Competency Questions Flashcards
Working with People Delivering Results and Meeting Customer Expectations Applying Expertise and Technology Leading and Supervising Adapting and Responding to Change Creating and Innovating Entrepreneurial and Commercial Thinking
Tell me about yourself , introduce yourself
Tell me about previous employment,
How Britain prosper and the diversity and inclusions
Tell all the details you know about the company?
adaptability
commercial awareness
communication
conflict resolution
decisiveness
independence
flexibility
leadership
problem solving
organisation
resilience
teamwork.
Describe a situation in which you led a team.
Give an example of a time you handled conflict in the workplace.
How do you maintain good working relationships with your colleagues?
Tell me about a big decision you’ve made recently. How did you go about it?
What has been your biggest achievement to date?
Describe a project where you had to use different leadership styles to reach your goal.
Tell me about a time when your communication skills improved a situation.
How do you cope in adversity?
Give me an example of a challenge you faced in the workplace and tell me how you overcame it.
Tell me about a time when you showed integrity and professionalism.
How do you influence people in a situation with conflicting agendas?
Give an example of a situation where you solved a problem in a creative way.
Tell me about a time that you made a decision and then changed your mind.
Describe a situation where you were asked to do something that you’d never attempted previously.
Tell me about a time when you achieved success even when the odds were stacked against you.
- Describe your strengths in five words.
- Describe your weaknesses in five words.
Although it’s essential for your candidate to positively affirm their strengths, they must also have a positive and honest outlook on their weaknesses. The most suitable candidates for the position will be able to state five of their weaknesses relating to the job position.
They should also provide clear, actionable strategies for mitigating these weaknesses. This way, you’ll know that your candidate can accurately self-assess and find solutions to their vulnerabilities and weaknesses. It is crucial that your employees embrace professional development.
- What are your career goals? What drew you to this position?
- How well do you work as part of a team?
- What do you know about this company?
If the candidate sitting in front of you shows no interest in your organization or the work you do, why did they apply for the job in the first place?
Just as you have taken the time to assess the applicant and schedule an interview, your candidate should have taken the time to research your business.
Therefore, expect them to have at least a basic understanding of what you do. They should know your company’s mission statement and any of its noteworthy achievements.
- What experience can you bring to this role from your career so far?
This is an excellent question to ask your candidate to ensure they understand the job description for the role you’re offering. The skills and experience they gained from their previous roles should align with the job description. The more relevant their answers, the more likely your candidate is competent enough to take on the role. - Describe a situation in which you had to think on your feet.
There is more to this question than might appear. It requires your candidate to think quickly during the interview and provide you with a coherent and interesting response. They should be able to describe an example of a time they had to think rapidly.
An interesting and relevant answer reveals that the candidate is a fast thinker who may be able to come up with ideas and solutions without delay. It shows that they have excellent verbal and conversational skills that would be great for a customer- or client-facing position in which quick communication is essential.
- Describe your leadership experience.
Even if you’re hiring for a low-level position, you still need to understand the importance of leadership skills. Asking this question to every candidate ensures that your employees have the potential for progression and possibly even the ability to step up to a leadership position later in their careers.
Those who provide a clear example of a time when they had to lead others toward a specific output or goal have a high level of competency and potential.
- How do you keep your professional knowledge up to date?
A competent candidate will know that nothing is constant in the professional sphere. New tools, technologies, and discoveries are constantly changing our approach to how we work. The value of skills is estimated to depreciate by half every four years.
As a hiring manager or recruitment agent, you should ask your candidate how they keep themselves up to date on the latest developments in their profession.
Top applicants will provide an example of a recent development in the field that they learned about on their own. They may also tell you about a course or training program they entered to gain more relevant and up-to-date skills.
This question is particularly important for scientific, medical, and technical roles.
- Where do you see yourself in the next few years?
As we discussed earlier, ambition is one of the core indicators of a competent employee. This question is one of the best ways to see how ambitious your candidate is and whether their ambitions align with the open role.
For instance, some candidates may wish to work upward in the same organization, whereas others might prefer to move to a higher position at a different business within a few years. However, the ideal candidate will recognize the importance of working upward with the same company, which benefits both the business and the candidate’s productivity.
- What skills and ideas will you bring to this company?
Your ideal candidate will bring in fresh ideas to stimulate positive change in your business. Applicants’ answers to this question will not only help you discover any hidden benefits of hiring them but also reflect their confidence level and how much they have been thinking about the role itself.
Many abilities can contribute to a new employee’s success, from soft to technical skills. Consider using our role-specific tests if you’re looking for a reliable assessment method before making a hire.
- Provide an example of one of your most successful ideas.
If the role you’re hiring for requires innovation and creativity, you need a candidate with proven experience providing successful ideas. They should be able to give a specific example of an idea they produced, along with the results it brought about. This example could be from either a hobby or their professional life. - How would you boost morale and improve job satisfaction as a leader?
A competent candidate for a leadership or HR role will be able to handle people well and boost morale within the workplace. Candidates with knowledge of job satisfaction factors will provide a structured response to this question that includes a list of actionable plans for boosting employee morale. They might provide explain that they:
Provide incentive schemes (free perks, days off, working from home)
Offer praise
Create a culture of healthy competition with rewards for high performers
- How would you support a struggling coworker or team member?
Empathy and compassion play a crucial part in competency. Your candidate should be able to engage and empathize with others to support their coworkers or team. Whether you’re hiring for a managerial or senior position, your employees must be capable of helping one another.
Look for answers that indicate candidates would offer sympathy for their coworker and provide a few suggestions for strategies to help them overcome their difficulties.
- What was the last significant decision you made at work?
Many employees must be competent at confidently making decisions under pressure. Your candidate should be able to provide an example of their decision-making experience, including the reasons behind their decision.
If their reasoning is sound, they likely have advanced critical-thinking abilities. You can use some of our strategic interview questions to pursue this line of questioning further.
- How do you prioritize tasks and manage your workload?
Most roles require employees to manage their workload and prioritize tasks effectively. Here are some factors that should weigh into your candidate’s workload management processes:
Deadlines and urgency
How long the job will take
Scheduling
They should be able to weigh all the factors that affect their workload and make good decisions regarding their schedule and priorities.
- When was the last time you had to deal with a difficult person?
More than 36% of employees have reported dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace.
That’s why you need to know that your candidate can handle conflict well without feeling stressed. This question is fundamental, and your candidate should display a rational and strategy-focused approach to conflict.
Employees must deal with difficult people regularly in the professional sphere while maintaining relationships and taking a professional approach to the situation. No matter how skilled a candidate is, they can’t competently fill a role without having conflict resolution skills.
- Provide an example of when you had to teach something to another person.
Being able to explain processes and educate others is an indispensable skill for most positions – not just senior leadership roles. A competent candidate will be able to communicate clearly and provide clear instructions to others. After all, most employees ask their coworkers for help before going to their superiors. - How do you approach conflicting ideas?
There may come a time when your employee has an idea that clashes with another employee’s plan. Some ways they may resolve this include the following:
Combining ideas
Discussing and comparing the ideas
Voting on the ideas
Whatever your candidate’s answer to this question is, their approach should be diplomatic. You cannot consider your candidate competent if they can’t deal with conflict constructively.
- List five indicators that a work environment requires some changes.
This question is particularly important if you’re hiring for a leadership or innovation role. However, employees of all levels should be consistently contributing to improvement in the workplace by providing suggestions for improvement.
Asking this question will let you know whether your candidate likes to think about the bigger picture and identify areas for improvement or whether they prefer to focus on the task at hand.
- Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
Asking your candidate whether they’re introverted or extroverted is a great way to get to know them better and understand their aptitude for the role. If you’re hiring for a remote and task-focused position, an introverted candidate may be an excellent fit for the role.
However, if you’re hiring for a more social and customer- or client-facing role, then you may prefer to opt for an extroverted candidate. To assess candidates’ answers, consider how their traits align with your organization’s values or whether candidates can adapt to your company’s environment.
- Describe yourself in five words.
Learning about your candidate’s personality and character traits can enable you to get to know them on a deeper level. This question also helps you understand your candidate’s self-awareness, confidence, and social skills.
A fun and lighthearted response to this question could indicate that the applicant has a chatty and vibrant personality, which could be ideal for leadership and socially oriented roles.
- How do you work best?
Each person has their own style and approach to working. Your candidate’s working style should align with the working environment within your business. For instance, if your candidate works well in high-pressure environments and finds stress or time constraints motivating, this could work in your favor.
Or perhaps they like to take an independent approach to managing their workload. Such an independent employee could also be an asset for your managerial staff by helping reduce their burden.
- What’s your method for handling stress?
Statistics show that 83% of workers in the US experience work-related stress, and 25% report that work is the top source of stress in their lives.
Suppose you know that your workplace can be stressful and that many employees cannot handle the stress upon joining your team. In that case, you need a competent candidate who can cope with these conditions.
The ideal applicant will be able to provide numerous examples of how they handle stress, including their methods for preventing burnout, focusing on the task at hand, and avoiding procrastination.
- What’s your ideal working environment?
An open-ended question like this is great for determining whether your candidate is a good fit. Their answer should align with the working conditions of the position you’re hiring for.
Since candidates won’t know much about your working environment, you should get honest answers. This will reveal which candidates will potentially be happiest in your working environment.
Describe a situation in which you had to think on your feet.
Situation: During the organization of an event at the World Food Forum, a high-level speaker unexpectedly pulled out, creating a significant gap in the scheduled program. This required immediate action to identify and persuade another high-level speaker to join the event.
Task: The goal was to quickly find a replacement speaker, maintain the engagement of attendees, and salvage the event’s prestige, aligning with Lloyd’s values of bravery, stronger together, and doing the right thing.
Action: 1. Bravery (Lloyds Value): Acknowledging the potential impact on the event’s success and recognizing the need for quick decision-making, I approached the situation with bravery. Instead of dwelling on the setback, I immediately informed the organizing team and took charge of finding a solution.
2. Stronger Together (Lloyds Value): Understanding the value of collaboration, I gathered the organizing team to brainstorm potential replacement speakers. Recognizing the collective strength of the team, we collectively identified a list of suitable candidates.
3. Think on Your Feet (STAR Framework): With time constraints and the need for a replacement speaker, I swiftly prioritized reaching out to individuals with experience in the relevant field, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
4. Doing the Right Thing (Lloyds Value): In choosing a replacement speaker, I ensured alignment with the values and goals of the event. This involved selecting a speaker whose expertise resonated with the forum’s focus on global food challenges and sustainability.
5. Communication and Persuasion (Lloyds Value): Engaging the replacement speaker required effective communication. I crafted a persuasive message, highlighting the significance of the event, its audience, and the unique opportunity to share expertise on a global platform, aligning with the value of communication at Lloyd’s.
Result: Fortunately, the replacement speaker agreed to join the event, alleviating the potential impact of the initial setback. The COP15 president was also available to address the audience, maintaining the event’s prestige and engagement. The quick thinking, collaborative approach, and effective communication contributed to a successful and impactful event despite the unforeseen challenges, aligning with Lloyd’s values.
Reflection: This experience reinforced the importance of aligning actions with Lloyd’s values in the face of challenges. The values of bravery, collaboration, and doing the right thing were central to the decision-making process, and the successful outcome highlighted the effectiveness of embodying these values in navigating unexpected situations.
“What experience can you bring to this role from your career so far?
What experience can you bring to this role from your career so far?” based on the earlier-discussed job description for the Lloyds Finance Graduate Scheme, consider the following sample answer:
Answer: Throughout my academic and professional journey, I’ve cultivated a diverse skill set and gained valuable experiences that align with the requirements of the Lloyds Finance Graduate Scheme. My academic background at the University of Manchester, where I pursued a BSc in Plant Science with Industrial Experience, equipped me with a solid foundation in data science, sustainability, and effective communication.
During my internship at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, I honed my analytical and problem-solving skills by designing and executing a comprehensive research project on climatic resilience in palm and yam species. This experience allowed me to leverage innovative data science methods and contribute to global breeding programs, aligning with the analytical demands of the Finance Graduate Scheme.
In my role as a Consultant at Fork, I actively engaged in strategic planning and problem-solving, writing inaugural business and communication strategies. This involved leveraging a ‘Theory of Change’ framework, aligning with the strategic insight and analysis required in the Financial Planning & Analysis team. Additionally, my involvement in preparing guidance documents for sustainable food retail options demonstrates my ability to contribute to the Finance Operations team by understanding the movement of funds within the corporation and the market.
My leadership experience as the Chair of Student Action at the University of Manchester reflects my commitment to teamwork and the ability to manage budgets and volunteers effectively. The success of the projects under my leadership showcases my ability to lead teams through various challenges, demonstrating leadership qualities that resonate with the values emphasized by Lloyds, such as being brave and working stronger together.
Moreover, my involvement in the Youth Policy Board at the World Food Forum and my role as a Common Futures Fellow at Chatham House showcase my commitment to broader societal issues and align with Lloyds’ emphasis on doing the right thing. These experiences have provided me with a global perspective and the ability to navigate complex challenges.
In addition to my academic and professional experiences, I am committed to pursuing post-graduate study to achieve an accounting qualification, aligning with Lloyds’ support for ongoing education.
