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Competency-Based Interview

💼 Business By CampusDown Wiki Editorial Team Last updated
A competency-based interview assesses the competencies a job requires through concrete examples of what the candidate actually did, on the premise that past behavior predicts future behavior.
Contents
  1. 1. Background
  2. 2. Questions and answers
  3. 3. FAQ
  4. 4. References

Background

In 1973 psychologist David McClelland argued for testing competence rather than intelligence, which led to the behavioral event interview. Competency-based interviews apply this to hiring and usually follow a structured interview format.

Questions and answers

Interviewers ask, for example, about changing a process to get results or persuading a teammate, then probe what you personally did. Korean public institutions often use NCS basic competencies. Answer with the STAR method, keeping situation brief and action specific.

FAQ

Is a team project enough?
Yes, if you separate your own role and actions.
No work experience?
Part-time jobs, clubs or coursework can show competencies.

Sources reviewed: 2026-10-26

References

  1. McClelland, D. C. (1973). Testing for competence rather than for "intelligence". American Psychologist, 28(1), 1–14.
  2. NCS 국가직무능력표준 블라인드 채용 안내. https://www.ncs.go.kr
  3. Spencer, L. M., & Spencer, S. M. (1993). Competence at Work. Wiley.

Reports and materials that use this theory (Korean)

There are no materials dedicated to this theory yet, but you can search related reports in the CampusDown library (Korean).

Find more reports · Search '역량기반 면접' on CampusDown →
Structured InterviewA structured interview asks every candidate the same predefined questions and scores answers on a fixed rating scale. Learn behavioral and situational formats, why research finds higher validity than unstructured interviews, and how to prepare.💼 BusinessSTAR methodThe STAR method for behavioral interviews and cover letters: its roots in 1970s–80s behavioral interviewing (DDI, Janz), why structured interviews predict performance, how to build each step, recommended proportions, an example, common mistakes, and variants such as STARR and CAR.💼 BusinessNational Competency Standards (NCS, Korea)Korea's National Competency Standards: why they were created (development from 2002, public-sector hiring from 2015), the 10 basic vocational competencies, job-specific competencies, and the module, PSAT-style, and hybrid written tests used by public enterprises.📚 EducationKorean cover letter (jasoseo)The Korean self-introduction essay (jagisogaeseo or jasoseo) used in job applications: its evolution from the 1990s, standard prompts, NCS competency questions, writing with a topic map and the STAR method, character limits, blind-hiring rules, and AI-writing pitfalls.💼 BusinessJob descriptionThe job description from Taylor's scientific management and the U.S. Dictionary of Occupational Titles and O*NET to Korea's NCS-based public-sector job descriptions (2015): what it contains, how it differs from a job specification, and a four-step method for tailoring applications.💼 BusinessExecutive InterviewThe executive interview is usually the final hiring round, where senior leaders judge values, organizational fit and growth potential. Learn how it differs from working-level interviews, common questions and how to prepare.💼 Business

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This article was last updated on October 26, 2026. It is based on widely recognized original works and textbooks; when citing it in a paper, please check the original sources listed in the references.