LESSON 1 OF 6 · INTERMEDIATE
Choose competencies before questions
Identify the work the role requires and select a manageable set of job-related competencies. Decide which can be assessed in an interview and which need another appropriate method. OPM describes structured interviewing as systematic inquiry into relevant past behavior or hypothetical situations. A structured process still requires thoughtful design and trained evaluators.
Select three competencies and explain how each appears in the job.
About 2 minutes reading + 12 minutes practice. Take longer when needed.
Apply the method
Start with job analysis rather than a favorite question list. Identify important tasks, the conditions in which they occur and the competencies needed on entry. Decide which evidence belongs in an interview and which requires another suitable assessment. Limit the interview to a manageable set of competencies and define what each means in observable work. Calibrate the plan with people who understand the role. OPM’s public guidance provides a structured-interview foundation; the academy’s fictional exercises are practice aids, not validated selection instruments or a substitute for qualified assessment design.
A worked application
Fictional example: A support supervisor must prioritize escalations and coach colleagues. The team chooses escalation judgment and coaching as competencies, then asks what good work looks like in each. General enthusiasm is not scored as a separate requirement. For a laboratory role, the assessment plan instead needs job-specific procedural and safety evidence, with appropriate specialist involvement.
Common mistake to avoid
Do not assume the same interview rubric suits every role because it has a professional layout. Relevance must be established for the actual work.
Work through the case
FICTIONAL SCENARIO
A customer-support supervisor needs escalation judgment and coaching. Questions about general confidence will not necessarily show either capability.
Make it practical
Select three competencies and explain how each appears in the job.
Compare your reasoning with a worked response
Tie every competency to actual work. Avoid personality labels that cannot be defined or evaluated consistently.
Takeaway
Use the method to explain your decision, identify what you still need to verify and choose an accountable next step.
Treat the response as a model for reasoning, not the only possible wording. Adapt it to the role, evidence and appropriate organizational guidance.