's own actions and the result.

Communication

Tell me about a time you had to explain something complex to someone without your specialist knowledge.
Describe a time you had to deliver a message someone did not want to hear.
Give an example of when you changed how you communicated because your first approach was not working.

Follow-up probes

How did you know they had understood?
What would you do differently next time?

Strong evidence (4): Adapts the message to the audience, checks understanding, and can describe the result.
Weak evidence (1 to 2): Describes what they said but not how it landed, or relies on general statements.

Working with others

Tell me about a time you worked with a colleague whose approach was very different from yours.
Describe a time you helped a team reach a goal that you did not own.
Give an example of a disagreement in a team and how it was resolved.

Follow-up probes

What was your specific role?
How did the relationship work afterwards?

Strong evidence (4): Separates their own contribution from the team's and shows they addressed conflict constructively.
Weak evidence (1 to 2): Uses 'we' throughout without saying what they did, or blames others for the outcome.

Problem solving

Tell me about a problem where the cause was not obvious. How did you work it out?
Describe a decision you made with incomplete information.
Give an example of a process you improved. What did you change and why?

Follow-up probes

What options did you rule out, and why?
How did you know the solution had worked?

Strong evidence (4): Gathers evidence, considers options, explains the reasoning, and measures the outcome.
Weak evidence (1 to 2): Jumps to a solution without explaining how it was chosen, or cannot say whether it worked.

Customer focus

Tell me about a time you handled a complaint from a customer or service user.
Describe a time you went beyond what was expected for a customer. Why did you decide to?
Give an example of when you had to balance a customer's request against a policy or limit.

Follow-up probes

What did the customer say afterwards?
What did you learn that changed how you work?

Strong evidence (4): Understands the customer's need, acts within sensible limits, and follows through to resolution.
Weak evidence (1 to 2): Focuses on the process rather than the customer, or describes giving in to every request.

Planning and organising

Tell me about a time you had several deadlines at once. How did you prioritise?
Describe a project you planned from start to finish.
Give an example of when a plan went wrong and what you did about it.

Follow-up probes

What tools or methods did you use to track progress?
Who did you keep informed, and how?

Strong evidence (4): Explains clear priorities, anticipates risks, and adjusts the plan with others kept informed.
Weak evidence (1 to 2): Describes working harder or longer hours as the main way of coping with competing demands.

Adapting to change

Tell me about a significant change at work and how you dealt with it.
Describe a time you had to learn something new quickly to do your job.
Give an example of when you changed your view after hearing new information.

Follow-up probes

What was the hardest part?
How did you support others through the change?

Strong evidence (4): Shows a constructive response, practical steps to adapt, and reflection on what they learned.
Weak evidence (1 to 2): Describes change only as something that happened to them, without their own response.

Leading and developing people

Tell me about a time you helped someone in your team improve their performance.
Describe a difficult conversation you had with someone you managed.
Give an example of how you got a team to commit to a goal they were unsure about.

Follow-up probes

How did you follow up?
What was the long-term effect on the person or team?

Strong evidence (4): Sets clear expectations, gives specific feedback, supports the person, and can show the result.
Weak evidence (1 to 2): Avoids the difficult part, or describes only telling people what to do.

Working under pressure

Tell me about the most demanding period you have had at work. How did you manage it?
Describe a time something went wrong at short notice.
Give an example of when you had to stay calm while others were not.

Follow-up probes

What did you do to keep quality up?
What support did you ask for?

Strong evidence (4): Prioritises, communicates early, asks for help appropriately, and keeps standards up.
Weak evidence (1 to 2): Presents never asking for help as a strength, or cannot describe what they did differently.

Strengths-based interview questions

Strengths-based questions explore what candidates enjoy and do well naturally. They work well alongside competency questions, particularly for graduate, apprentice, and early-career roles where candidates have fewer work examples. Listen for genuine energy as well as content, and check the answers against what the role really involves.

Question	Listen for
What kind of work gives you the most energy?	Natural enthusiasm for tasks the role actually involves.
What do you find yourself doing even when nobody asks you to?	Habits that match the job, such as organising, helping, or improving things.
Tell me about a day at work when you felt you were at your best.	Specific activities, not just good outcomes.
What tasks do you tend to leave until last?	Honest self-awareness; whether those tasks are a large part of this role.
What do people usually come to you for help with?	Strengths others recognise, with an example.
How do you prefer to learn something new?	Fit with how the role is trained and supported.
What would you most like to get better at, and why?	Motivation to develop in a direction relevant to the job.
Which achievement are you most proud of?	What they value and how they describe their own part.
When do you find it hardest to concentrate?	Whether the working environment suits them; a chance to discuss adjustments.
What would a great first three months in this role look like to you?	Realistic understanding of the job and what motivates them.
Do you prefer to start tasks or to finish them?	Preference for initiating versus completing work, checked against the role.
What kind of problem do you enjoy solving?	Energy for the problems this role will bring.

How to run a competency-based interview

Record each score on the interview scoring sheet and summarise strengths and gaps on the interview feedback form.

Choose four to six competencies

Pick the competencies in the person specification marked for assessment at interview. More than six makes each one too shallow.

Select one main question per competency

Ask every candidate the same main question, and use probes to get the detail the scoring guide needs.

Explain the format at the start

Tell candidates you will ask for specific examples and that STAR is a helpful structure. Offer questions in advance as a reasonable adjustment where needed.

Probe for their own actions

Ask 'What did you do?' whenever an answer drifts into what the team did, and 'What happened as a result?' when it stops short.

Score against the guide, not the candidate

Score each answer on the 1 to 4 scale using the evidence you recorded, before comparing candidates or discussing with the panel.

Competency, strengths, situational, or technical?

Most structured interviews mix question types. Use each for what it measures best.

Question type	Asks about	Best for
Competency-based	Past behaviour: 'Tell me about a time when...'	Whether they have shown the behaviour in a real situation.
Strengths-based	Preferences and energy: 'What do you enjoy...'	What they are naturally good at and motivated by, useful for early-career roles.
Situational	Hypothetical: 'What would you do if...'	Judgement when candidates may not have direct experience.
Technical	Knowledge or a practical task	Specific skills, best tested with a work sample or exercise.

Fair interviews

Make competency interviews fair for every candidate

Ask everyone the same main questions

Consistent questions make answers comparable and reduce the room for bias. Probes can vary with the answer.

Accept examples from outside work

Candidates with career breaks, caring responsibilities, or little work history can show competencies through volunteering, education, or everyday life.

Offer reasonable adjustments

Under the Equality Act 2010, employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates. Sharing questions in advance, extra time, or written follow-ups can help some neurodivergent candidates show their evidence.

Avoid personal questions

Do not ask about age, family plans, childcare, health, or religion. If you need to know about availability, ask every candidate the same job-related question.

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Person specification template

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CV screening rubric template

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Interview scoring sheet

A weighted interview scorecard with a 1 to 4 rating scale and space for evidence.

Interview feedback form

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Candidate rejection email templates

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Related guides

Role hiring guides

Role-by-role guidance on skills to prioritise, red flags, and interview questions.

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Test whether each criterion is role-related, evidence-based, consistent, and reviewable.

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See how a hiring brief becomes a reviewed screening rubric and an evidence-backed shortlist.

Marxel features

Explainable screening, follow-up questions, and team decision records in one workspace.

Know which competencies to probe before the interview

Marxel screens CVs against criteria you approve, explains each placement, and suggests follow-up questions where a candidate's evidence is unclear.

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Frequently asked questions

What are competency-based interview questions?

Competency-based interview questions ask candidates to describe real situations where they showed a skill or behaviour the job needs, such as 'Tell me about a time you handled a complaint'. They are based on the idea that past behaviour is a useful guide to future behaviour.

What is the STAR method?

STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. It helps candidates structure an answer and helps interviewers check whether all the evidence is there, particularly the candidate's own actions and the result.

What is the difference between competency and strengths-based questions?

Competency questions ask what a candidate has done. Strengths-based questions ask what they enjoy and are naturally good at, such as 'What gives you energy at work?'. Strengths questions are often used for graduate and early-career roles, where candidates have less experience to draw on.

How do you score a competency-based interview?

Use an anchored scale, such as 1 to 4, with a written description of the evidence for each score. Record what the candidate said, score it against the description, and probe before scoring if the action or result is missing. The interview scoring sheet on this site uses the same scale.

How many competency questions should an interview include?

Four to six competencies, with one main question each and a few probes, fits a typical 45 to 60 minute interview. Allow around 8 to 10 minutes per competency.

Are behavioural interview questions the same as competency questions?

Largely, yes. Behavioural interview questions and competency-based questions both ask for real past examples. 'Competency-based' is the more common term in the UK, and the UK Civil Service uses 'behaviours' within its Success Profiles framework.