When first leaving university you are unlikely to have had many jobs. Without having the jobs and experience it can be difficult to answer competency based questions which ask for specific examples of what you have done. The good news is, that competency based examples do not have to be work related. This is because the questions are designed to evidence behaviours – not technical experience.

So, if you have limited work experience, you need to think about other areas where you have demonstrated the different competencies.
Some good examples I have heard this week include:

Planning and Organising

• Organising the end of year Charity Ball
• Organising an exchange trip with another university overseas
• Organising workload to take into account the fact that the graduate was working three part time jobs as well as studying

Team Work

• Working as a volunteer with local charity
• Putting on end of year play
• Building cabin for local school playground

Think about what activities you have taken part in that could relate to behavioural competencies?