246608eng PDF

2016
United Nations
Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization
COMPETENCY-BASED
Questions INTERVIEWING
Interview Assessing Candidates
Based on Their Past
Sample Performance
A GUIDE FOR
EVALUATION
United Nations
PANEL MEMBERS
HRM 2016
United Nations
Competency-based
interviewing
Assessing Candidates
Based on Their Past
Performance
A GUIDE FOR EVALUATION PANEL MEMBERS
2016
HRM-2016/WS/2
Foreword
This guide has been designed to assist those responsible for conducting recruitement
interviews and making decisions about the suitability of applicants to UNESCO. It
seeks to explain and clarify some of the best ways to enhance the quality of information
gathered during interviews and therefore increase the fairness and effectiveness of
the selection process.
The role of the interview in the selection process
• Organizations use competency-based interviews as a major part of the assessment

procedure, and often final selection decisions are based entirely on the interviews;
• Competency-based interviewing reveals information about the person’s

experience and also provides you with the chance to observe their communication
skills first hand;
• Considering the importance of selection decisions, and the significant financial and
other costs to the Organization if the wrong decision is made, it is essential that
the interviewer be confident that the assessments made in selection interviews
are as accurate, reliable and objective as possible.
This guide constitutes a useful tool for interviewers to conduct a structured interview
and to avoid questions which would prevent them from getting a correct overview of
the candidate.
• Interviewers have to design and use questions to uncover past actions which
predict future performance;
• Interviewers must remember that the aim of any good interview is to reduce
personal bias and aim for objective – not subjective – decisions;
• Decisions must be made on the basis of concrete evidence rather than simply on
the interviewer’s opinion.
Bureau of Human Resources Management
You will find at the back of this guide, sample interview questions on
competencies that may help you in the interview process.
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Acknowledgments
UNESCO is grateful to the FAO Secretariat, which has kindly permitted UNESCO to
use and adapt the FAO “Competency-Based Interviewing. A guide for interview panel
members” for the production of this booklet.
This document is the property of UNESCO and is intended for internal use only.
Although the information is not confidential, some of the content may be proprietary
or privileged. You are therefore requested not to disclose, distribute or copy it by any
means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – to any third
party without the prior written permission of UNESCO.
Copyright © UNESCO, Paris, 2015

All rights reserved
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Contents
What is competency-based interviewing 9
Prepare the interview 17
Conduct the interview 27
Assess candidates 37
WHAT IS CBI ?
WHAT IS
COMPETENCY-BASED
INTERVIEWING?
Competency-based interviewing (also referred to as behavioural interviewing)

is based on a simple premise, which is that ‘the best predictor of what a person
will do in the future is what that person did in the past in a comparable situation’.
It differs from more traditional forms of interviewing, where the evaluation panel
members ask questions related to what they are looking for, but without any
specific aim in mind other than getting an overall impression of the candidate.
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Understanding the approach
MAIN GOAL
UNDERSTAND AND ASSESS THE CANDIDATE’S PAST BEHAVIOUR
By assessing the candidate’s behaviour in past situations in which such
competencies were required or could have been demonstrated, it is possible to
predict how he or she will behave in future similar situations.
Competency-based interviewing places the emphasis on the applicant’s ability
to relate learning from experience to the position in question.
HOW IT WORKS
OBTAIN EVIDENCE OF THE CANDIDATE’S PAST BEHAVIOUR
Through the interview process, the interviewer can obtain in-depth information
about applicants, how they perform and translate learning to new situations;
the interviewer:
• seeks evidence of specific competencies or experience that will enable
him or her to understand and assess the candidate’s past behaviour;
• asks questions that require candidates to demonstrate that they have a
particular skill or competency that the Organization is looking for.
ADVANTAGES
A MORE OBJECTIVE AND PREDICTIVE APPROACH
Competencies help you to get the right person for the job by focusing not only
on qualifications and experience, but on demonstrated skills and behaviours:
• It gives panel members much sounder evidence of how the candidate
will actually perform in the job he or she is applying for;
• It ensures that all candidates are assessed against similar criteria;
• It enables meaningful comparisons among candidates.
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Tools for assessing
WHAT IS CBI ?
THE BASIC QUESTION STRUCTURE AND SEQUENCE
Candidates will be asked to provide evidence by using situational examples
from their work experience to illustrate their aptitudes, skill set and individual
competencies to the interviewer.
The evidence you are looking for can best be assessed if a candidate provides
a response that includes the main components outlined below, known as C.A.R
for short.
C.A.R. stands for Context, Action and Result
QUESTION WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR

SEQUENCE
CONTEXT Ask the candidate to provide an example of a situation he
or she was in, or a task that needed to be accomplished.
A specific instance in
What you are looking for is a specific event or situation,
which the candidate
not a generalized description of what a candidate did in
has demonstrated
the past.
the competency.
ACTION This is the evidence you are looking for – what the
candidate did, how he or she handled the situation. To
What the candidate
make sure you get adequate inputs, you may need to
did to demonstrate
use the probing questions below.
the competency.
RESULT Find out from the candidate what results he or she
achieved, what was accomplished, and what the
What results were
candidate learned from the experience.
achieved.
NB: This approach can be equally helpful to candidates in terms of helping them
to prepare for the interview.
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PROBING
When you gather examples of behaviours in an interview, you want to make sure
you are getting the whole story, and depending on the candidate’s response,
you will need to probe further.
Probing questions:
• Are vital for detail and for focusing the candidate and interview on
particular areas;
• Are designed to further explore areas of interest, information or situations
described by the candidate, or to clarify a particular issue.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
CONTEXT • Describe a specific situation when you…
QUESTIONS • Tell me about a time when you…
• In the past, have you ever….
• What experiences have you had in…
• Give me an example of how…
ACTIONS • What did you do?
QUESTIONS • How did you approach it?
• What was your role?
• Describe how you went about planning your own

work
• Explain the steps you took to complete a work
assignment
• What did you do to meet this tight deadline?
• What actions did you take to resolve this conflict
with a co-worker?
• How did you react in that situation?
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WHAT IS CBI ?
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
RESULTS • What effect did that have?
QUESTIONS • How did it work out?
• What was the result/outcome?
• What happened as a result of your reaction?
• What feedback did you get?
• What did you learn?
• Have you applied what you learned?
• What problems/successes resulted from it?
• How did the relationship improve after you talked
with your colleague about your problem?
PROBING When answers are too general or vague, opinions,
QUESTIONS incomplete, hypothetical, and theoretical: it may be in the
form of ‘encouraging’ questions or clarification questions:
• Tell me more
• What happened next?
• So what were your specific responsibilities in the
team?
• Can you give me an example?
DISTINGUISHING COMPETENCIES AND TECHNICAL SKILLS

It is important that the candidates be assessed on both their competencies and
technical skills. It is recommended to distinguish these two and to prepare
separate questions in order to assess them correctly and objectively.
Each post may require a different set of competencies and technical skills and
the following definitions will help determine how to assess them.
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ASSESSING COMPETENCIES
What are competencies?
Competencies are the sets of behaviours that facilitate effective performance of

work tasks. They best capture the ‘softer’ side of how individuals go about their
work effectively and help you to get the right person for the job focusing not only
on qualifications and experience but on demonstrated attitudes and behaviours.
This assessment focuses on the elements and qualities of the candidates that
will facilitate the performance of their work and their complementarity to the
team.
To identify and to assess the competencies that the evaluation panel should be
exploring for each vacancy, please refer to:
• The vacancy notice for the position that you are interviewing for;
• The UNESCO Competency Framework; and,
• The sample interview questions.
EXAMPLE OF A COMPETENCY THAT CAN BE ASSESSED DURING

THE INTERVIEW:
‘COMMUNICATION’
Evaluation panels may evaluate communication skills through both specific
questions and also through general observation of the way candidates respond
to all the questions during the interview. Communication skills can be evaluated
through criteria such as the length, clarity and pertinence of their answers.
Unless the position for which you are interviewing specifically requires certain
types of communication skills, you should assess this competency through
observation.
FOR POSITIONS AT ALL LEVELS

The assessment of core competencies is the assessment of attitudes and
behaviours which are considered important for all staff of the Organization,
regardless of their function and level.
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WHAT IS CBI ?
FOR POSITIONS OF P4 AND ABOVE
The selection of the specific managerial competencies to include in the
interview will depend upon the job profile.
However, because of its special link to leadership effectiveness, the evaluation
panel will want to give special consideration to leading and empowering others
in the questions to be addressed to a candidate.
ASSESSING TECHNICAL SKILLS

Asking competency-based questions about technical skills provides the
evaluation panel with the opportunity to assess the technical skills in a manner
that is consistent with the principles of competency-based interviewing. Stated
differently, they allow the panel to assess whether the technical skills and
qualifications described in the candidate’s application have been demonstrated
by the candidate in the past. This assessment is a time for the candidates to
provide concrete evidence of the knowledge they acquired during their past work
experiences.
Technical skills will vary from position to position

EXAMPLE OF TECHNICAL SKILL ASSESSMENT
– APPLYING EXPERTISE –
that can be assessed in any interview
Applying expertise definition Behavioural indicators
This competency is about applying Can be ‘generic’ (consistently apply
the technical skills, knowledge and knowledge at work) or job specific
experience to one’s work. (e.g. apply knowledge of…).
OTHER TECHNICAL SKILLS
that can be inferred from the duties and responsibilities described
in the vacancy notice
Duties and responsibilities Technical skills
Act as the lead focal point and Provision of policy advice.
principal policy advice.
Plan and implement programmes. Programme planning and
implementation.
Draft response to routine Drafting of correspondence.
correspondence.
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Competency-based interview questions lend themselves
very well to finding out more about someone’s
specific areas of expertise as well.
TECHNICAL COMPETENCY- FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS
SKILLS BASED
INTERVIEW
QUESTION
Provision of Tell us about a • Could you describe your role?
policy advice time when you • What were the challenges you faced?
on … successfully
• How did you measure your success?
provided policy
advice to … • What lessons did you learn from this
experience?
Programme Give us an • Could you describe your role?
planning and example of a • What did you do in order to create the
implementation time when you plan?
had to plan
• And to implement the programme?
and implement
programmes. • What were the outcomes of the
programme?
• If you were asked to do this work
again, what would you do differently?
Drafting of Give us an • What was the situation?
correspondence example of a • Can you tell us what your role was?
time when you
• What outcome were you aiming to
had to draft
achieve?
correspondence.
• How did you go about it?
• How successful were you in achieving
the planned outcome?
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PREPARE
PREPARE THE INTERVIEW

THE INTERVIEW
PRE-PANEL DISCUSSION
Being prepared is important for making the interview run smoothly and obtaining
useful evidence. You will need therefore a suitable structure and sequence of
questions prepared for the interview.
All questions should be prepared and reviewed as part of the pre-evaluation

panel discussion.
At this time, the evaluation panel will agree on:
• A single set of questions that will be addressed to all candidates,
and
• who should ask each question.
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Creating a competency-based question
The competency interview questions are derived from the list of competencies
and technical skills identified in the vacancy notice.
Example of the ‘results focus competency’.
The evaluation panel has three options, as outlined below.
QUESTION BASED ON THE DEFINITION

Definition Competency-based question
This competency is focusing and Please describe a time when you
assuming accountability for the took accountability for the delivery of
delivery of agreed results and agreed results.
demonstrating an understanding of
how these contribute to the goals of
the Organization.
QUESTION BASED ON A SINGLE INDICATOR
Behavioural indicator Competency-based question
Manage times and resources Can you tell us about a situation
efficiently. when you had to manage resources
efficiently to achieve an expected
result within a specified deadline?
QUESTION BASED ON SEVERAL INDICATORS
Behavioural indicators Competency-based question
• Consistently maintains focus Describe a situation where you had
and perseveres in the face of to plan and manage resources to
obstacles; achieve a challenging goal within a
• manages time and resources specified deadline.
efficiently.
NB: It is important to draft questions that will explore various aspects of each
competency being assessed; the purpose is to be specific.
Example – ‘teamwork’:
Look for which aspect of teamwork is important for this job: ‘builds consensus’;
‘works with others to identify solutions’; ‘builds trust-based relationships’.
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Giving priority to open-ended questions

The great majority of questions should be ‘open’ questions, with only a few
‘closed’ questions, as needed to clarify points of fact.
Remember to keep questions short and simple. Long questions, or questions

asking for several kinds of information, will confuse candidates.
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OPEN This type of question is the one that you will use most
QUESTIONS frequently.
It cannot be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’, or with a
specific piece of information. This type of question gives the
candidate scope to respond as he or she feels is appropriate.
These questions usually contain words such as ‘describe’,
‘explain’, ‘tell me about’, ‘share’, ‘compare’, ‘what, ‘how’, and
the candidate must give details.
Your lead (or first) question for any competency will generally
be an open-ended question phrased as a sentence such as:
• Describe a situation when you faced a major ethical
dilemma.
• Give us a specific example that would best illustrate
your team leadership skills.
You will follow-up with questions phrased as actual questions.

• How did your actions help the team or its members in
overcoming any challenges?
• How did you personally contribute to this outcome?
• How were you feeling at the time?
• Why did you decide to take this action?
CLOSED This type of question should only be used when it is essential

QUESTIONS to clarify a point of fact.
A closed question can normally be answered using a simple
‘yes’ or ‘no’, or a specific simple piece of information.
• Was this the result you had set out to achieve?

• Did you complete this project within the allocated
budget?
• Were you able to complete the assignment within the
deadline?
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Balancing achievements
and adversity questions
In preparing your list of questions, aim to balance those that deliberately seek
evidence about candidate achievements – results, innovation, team leadership –
with questions that seek evidence about challenges or difficulties encountered.
A candidate may talk about a situation where, as a result of facing adversity, he

or she was able to achieve a significant result. If this does not happen, you should

intentionally seek evidence on how the candidate has faced adversity.
COMPETENCY ACHIEVEMENT ADVERSITY ORIENTED

ORIENTED QUESTION QUESTION
Communication Describe a situation in the Describe a time when you were
past when you were able not able to influence someone
to influence someone who on an important issue.
was difficult to persuade.
Teamwork Give us a specific example Give us an example of a time
when you were able to when you were not able to
proactively resolve a satisfactorily resolve a conflict
conflict within a team. with a member of your team.
Results focus Tell us about a time when Describe a situation where
you used the resources you were not able to meet the
assigned to you in the target deadline that you set for
most cost effective way. a project.
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Questions to avoid
The following types of questions should not be used
LEADING This type of question suggests a response, either positive

QUESTIONS or negative, to a candidate.
• You consulted your supervisor prior to taking this
course of action, didn’t you?
• Weren’t you aware that this was in direct contravention
of organizational policy?
HYPOTHETICAL These questions encourage a candidate to describe what

QUESTIONS he or she would do if faced with a particular situation. They
do not ask the candidate about past behaviour.
• How would you manage an under-performing staff
member?
• What will you do first when you take your new job, if
appointed?
COMPARATIVE This type of question encourages the candidate to compare

QUESTIONS differences in past experiences, rather than to describe
past behaviour.
• Which would you say was the most stressful
experience you have had?
• How do the responsibilities in your current job differ
from those you have had in the past?
QUESTIONS Avoid questions that invade the privacy of a candidate or

THAT INVADE any staff member of the organization.
PRIVACY
• Are you married? Do you have children? Do you plan
on having children? How do you plan to conciliate your
work with your family obligations?
• What are your religious practices?
• How many days of sick leave have you taken in the
past year? Do you have any disabilities?
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MARATHON These occur when the interviewer asks more than one
QUESTIONS / question in the same sentence. These questions can be
DOUBLE confusing to the candidate.
QUESTIONS
• I am keen to hear about your experience in planning
and about the last time you needed to empower a
team member.
– OPTIONAL –

DETERMINE WHICH TYPE OF ANSWERS WOULD SCORE
POSITIVE / NEGATIVE POINTS
Before the interview, panel members may want to determine which type of
answers would score positive points and which type of answers would count
against the candidates.
Example of question “Describe a time when you had to deal with pressure”,
The positive and negative points may be as follows:
Positive points Negative points

• Demonstrates a positive approach • Perceives challenges as
towards the problem. problems.
• Considers the wider need of the • Attempts unsuccessfully to deal
situation. with the situation alone.
• Recognises his or her own • Uses inappropriate strategies to
limitations. deal with pressure/stress.
• Is able to compromise.
• Is willing to seek help when
necessary.
• Uses effective strategies to deal
with pressure/stress.
In some cases, negative points are divided into two further sections:
• Minor negative points, i.e. those which are negative but which are not critical;
and
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• Decisive negative points, i.e. those which panel members consider to be
substantial, e.g. not asking for help when needed.
These points will help you to better assess candidates; especially if two
candidates are given the same evaluation, they can help you to decide on who
was the best.
Knowing which questions to ask
The following steps will help you to prepare for the interview
1 REVIEW THE VACANCY NOTICE

• Review the entire vacancy notice with particular attention to the required
technical skills and competencies.
2 SELECT A MIX OF COMPETENCIES AND TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Analyse the vacancy notice, what you know about the job, and read between
the lines.
• Take into account the level of competency required.
• You might also want to refer to the sample key competencies (back of this
guide).
For all jobs:
• Select 3-4 important technical skills.
• Select 3-4 competencies from either the core or managerial competencies.
3 DRAFT QUESTIONS
Draft technical skill competency- Draft core or managerial

based questions competency-based questions
Draft 3 to 4 questions, including Draft 3 to 4 questions
applying expertise
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3 DRAFT QUESTIONS
Remember to use a suitable structure and sequence of questions which

will allow for the candidates to provide evidence of three main components:
Context, Action, Results (C.A.R.).
Depending on the candidate’s response, you will need to probe further, in
order to make sure you are getting the whole story.
• Think of what is missing in the team.

• Keep the interview questions short and simple; long questions, or questions

asking for several kinds of information, will confuse candidates.
• Identify which aspect of the competencies you want to assess and at what
level.
• Give priority to open-ended questions.
• Balance achievements and adversity questions.
– OPTIONAL –
4
DETERMINE POSITIVE/NEGATIVE POINTS
• For each question, determine which type of answers would score positive
points and which types of answers would count against the candidates.
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Be prepared for the interview
Make sure that you come to the interview well prepared.
This means that you:
• Have ensured that the candidate meets the minimum requirements for the
position;
• Are familiar with the candidate’s personal profile form and current job:
== read the application forms or curriculum vitae prior to the interview;
== ensure that all pertinent information has been provided by the candidate;
== note any candidate’s experiences which are particularly relevant to the

job so that they may be probed further during the interview.
• Have reviewed the vacancy notice for the position in question;
• Have participated in a pre-panel discussion to finalize a list of questions;
• Have prepared a good mix of questions;
• Have ensured that the questions are appropriate to the responsibility level
of the position;
• Are aware of which question(s) you will be expected to ask;
• Have prepared follow-up or probing questions;
• Have identified positive and negative (minor/decisive) points;
• Have prepared the information that will be presented to the candidate during
the interview (e.g. information about the Organization or hiring unit or the job,
details about benefits, conditions of employment) in advance.
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CONDUCT
THE INTERVIEW
Remember that all questions should be prepared and reviewed as part of a pre-
panel discussion. At this time, the panel will also make sure to agree on a single
set of questions – the same questions that will be addressed to all candidates.
CONDUCT THE INTERVIEW
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Taking notes and managing time
TAKING NOTES
It is difficult for the interviewer to accurately remember everything an interviewee
said during the course of the interview. If the interviewer relies solely on his or her
memory, important points may either be forgotten or distorted and systematic
bias such as attribution or stereotyping may influence the subsequent recall of
information.
Recording both what the candidate said and your observations of the interview
will then help you assess the candidate’s suitability.
• The notes you take must be job-relevant and must not relate to any factors other
than those directly linked to job performance or other job relevant activities;
• It may be useful to add +’s or -’s to flag the positive and negative behaviours;
• Try not to make any judgments about the candidate during the interview;
• Rather, use the interview time only for gathering information.
Example of notes taken during an interview:

Question:
Describe a key innovation you introduced in your current position
despite some risks.
What was said Observations
• The way I lead a team; • Not sure this qualifies as
• Team was dispirited; ‘innovation’…?;
• I got to know everybody, then had • Nothing innovative here;
a retreat; • No mention of risk;
• Developed a vision of what to do • Would have been better to hear
differently; about the results that the team
• Made a contract with them – things achieved. Not sure this qualifies
we agreed to; as ‘innovation’…?;
• Achievement was harmonious; • Nothing innovative here;
• And productive work environment – • No mention of risk;
we’re all happy. • Would have been better to hear
about the results that the team
achieved.
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Referring to the example above, you would probably give a low rating to the
candidate on this question. By recording both what was said and your in-the-
moment reactions, you would easily be able to justify this low rating.
Observations are very important, as you might otherwise forget when it comes
to evaluating a candidate.
MANAGING TIME
Each interview should last about 45 minutes. Allow 5 minutes at the end of the
interview for the candidate to ask questions.
Allow 15 minutes after the interview to review/complete your notes and rate each
competency.
Remember that you only have a limited amount of time to cover each competency.
If the candidate takes too much time responding to a specific question, you may
need to say something like “In the interest of time, to ensure that we cover all of
the competencies, we now need to move on to the next question.”

Opening the interview
PRESENTING YOURSELF AND PUTTING THE CANDIDATE
AT EASE
Establish a friendly, yet professional atmosphere:
• Start the interview by greeting the candidate warmly.

• Introduce yourself and the other panel members.
• Make sure that the candidate is as comfortable as possible.
Put the candidate at ease:
• Establish eye contact; this shows interest and a willingness to understand what
the candidate is trying to communicate.
29
• Use facial expressions that demonstrate interest.
• Use open hand gestures.
• Use simple responses such as ‘mm’, ‘yes’ and ‘I see’.
• In case of a telephone interview, be aware that the candidate cannot see you
and make sure to establish other codes to make him comfortable.
EXPLAINING THE PROCESS
Explain the goal of the interview and the process that you will be using:
• Indicate the likely length of the interview.

• Explain that you will be taking notes in order to have a record of what was said.
• Explain what the candidate should do if a question is unclear, or if the candidate
would like to have it repeated.
Inform the candidate to answer:
• By focusing on key facts; the response should last 2 to 3 minutes;

• Using the C.A.R. system;
• And explain that you don’t want to know about ‘we’ but about what he or she did
(what behaviour he or she used to be successful).
Finally, before beginning the interview, ask if the candidate has any questions
about the interview process.
SAMPLE OPENING STATEMENT

“As you know, this interview is part of the selection process for…[position]. In
the next 45 minutes, We will be asking you to describe some of your specific
experiences as they relate to competencies required in the role for which
you are being considered. Please try to give us recent examples of your
experiences and be sure to highlight exactly what you did (as opposed to
what your team or unit did). We will be taking notes throughout the interview
so that we can accurately capture the examples you share with us. Do you
have any questions about the interview process before we begin? Let’s move
on to the first question.”
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Interviewing
AT ALL TIMES DURING THE INTERVIEW
• Be encouraging and supportive.
• Demonstrate that you are listening and be attentive to create an atmosphere in
which the candidate can relax and talk more freely.
• Maintain neutral, professional body language:
== Do not in any way indicate whether you thought a response was ‘good’
or ‘bad’.
== Simply record what the candidate says and move on the next question.
Avoid:
• Following up your question with comments or giving examples. Just ask the
question and then stop. Silence is not a bad thing; it gives the candidate time to
think about the answer. If you feel that you need to say something, use a neutral
phrase such as: “take your time”.
• Tricking candidates with difficult questions; questions should always be related
to the ability to do the job for which you are recruiting.

Introductory questions
Sample introductory questions
You might want to begin the interview using one of these questions:
• What is your motivation for applying for this vacancy?

• Could you please highlight to the panel what relevant attributes and skills you
would bring to this position?
Review key background information
Any gaps in the CV should be addressed.
Take no more than five minutes to cover this part of the interview.
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Do not spend your valuable time reviewing biographical information that you
have already obtained by reviewing the application. At this point in the interview,
you should only clarify any unclear or missing information.
STAYING ON TRACK
The most important challenge you are likely to face during the interview is to
keep the candidate on track, allowing you to collect as much evidence as possible
of how the candidate has demonstrated the required competencies in the past.
Do this by preparing follow-up or probing questions.
Focus on what is significant

Always come back to the vacancy notice; what competency we want (look for a
situation similar to the job in which he has been successful).
Follow-up with questions on specific aspects of a situation the candidate had
described. For instance:
• Tell me more about how you were involved.
• You mentioned…tell me more about that.
• What was your role in…?
Keep the candidate focused on recent past events (less than 5 years)
Keep your follow-up questions brief, specific, and in the past tense:
• What did you do then?
• What were you thinking when that happened?
• What did you say?
• What led to that decision?
Keep the candidate focused on his or her role in those situations

Avoid the “we”:
• If the candidate talks about ‘we’, ask “what was your role?”
• If the candidate is talking about generalities, or going into too much detail,
redirect the candidate to specifics by saying something like “what did you do
in this situation?”
Acknowledge reluctance of speaking about themselves, but emphasize that
the candidate’s role is important.
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Probe for thoughts behind actions
Questions about thoughts, feelings and reactions can provide information about
what a candidate’s values are or how he or she is motivated, and will assist you
in evaluating behaviours expected in connection with specific competencies:
• How did you reach that conclusion?

• How did you know what to do in that situation?
• What were you thinking at the time?
• What did you find satisfying/frustrating about that?
ADAPTING TO THE CANDIDATE’S RESPONSE:

PROBLEM SOLVING
In addition to needing to keep the candidate on track, you are likely to encounter
a number of other challenges during the interview. You may find it helpful to use
the following approaches.
IF THE CANDIDATE… YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY THESE APPROACHES…

Appears uncomfortable • Start the interview with a warm-up question to

help the candidate feel comfortable with the
members of the evaluation panel.
Selects what appears • Politely interject to direct the candidate to a more
to be an insignificant pertinent example.
situation • When he/she has finished, request an additional
example that would illustrate the point.
Selects an ‘old’ (more • If the situation is about a team/interpersonal
than 5 years ago) conflict, do not intervene, as these may only have
example occurred infrequently. At the end, make sure to
ask, “What did you learn from this?”
• If the situation is about a significant result,
achievement or innovation, ask right away
whether the candidate could identify a more
recent example.
33
Does not select any • If the candidate has been in the job for less than a
examples from his or year, is very new to the UN, or has had an unclear
her current job assignment/job description for some time, do not
intervene.
• If the candidate has been in the job for more than
a year, and you are getting close to the end of your
questions, when the candidate finishes describing
a situation, ask if he/she could also identify a
more recent example.
Does not mention any • Simply ask what the result was.
result/outcome of the • If it is not clear what the candidate’s role was in
situation achieving the result, make sure to ask, “What was
your role in achieving this result?”
• Consider asking, “What did you learn from this?”
Responds with a • Ensure you ask all planned questions – those
confusing answer, that would prompt a candidate to describe the
without clear line of CONTEXT-ACTION-RESULT at what appears to be
thought the most appropriate moment.
• DO NOT, however, go so far as to attempt to
help the candidate to provide a more coherent
response.
Appears very • This offers an excellent opportunity for you to
‘rehearsed’, very make full use of probing questions, exploring in
familiar with the detail not only what the candidate did (the action
methodology he/she took) but also what he/she was thinking at
the time, and how he/she felt about it.
Uses repeatedly the • Ask the candidate to select a different situation/
same situation example.
Does not answer the • Intervene to help put the candidate on the right
question track.
• Repeat the question with a higher level of
explanation of what you are looking for, but do not
do this more than once.
34
Has no response/ • Allow the candidate adequate time to identify a
cannot think of a situation.
situation • If none is forthcoming, try once to slightly coach
the candidate.
• If there is still no response, you will have to rate
this response weak-no evidence provided.
Gives an answer that • Remind the candidate at the end that questions
is too long must be answered more briefly.
• You can use your body language.
• DO NOT interrupt, as it enables you to observe the
communication skill.
Closing the interview

At this point, just before closing the interview, members of the panel might want
to ask question on the candidate’s career perspectives. The panel must also

remember to always ask the question:
• If you were to be selected for this job, when could you start?
Allow the candidate to ask questions

Members of the panel should allow 5 minutes for a candidate to ask questions;
sometimes, they can be very revealing.
The panel members should be prepared to answer questions about the selection
process since the candidates may ask when they will receive feedback following
the interview.
Sample questions that a candidate may ask:

• How many candidates were interviewed.
• When he or she will have an answer, either positive or negative.
• If he or she did well.
35
Close the interview with a positive and neutral attitude
• Close on a positive note and ensure that when candidates leave, they feel
positive about their experience:
== Use neutral phrases;
== Be careful not to raise false expectations that may result in later

disappointment;
== Avoid saying “That was great”, “you did a great job”, etc.
• Explain the steps involved in the final selection and when the decision will be
made (explaining what comes next).
• Thank the applicant for his or her time and end the interview.
36
ASSESS
CANDIDATES
Decisions must be made based on evidence, rather than on the opinions of the
interviewer. The latter should avoid basing selection decisions on unsubstantiated
opinions, speculation, or stereotypes.
ASSESS CANDIDATES
37
Reviewing notes and rating
competencies
SAMPLE OF THINGS THAT MIGHT INFLUENCE YOU
Be aware of the need to suppress any first impression bias, in order to avoid
feeling either positive or irritated before the candidate has even started.
• The way the candidate is dressed;

• Irritating mannerisms (playing with hair or with pen);
• National/Regional accent;
• Jewellery;
• Previous employer or candidate’s University.
EVALUATING RESPONSES
At the conclusion of the interview, add to your notes any details you missed
during the interview. Then independently review the responses and evaluate
them for each competency.
The panel should discuss later and agree upon the final rating.
No ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers

In competency-based interviewing there are no right or wrong answers, only
strong or weak ones in term of evidence a candidate has provided that he or she
has demonstrated the competency in question in the past.
When reviewing the notes of the interviewers, the following points will help you
to decide how to evaluate the response:
• Was the answer complete? Did it contain the C.A.R. elements (Context, Action,
and Result)?
• Was it a significant, relevant example that demonstrated the competency
required?
• In providing the answer, did the candidate demonstrate acceptance of
responsibility, capacity for learning and for applying the lessons learned from
the experience?
38
You may use the suggested evaluation scale below and the evaluation template
on pages 40-41.
USING AN EVALUATION SCALE

The standardized proposed scale below may be used to evaluate every
candidate’s individual competency; it is important that all panel members use
the same scale.
Remember that all panel members review their notes and evaluate the
candidate’s responses independently. The panel should discuss later and agree
upon the final rating.
Excellent: The candidate identified a meaningful situation

that provided strong and consistent demonstration of the
4
competency and/or technical skill through excellent evidence
of meaningful behaviours.
Good: The candidate provided solid positive evidence of having
3 demonstrated the competency and/or technical skill through
a wide range of effective behaviours.
Average: The candidate provided adequate evidence of having
several effective behaviours.
Poor: The candidate provided poor positive evidence of having
limited effective behaviours.
No evidence: The candidate did not provide any positive
0/NE evidence of having demonstrated the competency and/or
technical skill.
Reminder: Positive and negative points (page 23) can also help you to better
assess candidates; especially if two candidates get the same evaluation, they
can help you to decide who was the best.
ASSESS CANDIDATES
39
Proposed evaluation grid
Reminder: the evidence you are looking for can best be assessed if a candidate
provides a response that includes the C.A.R elements:
• Context: a specific instance in which the candidate has demonstrated the

competency;
• Action: what the candidate did to demonstrate the competency;
• Result: what results were achieved?
This template is provided as an example of evaluation grid that can be used by

interviewers to assess and compare each interviewed candidate based on the
evaluation scale established by the panel.
COMPETENCY-BASED INTERVIEW
Evaluation grid for interviewers
POST AND GRADE
Candidate 1 Candidate 2 Candidate 3 Candidate 4 Candidate 5 Candidate 6
Competency 1
Competency 2
Competency 3
Competency 4
Competency 5
Competency 6
Observations:
NE 1 2 3 4
No Evidence Poor Average Good Excellent
40
Proposed comparative evaluation grid
This template is provided as an example of evaluation grid that can be used by

the evaluation panel to discuss and agree on a final rating. Each candidate is
therefore given an average rating on all evaluated competency and the panel can
prepare its recommendation.
COMPETENCY-BASED INTERVIEW
Individual evaluation of candidates
POST AND GRADE
Interviewer 1 Interviewer 2 Interviewer 3 Interviewer 4 Interviewer 5 Interviewer 6
Competency 1
Competency 2
Competency 3
Competency 4
Competency 5
Competency 6
Final Overall Rating
Observations:
ASSESS CANDIDATES
41
2016
United Nations
COMPETENCY-BASED
Questions INTERVIEWING
Assessing Candidates
Based on Their Past
Interview
Sample Performance
Educational, Scientific and A GUIDE FOR
United Nations
EVALUATION
PANEL MEMBERS
HRM 2016
CORE VALUES
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
CORE VALUES
3
Commitment to the Organization
1. Give me an example of when you have had to defend an Organization’s decision
to others who did not agree with the viewpoint.
What was the specific situation?

Why did you defend the decision?
What did you say or do that was particularly effective?
In hindsight, what would have you done differently?
2. Give an example of a situation when you encountered criticism against your

organization/company.

What caused the criticism?
How did you respond?
How did your interlocutor react?
3. Tell me about the ways in which you motivate yourself or others toward
commitment and hard work.
Can you give a specific example of a situation?

What approach did you use to motivate them?
To what extent were you successful in your attempt?
4. Tell me about a time when you have gone an “extra mile” for the Organization.

What did you do that was particularly beyond your role?
What feedback did you receive?
5. Give me an example of a time when you initiated a collaboration with another

unit or other colleagues in order to better deliver.
What were you trying to achieve?

How did you go about establishing/promoting the collaboration?
How effective was this collaboration?
What were the advantages of this approach?
6. Describe a time when you were able to advocate persuasively for your
organization/company’s vision and mandate.
4
CORE VALUES
Integrity
1. Tell me about the last time that you had to face a professional or ethical
dilemma at work (in the recent past).

How did you feel?
How did you resolve the dilemma?
2. When have you been asked to ‘bend the rules’ by a colleague or client?
How did you manage the situation?

What pressures were you under?
What factors did you have to consider?
What was the outcome?
3. Describe a time when you have had to choose between admitting a mistake
and maintaining credibility to a superior or client.
What did you do?

How did you decide what to do?
What would you do differently next time?
4. Tell me about a time you have observed others working in an unprofessional

or unethical manner.
What was unprofessional or unethical about their behaviour?

What did you do about their behaviour?
What were the implications of taking action?
How did you deal with the possible consequences?
5. In most organizations there are rules, regulations and principles that have
to be adhered to and some that can be interpreted more flexibly. Give me an
example of a time where you have interpreted the rules with more flexibility.

What made the situation ambiguous?
What did you do well in handling the situation?
What else could have you done?
5
6. Describe a situation where you felt pressured to act in a way that would
compromise your values or those of the Organization.
What was the nature of the situation?

What were the implications of your actions?
How did you respond to the pressure?
What was the result?
What did you learn from the experience? If you had to do it again what
would you do differently?
Respect for diversity
1. What experience have you had with working with people from diverse
backgrounds?
Describe a specific situation where you have had to relate to others from a
different background from yours.
How did you improve the way you interact with people from different
backgrounds?
Based upon your experience, what advice would you give to someone
having difficulty working with people from different backgrounds?
2. Describe an occasion when you found it difficult to work with someone from
a different background.
What caused the problems?

3. Describe a situation that required you to consider a different perspective from

your own when exploring an issue.
What did you learn from the experience?

How do you think you could improve your ability to see issues from a
different perspective?
What do you see as being the key to effectively viewing issues from an
alternative perspective?
6
CORE VALUES
4. Give me an example of a situation where you have pursued a course of action
which had to take into account the sensitivities of external (different) parties.
What were the issues?

What did you specifically do to handle these?
5. What opportunity have you had to examine your own biases and behaviours
when dealing with people?
What observations have you made?

Describe an example of when you have attempted to avoid a stereotypical
response.
What did you do that was effective?
What feedback did you get from the person/people?
How could you be more effective in this area?
6. When you were liaising with colleagues or others from different cultures,
what sorts of issues did you need to take into account?
When did this knowledge help you to get your job done more efficiently?
When did you overlook something?
How did you handle this?
Professionalism
1. Give me an example of when it has been important for you to appear

knowledgeable about your area of specialty.
Why was this so important?

How did you go about establishing credibility?
2. Give me an example of when you experienced a setback.
Describe what happened.

How did you react to the problem?
To what extent did others see how you were feeling?
7
3. How do you define success in your current role/previous work?
Can you give me a specific example of when this has occurred?

What specifically do you wish to achieve?
How do you know when you have achieved success?
4. Give me an example of when you have set yourself an ambitious target.
What made it so ambitious?

How did it compare with other targets you had set yourself?
How well did you do?
5. Tell me about a time when you worked especially hard in your current role/
work.
Which aspect of the situation motivated you to work hard?

What feedback did you have on your performance?
6. Tell me about a time when you were able to anticipate a problem in your work.
How did you know the problem was likely to occur?

What did you do?
How effective was your action?
8
CORE COMPETENCIES
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
CORE COMPETENCIES
9
Accountability
1. Give me an example of when time pressures prevented you from spending a
lot of time on a task.
What implications did this have for the quality of your work?
How did you ensure that the task was done properly?
What would you do differently in the future?
2. Describe a time when you did not meet your usual standards of work.
What alerted you to this?

How did you overcome the problem?
What were the long-term consequences?
3. Describe a time when you failed to complete a task on time.
Why was this?

What steps had you taken to avoid this?
What lessons did you learn?
4. Describe a time when you delegated a task to another person.
How did you enable them to carry out the work?

How did you follow up with them?
Who had responsibility for the work?
How was this responsibility established?
5. Tell me about a time when it was particularly important for you to take
responsibility for your actions.
What had you done that required you to take responsibility for your actions?
Why was taking responsibility so important?
How did you make this known to others?
6. Describe a time when you realized that your team’s results/output could have
been better?
What did you do to address the issue?

How responsible were you for the team’s results/output?
What was achieved?
What feedback did you have on the subsequent performance of the team?
10
CORE COMPETENCIES
Communication
1. Give me an example of when you had to explain something difficult to someone
who did not have your background/knowledge.
What information did you need to get across?

What did you consider when explaining the concept?
What was the most difficult aspect about giving the explanation?
How did you ensure that they understood?
2. Tell me about a time when it was important to involve someone in a

conversation.
Why was it important to involve them?

How did you go about involving them?
When has your approach been less effective?
In retrospect, what would have you done differently?
3. What kind of correspondence have you had to prepare in the past?
What experience have you had in writing formal communication?

How effective is your writing technique?
How could you improve the quality of your writing?
4. What experience have you had speaking formally in front of others?
Describe a talk or presentation which you have given recently.

How did you tailor the discussion to suit the audience?
How did the audience react?
5. Tell me about a time when you have chosen not to disclose information to
others.
What was the situation?

When are you less likely to share information with others?
What are the main issues you consider when deciding whether to share
information with others?
11
6. Tell me about a time when you have outlined the key points in an argument
in the past.
What did you do specifically that was effective?

How could you present your argument more effectively?
In what situations have you been most effective at outlining your arguments
to others?
What do you see as being the key to successfully putting an argument
across orally?
7. Give me an example of a situation when it was important for you to

communicate a strategy or organizational objective clearly to others.
Why was it important?

What did you do to prepare your communication?
What did you do that was particularly effective?
What factors did you feel were important to address?
How did you make sure you were understood?
Teamwork
1. Describe to me a successful teamwork work experience:

Which was your role?
What made the team successful?
How did you handle the disagreements within the team?
What were the results?
2. Tell me about the last time you worked as part of a team.
What was the purpose of the team?

What did you like about working in the group?
What did you dislike?
How did you get the team members to cooperate?
12
CORE COMPETENCIES
3. Did you face a situation where your personal objectives were at odds with
those of the team?
How did you react?

How did you balance competing personal and team goals?
4. Describe a time when you worked in a really effective team.
What made the team so effective?

What was your particular contribution to the team?
How did your colleagues relate to you?
5. Give me an example of when you had to support someone else in a team.
Why did they need support?

What did you do to support them?
How did that change things?
6. Tell me about a time when you have accepted joint responsibility for a team’s
limitations or problems.

How did you explain about your part in the situation?
7. Describe an occasion when you had difficulties working with a team.
What caused the problems?

8. Give me a specific example of when you have encouraged a cooperative

approach in a team.

What did not work so well?
How did you ensure that you made the best use of people’s ideas?
How did you go about making decisions in that group situation?
13
9. Tell me about a time when it was difficult for you to be supportive of a team
member based on differences in your work styles or work habits.
How did you handle the situation?

With the benefit of hindsight, would you handle the situation differently?
Innovation
1. Describe a situation when you had to be creative.
What was the nature of the situation?

What were the different actions to carry out?
2. Tell me about a time when you came up with a new idea at work.
Why was this important?

How did you come up with this idea?
What risks did you consider?
How did you get other people interested in the idea?
3. Creative ideas may initially seem good but in practice be unusable. How often
do you find this?
Tell me about one such situation.

How did you decide that the idea was not practical?
What was the outcome of the situation?
4. Give me an example of a time when you used a less conventional approach to

your work.
Why was this necessary?

Why do you consider your approach to be different?
How well did it work?
14
CORE COMPETENCIES
In what situations are you least creative?
What stops you from being innovative?
How do you manage these situations?
What would help you to handle these situations more effectively?
5. Describe a situation when you produced an imaginative solution to a problem

at work.
How did you generate the solution?

6. Tell me about a time when you questioned a way of working.
Why did you question it?

What alternative did you suggest?
To what extent were your ideas used?
7. Tell me about a time when you took a risk with pursuing a new approach or
idea.
What was risky about pursuing the approach/idea?

How did you handle the situation?
How far did the new approach/idea progress?
8. Tell me about a recent time when you instituted improvement and change.
How was it decided that an improvement was needed?

How did you go about making the change(s)?
What resistance was there to the change(s)?
What effect did the changes have?
What feedback did you receive regarding the quality of your idea?
Results focus
1. Give us an example of when you led and facilitated work planning to achieve
a significant result.
15
2. Describe a time when you needed to ensure that the work you were doing
would meet the needs of a person or group external to your Organization or
immediate work area.
Why was this required?

How did you approach this?
What did you do to ensure that their needs were met on an ongoing basis?
3. Describe a time when it was particularly important for you to adopt a results-
based approach to your work.
Why was a results-based approach particularly important in this situation?

What changes did you institute to meet this requirement?
How did you monitor progress?
What challenges did you come across?
What was the final result?
4. Tell us about a time when you pushed yourself and your team to meet a
particularly demanding goal.
Why were these goals particularly demanding?

How did you approach it?
How did you ensure the goals were met?
Planning and organizing
1. Tell us about a time you had to organize or plan a major event.
What was the nature of the event?

How did you plan and organize the different actions to carry out?
How did the event turn out?
Reflecting back, what did you learn from the experience? If you had to do it
again what would you do differently?
16
CORE COMPETENCIES
2. Tell us about a time where you had a number of demands being made on you
at the same time.
How did you handle it?

How did you plan to organize the different actions to carry out?
3. Describe an occasion when you had to prepare in advance for a meeting or

project.
What did you do?

How much time did you have to prepare?
Was the meeting or project a success?
4. Give me an example of when you had to work to an important deadline.
How manageable were your timescales?

What did you do to ensure that the deadline was met?
How would you organize your activities differently next time?
5. Describe the last time you missed a deadline.
Why did this happen?

How responsible were you for this?
What did you do to try to overcome this problem?
6. Tell me about the last project plan you had to produce, a piece of work or
event you had to organize.

How did you prepare and plan for it?
What timescales did you set?
What could you have done to be more effective in your planning?
What are the key stages in project planning as you see them?
7. Describe a recent situation where you had to set clearly defined objectives.
How did you go about setting your objectives?
17
In hindsight, how realistic were your objectives?
What areas do you think you need to work on in terms of your objective
setting?
What do you see as being the key to setting realistic objectives?
8. Thinking of a specific example, how have you helped others with planning
their work in the past
What kind of advice did you give them?

What feedback have you had on your ability to set plans for others?
How do you think you could improve your planning for other people?
9. Using a recent example, describe how you have developed actions for
achieving an objective.
How useful were your actions when it came to achieving your objectives?
What would you like to improve on in terms of your action planning?
What do you think are the key things to remember when developing action
plans?
10. Tell me about a time when it was necessary for you to plan several alternative
courses of action in response to a change in an Organization’s direction.
How did you re-prioritize?

How far did you plan ahead?
How did you monitor the progress of the plans?
11. Tell us about a time when you have had to translate a strategy into actions
and plans.
What did you specifically do that was effective?

How did you know that your plans were clear enough to be implemented?
How do you break down strategy into manageable tasks?
What would you do differently in hindsight?
12. When have you considered strategic issues when developing goals?

What advice do you give others on strategic implications for goal-setting?
What is the impact of failing to align goals with an Organization’s strategy?
Have you ever had to address this?
18
CORE COMPETENCIES
13. Describe a key programme to promote…(specify)… that you have planned and
implemented
What challenges did you face? How did you overcome them?
What was the contribution of the programme to …(specify)…?
In hindsight, what would you do differently if you had to do it over?
Knowledge sharing
and continuous improvement
1. What type of specialist knowledge have you needed to be aware of in your

previous jobs/education?
How have you gone about keeping your technical knowledge up to date in
the past?
In what areas of technical knowledge do you want to become more
competent?
2. Which areas in your profession/occupation are the most challenging for you?
What are your strengths and weaknesses in your specialty area?

What feedback have you received about your specialist knowledge?
How have you gone about developing these areas?
3. How do you keep up with advances in your field?
How important is it for you to keep up to date professionally?

How much time do you spend doing this?
Which specialist or technical magazines or journals do you read?
What other methods do you use to keep up to date?
4. Describe an occasion when you felt that your level of technical knowledge was
insufficient.
What made you think this?

What action did you take?
What are your current strengths in terms of your specialist knowledge?
What are your current weaknesses in terms of your specialist knowledge?
19
5. Describe an example of when you had to acquire additional technical
knowledge.
How did you go about acquiring this extra knowledge?

In what aspects were you least knowledgeable?
What feedback have you had on the breadth and depth of your technical
knowledge?
What do you see as being the key for acquiring relevant technical
knowledge?
6. Describe an occasion when colleagues (others) sought your advice or

experience.
What had you done to be an authority?

How accurate was your advice?
What have you done since to acquire extra knowledge?
To what extent could you answer all their questions?
How did you know that the information you gave was up to date?
What was their reaction?
7. How have you contributed to the learning of others?
Tell me about a specific time when you have coached or trained a colleague
in something new to them.
How did you make yourself available to them?
What ongoing support did you provide?
20
MANAGERIAL COMPENTENCIES
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
MANAGERIAL COMPETENCIES
21
Driving and managing change
1. Describe a situation where you had to drive a team through change.
How did you manage to make people follow your lead?

What challenges did you meet?
How was it received?
How was your action effective?
2. Tell us about a time when you led an initiative to improve the work in your
team.
Why did you feel this was necessary?

What steps did you take?
How did you manage to help the person go through the transition?
What feedback did you receive from your team?
3. Tell us about a situation where you faced reluctance from your team to accept
the direction that you were setting.
What were the reluctances?

What approach did you use to convince them?
How successful were you?
4. Can you give an example of a change you have initiated to improve your
Organization/work unit?
What prompted you to make this change?

What specific actions did you take?
5. Tell us about a time when you undertook a major review of current work
practices.
What did you discover?

How did you go about implementing change?
Did you come across obstacles?
What did you do to overcome them?
22
6. Tell us about a time when you needed to get around an obstacle to a goal that
was new.
What was the goal you were aiming?

What strategies did you use to address the obstacle?
What were the factors you needed to take into account?
7. Tell us about a time when you needed to communicate to your team or clients
a change in policy or procedure.
What communication channels or tools did you use?

How effective were you in influencing and persuading them?
How do you think you could improve your approach?
Strategic thinking
1. Provide us with an example of when you were in a complex and confusing

situation and had to decide on a clear path of action.
2. Give us an example of a time when you have involved others in the selection
of the best course of action, guiding them to weigh the impact of different
options.
3. Tell me about a recent time when you needed to take a broad view of your
own work.
Why was this necessary?

How useful was this approach?
4. Describe an occasion when you considered a range of possible future

scenarios when planning.
How did you take account of possible risks?

What contingencies did you make?
23
5. Give me an example of a time when you could have taken a more long-term
view.

What did you learn?
6. Tell me about a time when you have had to translate a strategy into actions
and plans.
What did you specifically do that was effective?

How did you know that your plans were clear enough to be implemented?
7. Describe an example of when you have taken strategic implications into

consideration as part of your decision-making.

How accurate was your view of the big picture?
What risks did you identify?
How could you have taken a more strategic perspective?
In what situations do you take a less strategic perspective to your work?
8. Tell me about a time when you have taken into account the wider implications
of an issue in your decision-making.
Was there anything that you did not anticipate that would have been useful
in hindsight?
When are you least likely to take into account the wider implications of
issues?
What do you see as being the key to ensuring that the wider implications of
issues are taken into account when decisions are made?
9. It is not always easy to step back from day-to-day operations to consider the
bigger picture when making decisions. Give me an example of when you have
found it difficult to consider the bigger picture when making a decision.
Why was this?

What did you do?
What would you do differently in a similar situation?
24
10. Tell me about a situation when you took global trends into account in a
strategy or plan.
How successfully did you integrate these global trends with the work of
your Organization?
How could you have been more effective at taking account of global trends?
What advice would you give to someone who had difficulty taking a global
perspective at work?
11. Describe to me a complex problem which you recently solved.
What made it so challenging?

How did you handle it?
What implications did you consider?
Making quality decisions
1. Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision, one which was not
necessarily supported by all key stakeholders in the situation.
How did you present your point of view?

How did you handle the decision-making process?
What were the objections?
With hindsight, how would you approach this differently?
2. Tell us about a time you solved a difficult problem that had significant impact.
How did you go about analyzing the problem?

What additional information did you gather?
What alternative solutions did you consider?
Tell me how you implemented your solution.
3. Tell us about a situation where you made a decision that involuntarily impacted
negatively on others.
How did you make that decision?
25
How did you handle its consequences?
4. Give us an example of a time you had to seek all relevant information in order
to get to the bottom of an issue.
What type of information sources did you specifically use?

How did you know when you had enough information?
What do you see as being the most important thing to remember when
gathering information to solve problems?
5. Give us an example of a time when you needed to quickly make a decision.
Why making that decision was so urgent?

How did you go about making that decision?
How did you ensure that this decision was right?
6. Describe a situation where you have had to consider a variety of alternatives

in your decision-making.
What factors did you take into account?

What feedback did you receive on the success of your decision?
What would you have done differently in hindsight?
How do you think you could improve your decision-making approach?
7. Give us an example of a problem you were unable to handle effectively.

Why do you think your solution was ineffective?
What did you do after you recognized the problem was not handled
appropriately?
What will you do differently next time?
8. Give us an example of when you have had to seek advice in solving a problem.
Who did you consult?

Why was there a need to?
Did you do what they suggested?
26
Building partnerships
1. Identify a time when you developed or contributed to the development of a
partnership that contributed to achieving important outcomes.
Why was the development of partnership important in the situation?

How did you go about identifying the partner in question?
What steps did you take to develop the partnership?
2. Give us an example of when you were able to forge an important partnership

between your Organization/company and an external stakeholder.
3. Describe an example of when you approached a key negotiation with the

explicit goal of achieving a win/win outcome.
4. Give me an example of how you have developed and maintained trust in the
past.
How effective were you at building and maintaining trust in your example?
How could you be more effective at building and maintaining trust?
What do you see as being the crucial issues to manage in order to get
others to place their trust in you?
5. Give us an example of a time when you helped a member of your team build
a partnership.
What kind of help did you provide?

What reasons did you have to support this partnership?
What was the impact of your help on the partnership?
6. Give me an example of when you have identified an opportunity to enhance a

service/ practice by collaborating with another team.
How did you identify that this was an opportunity?

What was your role in developing an effective partnership?
How did the team benefit from this collaboration?
27
Leading and empowering others
1. What opportunities have you had to take the lead in a team?
Which of these were the most challenging?

Why was that?
2. Give us an example of a time when you led a team towards the achievement
of a significant result.
What skills did you need to achieve your objective?

What sort of strategies did you develop to achieve the objective?
What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
What feedback have you had on your ability to keep teams on track?
What are your lessons learned from this experience?
3. Tell me about a particular situation where you had to lead by example.
What messages did you want your team to pick up? Why?
How did you go about it?
What could have you done better?
4. Tell me about a situation when you found it difficult to manage the work of a
team.
What made this difficult?

How did you try to overcome these difficulties?
How could you improve upon this?
5. Tell me about a time when you have found it difficult to compel others to
follow a strategic direction.
How did you try and get others on board?

Why was this difficult?
What did you specifically do?
6. Describe an example of how you typically interact with staff at different levels
of an Organization.
In what past situations have you been effective at building relationships
with others?
28
On what occasions have you been less effective?
What have you gained through your interactions with these people?
7. Describe how you have gone about resolving conflict between others in the
past, using a specific example.

In what situations are you less comfortable about resolving conflict
between others?
What advice would you give to an inexperienced colleague faced with a
conflict situation that needed resolving?
8. Identify a time when you had to motivate and inspire a team to achieve a result.
What approach did you use to motivate the team?

To what extent were you successful in your attempt?
What was the impact of your efforts on the performance of the team?
9. Describe a time when you successfully empowered someone to carry out a

task.
How did you enable them to carry out the work?

What feedback have you had on how successful you were in your
empowering?
When have you been least effective at empowering others in the past?
10. Describe a specific example of when you have involved others when making
decisions.
How did you go about making decisions in that group situation?

What did not work so well?
How did you ensure that you made the best use of people’s contributions?
11. Give me an example of when you have solicited the contributions of others in
your team.

What reasons did you have for soliciting the contributions?
29
What feedback have you had on the way you consult with others?
In what situations are you less likely to consult widely with others?
12. Thinking of a specific example, how do you typically go about delegating tasks
to others?
What did you do that was particularly effective in your approach to

delegating?
What would you do differently if you had the chance?
How do you think you could improve your delegating approach?
How do you typically reward team members for their efforts?
13. Describe a time when, in hindsight, you could see that you provided more
detailed direction on an assignment than was necessary for the person
involved.
What kind of direction did you provide?

How did this affect the person?
What do you consider when deciding whether to give a person detailed
direction versus independence with an assignment?
Managing performance
1. Tell me about a situation where you have had to manage the performance of
a team or individual through a particular assignment.
What were your objectives?

How did you manage the people through the assignment?
2. Tell me about a time when a member of your team made a mistake.
What did you do when you found out?

What was the message you conveyed to him or her?
What were the short-term and long-term consequences for the team
member?
30
What opportunities have you had to identify development opportunities for
others?
3. Tell me about a project in which you had to monitor people’s performance.
How helpful were the controls you set in place for monitoring the progress
of others?
What would you do differently if you were placed in a similar situation
again?
When are you least likely to build checkpoints into your project plans?
What do you think are the key features of an effective approach to
monitoring progress towards an objective?
4. How do you assess the capabilities of people (e.g., direct reports, applicants)?
What methods do you use?

How effective are you?
5. What opportunities have you had to assess other people’s performance?
How often do you assess individual performance?

What form does this take?
What feedback do you provide?
What advice would you give to others assessing the performance of
individuals?
6. Describe a development plan that you have set for a team member.
How did you set the development plan?

What did you do that was effective?
What advice would you give to other managers/supervisors about setting
development plans?
31
OTHER SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
33
Applying expertise
1. Give us an example of a time when you have applied a best practice in your
area of work.
How did you become aware of its being considered best practice?
What was the benefit to your Organization of the application of its principle?
How do you stay informed of best practices in your area?
2. Give us an example of a time when you have applied your knowledge of

administrative procedures to solve a significant problem to the Organization.
How did you become aware of the problem?

What was the benefit to your Organization of resolving the problem?
How did you share your knowledge of how to address the problem with
others?
3. Tell us about a time when you successfully provided policy advice to (…)
Could you describe your role?

What were the challenges you faced?
How did you measure your success?
What lessons did you learn from this experience?
4. Give us an example of a time when you had to plan and implement programmes
Could you describe your role?

What did you do in order to create the plan?
And to implement the programme?
What were the outcomes of the programme?
If you were asked to do this work again, what would you do differently?
5. Give us an example of a time when you had to draft correspondence

Can you tell us what your role was?
What outcome were you aiming to achieve?
How did you go about it?
How successful were you in achieving the planned outcome?
6. Tell us about a time when you have demonstrated knowledge and expertise in
(insert applicable technical or substantive expertise in question).
34
Client orientation
1. Describe a time in the last 6 months when you had to help a client.
How did you find out about their real needs?

Why did they come to you?
How well did you manage to meet their needs?
2. Give me an example of when you have put a client first.
What sacrifices did you have to make?

What impact did this have on your other activities?
How was this seen by others?
3. Tell me about the last time a client made an excessive or unreasonable

demand on you.
What made them so demanding?

What did you do to assist them?
What pressure did this put you under?
4. Describe a time when you were unable to help out a client as much as he or
she wanted.
Why was this?

What did they say about your reaction?
What feedback did you have about the situation?
What would have you done differently?
5. How much opportunity have you had to develop long-term relationships with
clients?
Tell me about a particular relationship.

How did you develop this relationship?
Describe how you gained their trust and respect.
What feedback did you receive from the client (person)?
6. Give me an example of when it has been important to keep clients (people)

informed of progress.
35
How do you think you could improve your approach to informing clients?
When are you less likely to follow up with clients?
How do you manage the expectations of clients?
7. When have you considered the perspective of clients when making a decision?

What did you specifically consider?
What did this information add to the final decision?
Service orientation
1. Describe a situation when you had to provide a service.
How many different actors did you have to respond to?

How did you manage time pressure?
How did you ensure the follow-up of the mission with the different implied
actors?
2. Describe a situation when you had to face an unexpected situation and

successfully resolved it.
Had you anticipated the situation?

What was the expected outcome?
What did you do to face the situation?
What was the final outcome?
3. Tell me about a time when you had to identify multiple expectations from
multiple decision-makers and stakeholders.
How did you manage to meet all these expectations?
4. Describe a situation when you had to use your interpersonal skills in order to
successfully deliver a service.
Who was the service meant for?

How did you know how to act?
36
5. Tell me about a time when you asked for feedback on your service skills
from your supervisor and then used that response to improve your own
performance.
What competencies did you develop to provide a higher level of service?
Technological awareness
1. How do you keep up with advances in technology?
How much time do you spend doing this?

What are the limitations of technology in your work?
2. Which technical issues are the most challenging for you?
What are your strengths in using technology?

What are your weaknesses?
How important is using technology in your role?
3. Give me an example of when your technological awareness helped you to

solve a problem.
What brought the issue to light?

What did you do?
What was the result of your efforts?
4. What have you done to acquire knowledge about technology?
How did you go about developing your knowledge?

What opportunities have you had in this area?
5. Give me an example of when technology breakdown had an impact on your

delivery.
What did you do?

What were the implications?
What did you learn from the episode?
37

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2016

A GUIDE FOR EVALUATION PANEL MEMBERS

The role of the interview in the selection process

• Organizations use competency-based interviews as a major part of the assessment

• Competency-based interviewing reveals information about the person’s

Copyright © UNESCO, Paris, 2015

What is competency-based interviewing 9

Prepare the interview 17

Conduct the interview 27

Competency-based interviewing (also referred to as behavioural interviewing)

C.A.R. stands for Context, Action and Result

QUESTION WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR

• Describe how you went about planning your own

DISTINGUISHING COMPETENCIES AND TECHNICAL SKILLS

Competencies are the sets of behaviours that facilitate effective performance of

• The UNESCO Competency Framework; and,

• The sample interview questions.

EXAMPLE OF A COMPETENCY THAT CAN BE ASSESSED DURING

FOR POSITIONS AT ALL LEVELS

ASSESSING TECHNICAL SKILLS

Technical skills will vary from position to position

PREPARE THE INTERVIEW

All questions should be prepared and reviewed as part of the pre-evaluation

At this time, the evaluation panel will agree on:

• A single set of questions that will be addressed to all candidates,

• who should ask each question.

Example of the ‘results focus competency’.

The evaluation panel has three options, as outlined below.

QUESTION BASED ON THE DEFINITION

PREPARE THE INTERVIEW

Remember to keep questions short and simple. Long questions, or questions

You will follow-up with questions phrased as actual questions.

CLOSED This type of question should only be used when it is essential

• Was this the result you had set out to achieve?

A candidate may talk about a situation where, as a result of facing adversity, he

PREPARE THE INTERVIEW

COMPETENCY ACHIEVEMENT ADVERSITY ORIENTED

The following types of questions should not be used

LEADING This type of question suggests a response, either positive

HYPOTHETICAL These questions encourage a candidate to describe what

COMPARATIVE This type of question encourages the candidate to compare

QUESTIONS Avoid questions that invade the privacy of a candidate or

PREPARE THE INTERVIEW

The positive and negative points may be as follows:

Positive points Negative points

Knowing which questions to ask

1 REVIEW THE VACANCY NOTICE

2 SELECT A MIX OF COMPETENCIES AND TECHNICAL SKILLS

Draft technical skill competency- Draft core or managerial

Remember to use a suitable structure and sequence of questions which

• Think of what is missing in the team.

PREPARE THE INTERVIEW

Make sure that you come to the interview well prepared.

This means that you:

== read the application forms or curriculum vitae prior to the interview;

== note any candidate’s experiences which are particularly relevant to the

• Have reviewed the vacancy notice for the position in question;

• Have participated in a pre-panel discussion to finalize a list of questions;

• Have prepared a good mix of questions;

• Are aware of which question(s) you will be expected to ask;

• Have prepared follow-up or probing questions;

• Have identified positive and negative (minor/decisive) points;

CONDUCT THE INTERVIEW