competency based interview

Running_On_Empty

Immediately before you go into the interview, look at the skills that the job requires.
They should be listed somewhere in the ad or the job profile or person specification.
Keep this piece of paper in your pocket and nip into the loo to take a look before you're called in.
When you answer each question, steer clear of just describing what you did and instead analyse the process of what you did.
The interviewers will select on the weight of evidence - how much you understand about the skills they're looking for and also they'll select the person who can analyse and relate their specific experiences to the job you're applying for.
A CB interview is often in addition to other selection methods such as a technical interview or tests or job related exercises.
You can be yourself and just try to regard it as a structured conversation and not something to be feared or dreaded.
The nerves are important, if you're too laid back then you won't have the necessary adrenaline to keep your brain in top gear.
Be confident, you've been shortlisted so that means they like you already.
Never be intimidated by other candidates, switch off from them completely in the waiting area. Don't engage with them at all.
Hope it goes well for you.

Edinburgh65

Good luck with the interview. I am maybe too late to be offering advice!

In my own case, I have constructed a Word document containing many examples of competency based questions pulled from the web. It runs to a six page Word document, which I study for hours pre any interview, but I can still get caught out. Last week, I failed to have answers to two competency based questions at interview, despite having tried to memorise this document over a period of several days. I simply hadn't come across these two questions before. Post interview, I sat here for 40 mins until I could add competent answers for those questions to my existing document, so that I don't get caught out again. I haven't yet heard the outcome of that interview, so not having those two good examples, might not necessarily cost me the job, but in future, I won't get stuck for words again on similar examples. I think it's just a case of practice, practice, practice, but you also don't want to sound too rehearsed. It is all just a lottery.