How to Prepare for a Competency-Based Interview with STAR Examples

What competency-based interviews assess

Competency-based interviews ask for examples of how you handled situations that reveal skills relevant to a role. Questions often begin with “Tell me about a time when…” or “Give an example of…”. The interviewer is looking for evidence from your experience, not just a claim that you are good at teamwork, communication or problem-solving.

The competencies vary by job. Start with the advert and person specification: note the skills and behaviours the employer repeats, then prepare examples that genuinely show them.

Build a small bank of examples

Choose a handful of situations you can adapt to different questions. They can come from paid work, volunteering, study, community responsibilities or a personal project. If you have limited formal work experience, a relevant example from a course or group project can still show how you acted.

For each example, jot down:

• What was happening, and why did it matter?
• What were you responsible for?
• What did you personally do, and why?
• What happened as a result?
• What did you learn, or what would you do differently now?

Choose examples with enough detail to explain your own contribution. A team result is useful context, but make clear which decisions and actions were yours. Do not claim a group’s work as your individual achievement.

Structure answers with STAR or STARR

A simple structure helps keep an answer focused:

• Situation: Set the scene briefly.
• Task: Explain your responsibility or goal.
• Action: Describe the steps you personally took. This is usually the most important part of the answer.
• Result: Say what changed or what the outcome was.
• Reflection (optional): Add what you learned and how you applied it later.

For example, if asked about handling a competing deadline, explain what the deadlines were, how you assessed urgency, who you communicated with, and what you completed. Avoid stopping at “I worked hard”: give the interviewer a clear account of the choices you made and their outcome.

If you do not have an exact numerical result, do not invent one. Describe an observable outcome instead: the task was completed by the agreed date, a handover became clearer, a customer received an answer, or you identified a process that needed changing. If the result was mixed, say so and explain what you learned.

Make the preparation specific, not scripted

Map each main requirement in the job description to one or more examples. One example may demonstrate several skills, but prepare a range so every answer does not become the same story. Practise aloud and keep notes as prompts rather than memorising a speech; a rehearsed script can make it harder to answer the question actually asked.

A useful practice routine:

1. Pick a competency from the advert, such as prioritisation or collaboration.
2. Write a likely question: “Tell me about a time you had to manage competing priorities.”
3. Answer using STAR, keeping background concise and explaining your actions clearly.
4. Check that you included a result and that your example fits the competency.
5. Practise a follow-up question, such as “What would you change next time?”

Prospects recommends preparing several STARR examples and practising them, while keeping answers relevant to the role. Read its guide to competency-based interviews for more examples.

During the interview

Listen for the skill the question is testing. If the question is broad, take a moment to choose the example that best fits; you can ask for clarification if needed. Keep the context brief, focus on what you did, and finish with the outcome. If you realise your example does not quite answer the question, say so and move to a more relevant one rather than forcing the story.

The goal is not to sound flawless. A clear, honest example—including a setback you handled thoughtfully—gives the interviewer something concrete to assess. Your preparation should make it easier to recall evidence, not make every answer sound identical.

Quick check before interview day

• Have I reviewed the role’s essential criteria?
• Can I give a real example for the most important competencies?
• Is my own contribution clear?
• Have I explained the result without exaggerating it?
• Can I adapt the story naturally to a follow-up question?

Competency interviews reward relevant evidence. Prepare the stories, know what you did, and let the specifics do the persuading.