HSBC MENA Human Resources

CANDIDATE GUIDE TO HSBC

CAPABILITY INTERVIEWS

INTERNAL
 WHAT IS A LEADERSHIP CAPABILITY?

A capability (or competency) is an attribute described in terms of skills & behaviours

that are key to effective performance within a job.

THE HSBC LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES

The HSBC Leadership Capabilities are detailed below.

§ Navigating: Understanding and translating the immediate business/function

strategy into own team and aligning direction accordingly

§ Aspiring: Being ambitious about providing the highest standards of delivery and
embedding these in the team

§ Driving: Setting stretching goals for self and team and delivering these with
courage and tenacity

§ Mobilising: Authentically engaging with one’s team, colleagues and customers

to deliver at pace

§ Sustaining: Making considered decisions that protect and enhance HSBC

values, reputation and business

WHY DO WE USE LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES IN

RECRUITMENT?

Leadership Capabilities have been compiled that are critical to success at HSBC. Even
though we call them ‘leadership’ capabilities, you do not need to be a leader for them to
be relevant to your job as they refer to the way in which we all should aspire to act and
behave at HSBC.

Unlike specialist technical skills that are job specific, Leadership Capabilities provide a
common language for describing behaviour. The interview methods we use ensure a
fair and valid selection process is facilitated. Evidence shows that past behaviour
predicts future behaviour so discussing your past experiences is a predictor of how you
are likely to behave in the future. Your responses to the capability interview questions
will give you the opportunity to truly reflect your achievements and experience to date
and in return provide us with reliable data about your ability in certain key areas.

INTERNAL 2 of 3
PREPARING FOR THE CAPABILITY INTERVIEW

During the capability interview the interviewer will tell you which of the Leadership
Capabilities they are assessing and will ask you to provide specific examples of when
you have demonstrated the capabilities. The interviewer will be taking notes, and if
necessary will ask follow up questions. It is important that your examples relate to
specific situations you’ve personally managed in the last 5 years. It’s recommended
that when talking through these examples that you utilise the STAR approach below:

Situation/Task
What was the situation?

S/T Action
What did you actually do?

Result
What effect and outcome did your
A R actions have?

IN ADDITION TO ASSESSING AGAINST THE RELEVANT

CAPABILITIES THE INTERVIEWER WILL BE ASKING
YOU QUESTIONS AROUND YOUR MOTIVATIONS FOR
APPLYING TO THE SPECIFIC ROLE AND IF RELEVANT
THE BUSINESS AREA/ORGANISATION.

INTERNAL 3 of 3