Competency based interview - wibu to use examples from working in countries in extreme circumstances?

[ChequeredPasty]

Have got a promotion interview coming up, competency based which I've not done before as I'm fairly junior and this is a post with line manager responsibilities. I've been researching how to approach competency interviews and understand that you need to give specific examples of how you've dealt with particular situations. Ok so so far so good. I've got lots of examples from my current and previous few jobs I can use. However prior to coming back to the UK when I had my son 15 years ago and working fairly quietly in admin since, I worked in various places abroad which were quite volatile, one of which was pretty much in a state of civil war during my time there. I was employed to do a specific job in each country and in the process of doing so developed lots of the skills they're looking for here eg resolving conflict etc. This is all part of my working life and I wonder if I could use one incident in particular as an example of me meeting a competency.

It just seems, I dunno, weird to bring it up in a cosy teams interview in the UK with people who don't have the same reference points as I do. Or it could be a killer point eg "well she resolved the situation even when there were folks going around shooting people". I'm just not sure.

Any examples are fine.

Your examples could well (depending on the interview approach) get them interested and asking questions about that rather than sticking to script, I find when you get them chatting they warm to you.

Also they will definitely remember you!

Good luck :)

Yes have it in your head as an example. I just had a competency interview on Wednesday, I had a list of 12 examples ready to use, thought I had every possible question covered with these, but no! Only got to use one of them, had to make up the rest on the spot. So as many examples you can store that you could regurgitate is good

I would use it, it’s a conversation starter and sets you apart from the others who have also got an interview. Interviews are are usually awarded to the people who stick out, especially when the candidates are like for like in their skill set

Thanks for your responses; that's heartening. It just seems so out there compared to most people. I mean, those jobs are on the version of my CV I put together for my current job but I haven't, for example, even mentioned any of the detail to my current line manager who is one of the people on the panel, because I'm not sure when you'd bring such a thing up.

But nevertheless it is my life and I did those things.

Best example I’ve ever been provided with was someone who used treating a serious combat injury to demonstrate delivering at pace. It was 6 years ago and I still remember that candidate.

Just make sure your example fits the question asked. So many people get caught out because they have very fixed ideas about which scenario will fit each competency.

Good luck

Thanks. So the example I want to use is of resolving conflict. I'd accepted the job of class tutor and at the point I arrived the govt in tandem with US interests had ceded control of a portion of the country, then there was an earthquake, then I encountered a student who was vocally hostile to having to learn the language of his oppressors just because his employer told him to, and I totally sympathised with him, talked him round and got him through his exam and he bought me a wee gift in appreciation. I'm still proud of that but like I say it's a bit out there. I'd only use the one example.

I think memorable examples help but if you explaining when you worked at pace in a conflict zone, would you not have spend lots of time on background as the situation would be one your interviewer would be unfamiliar with. This might mean you have less time on focus less on what you did which is ultimately what you are graded on.

Yes I am worried about that as well. It's contextually incoherent, potentially.

But dammit, I did those things.

Of course bring them up!!!!

1. they are your experiences
2. great talking points :)

I have used examples in interview and have referenced my personal work experience of dealing with rape, robbery and murder as examples of dealing with conflict as an example. Scared the shit of my potential employer and I didn’t get the job.
Think you need to dumb down your experience to suit the current role.

okay then if they are strong examples get your opening scenario to the minimum and frame then in the context of the work you will do e.g I was staffing a checkpoint in Cambodia when the Kymer Rouge and government both refused the other side entry so taking into account of both stakeholders needs, I negotiated safe passage by influencing key stakeholders, selling benefit of entry etc etc
Hope that makes sense! Or choose a similar setting do the scenario in the first one then use it throughout.

Well yes there's the danger of overwhelm as well. That people just switch off and say "OUTSIDE MATRIX"

@ChequeredPasty

Thanks. So the example I want to use is of resolving conflict. I'd accepted the job of class tutor and at the point I arrived the govt in tandem with US interests had ceded control of a portion of the country, then there was an earthquake, then I encountered a student who was vocally hostile to having to learn the language of his oppressors just because his employer told him to, and I totally sympathised with him, talked him round and got him through his exam and he bought me a wee gift in appreciation. I'm still proud of that but like I say it's a bit out there. I'd only use the one example.

So that is about how you look into this point of view listened, used persuasion using common ground etc, respected diversity, agreed a way forward, set milestones, checked progress and gained positive feedback- all framed in comp BS!

I did a sex abuse investigation for a making effective decisions comp once- went down stormingly and I got the job

Aha! Thank you!

And it's not too outlandish?
I mean ofc people live in these countries and I did too but it's just so far removed from everything here.

I think it will

Make them remember you
Start a conversation possibly that makes them warm to you outside the scripted questions
Show that you had have a massively wide range of experience and are not afraid to take calculated risks

Etc etc

Can you Google the indicators they are looking for?

Think about HOW you got the result you got. Verbally practice your answer out loud, ideally in front of a mirror.

It doesnt matter when it was from but I'd be surprised if you didn't have a more recent example than 15 years ago of, say, resolving a difficult situation. IMO it doesn't matter how "exciting" the example is, it's usually competency based so everyone gets the same question and chance to answer and is about ticking the most boxes....did she do X, did she do Y...who scored the most points overall...job offer.

I've spent all week interviewing and as much as I am listening about 5 of the 8 people I saw were 'homogenous experience' and nearly identikit uni/ experience. All perfectly capable of doing the job but finding points to distinguish them has been a challenge. Please please use interesting memorable examples. You just described the situation in a sentence up there just say that for the situation.

You can use those examples, just make sure you give more than the story itself. Talk through the rationale about why you made the decisions you did, what were the alternatives, what did you learn, if you would do anything differently. It’s important that your thought process comes through clearly. Because it’s less about how you dealt with that situation, you employer wants to know how you would deal with such situations when working for them. They want so see you can scale your thinking, and that previous success want down to hard work or luck alone. All the best.

15 years ago is way too old for a competency example.

Interesting is good as long as it fits the criteria. Competency based interviews are scored (where I am anyway) and points are awarded for meeting the required competency. Less points for partially meeting than fully meeting etc. So, for example, if we wanted experience of auditing against a specific standard, you'd get full marks for working to that standard in the past, fewer points for working to a different standard, but you'd count as 'partially meeting' as you're familiar with the process etc. Where its generic 'good with resolving conflict', more interesting answers will set you apart, hopefully in a good way.

Have a good look at the job description and see what criteria they're looking for and how your experience matches up.

Agree with all the above.

I think putting one interesting relevant example in years ago is not a prob.

Remember (and I may be out of date)

What was the problem
The actions you took to rectify the problem
What the outcome was

Is it's a question about eg leadership, I see no reason why an example from 15 years ago is no good. If op was doing stuff that demonstrates good leadership all those years ago when she was younger and less experienced etc then it's hardly a skill you lose.

I think it's fine to use those examples (along with some of the caveats given above about making it relevant, etc), but I would caution to make sure you don't lean too heavily on them, and make sure you give some more recent examples as well. You don't want every answer to be about those experiences or you'll give the impression of being a bit fixated on it and they might even feel that this role couldn't possibly live up to those experiences. It should be just part of who you are - part of the whole, and the ability to bring in the experiences appropriately should count for a lot. Good luck!