Eu Training Epso Scbi Ebook de Sutter
Eu Training Epso Scbi Ebook de Sutter
Eu Training Epso Scbi Ebook de Sutter
Competency-Based
Interview:
State of Play
Written by Jan De Sutter
Senior EPSO coach and trainer
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. What is the SCBI?
3. SCBI vs CBI
4. SCBI vs ROLE-PLAY
5. SCBI Assignment
6. How to Prepare
7. Competencies & Indicators
8. Possible Questions
9. Conclusion
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INTRODUCTION
Since its first use in December 2020, the Situational
Competency-Based Interview (SCBI) has undergone quite a
few transformations. The first versions of the assignments
looked very much like reworked Group Exercise assignments
with 15-20 pages of background information. Then, the as-
signments became considerably shorter and the interview
was more of a role-play. Later, the focus of the questions
was very much on the interpretation of the background doc-
uments. And in the most recent competition, the feedback
we got from our clients was even more confusing: the ques-
tions were indeed competency-based, asking for how the
candidate would respond in situations (remotely) connected
to the original situation in the assignment.
In 2020, Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, and to The duration of the interview will be announced
conclude the open competitions within a reason- in the assignment. In the past, this varied between
able timeframe, EPSO decided to organise online 25 and 40 minutes, with AD SCBIs tending to be
testing – remotely - for the Assessment Centre longer than the ones for ASTs. Additional time
tests. Remote online testing allows candidates can be added should there be interruptions to the
to sit the tests at home or in the office without network connection.
needing to travel to an EPSO testing centre. The Also, in the past, candidates were interviewed
testing takes place via online videoconferencing. by an EU staff member. Two selection board
To ensure equal treatment, all candidates must members observed and assessed the perfor-
take the same tests. However, the group exercise mance of each candidate and scored the compe-
cannot be conducted remotely in a satisfactory tencies covered by the test. The interviewer was
way. If technical problems were to emerge, the not involved in the scoring of the candidate. In a
group dynamic could be compromised, and partic- recent (AST) competition, however, there were
ipating candidates adversely impacted. Therefore, two interviewers, and it seems that they were
all candidates have to take another test instead, both assessors (because their names figured on
the Situational Competency Based Interview the list of the Members of the Selection Board).
(SCBI). This may have been a one-off situation, but it
The SCBI is an interview that aims to assess could also be related to the new working methods
general competencies by asking the candidate that are gradually being introduced by EPSO.
how he/she would react in a specific situation.
Prior to the interview, the candidate is invited to
consult and read an online written assignment
and background information in order to prepare
for the exercise. The situation described in the
assignment will be discussed during the inter-
view and additional situations, not based on the
assignment, will also be included. The SCBI takes Examples of assignments
place remotely using a videoconferencing tool. can be found here:
During the interview, the candidate may consult
the written assignment and background informa- • Assistants (AST)
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or
Comparing the SCBI
with a Role-play exercise
The SCBI is also a role-play exercise. In the assignment, you are explicitly asked to to take on the role of an
X in the Department Y at organisation Y. During the interview you are “playing the role” of that person. All the
documentation you need to prepare yourself for your interview is included in the information brochure and
there is no need for additional research.
Please note that the role you are supposed to assume has nothing to do with the duties or the selection
criteria for the competition. After all, in this interview, the aim is to assess your general competencies as an
assistant or administrator, not to test your knowledge or know-how in the field. A recent and striking example
was where the candidates were asked to assume the role of a nurse working for the Medical Centre of the
European Parliament, while taking an exam for AST4 for Audio/Video, Conference, Building, or Laboratory
Technicians.
On the other hand, the interviewer(s) will typically NOT be playing a role; they are conducting the interview
in their capacity of interviewer.
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The Assignment
The assignment is composed of a number of
documents in various formats, for example:
Surprisingly, the entire booklet only contains 6-8 pages, of which only 4-5 pages offer “meaningful” infor-
mation, apart from the metadata.
As it stands, the description of the situation is very incomplete, and there are almost no hard data on the
current situation available. By receiving a very incomplete assignment, with a lot of unknown elements, the
main challenge for the candidates is to find out which parts of the puzzle are missing and make hypotheses
to reconstruct a coherent image of the situation. Much like in real life, there is rarely a unique, best solution
possible:
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How to prepare for the SCBI
Analyse the organigram
In any assignment, there will be some information on the organisation around you. In the diagram below you
find a generic organigram with the relations between the actors (solid line = formal/hierarchical relation, dotted line
= informal/personal relation):This is a further illustration that competencies are interrelated or overlapping. Certain
anchors or indicators are the hallmark of a given competency but can have a clear relation with some other compe-
tencies as well.
ORGANISATION Y
OTHER
DEPARTMENTS DEPARTMENT X
BIG BOSS
EXTERNAL PARTIES
COLLEAGUES COLLEAGUES
YOU
SHARED ENTITIES
(workgroups,
task forces, ...
By analysing the background information (including the assignment itself) you should be able to put names on
the titles like “Your Boss”, “Other bosses”, “Colleagues”, etc. Also give a thought on the nature of your relationship
with those people; formal/informal, subject, mandate…). If things are not entirely clear, complete the puzzle by
making reasonable assumptions.
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Analyse the Mission
What needs to be accomplished or achieved by the organisation (Y), your department (X), and what is your
mission/task in this? Unlike in other exercises like the Case Study or the Oral Presentation, your mission will not be
explicitly mentioned in the assignment, you have to think about what it is.
Try to formulate the organisation’s/department’s/your objectives in a SMART1 way. Frequently, there will be
a lack of “hard” data (numbers, quantities) in the background documents. If such is the case, make reasonable
assumptions.
Make a Plan
Think about what you should do to reach the organisation’s/department’s/your own objectives. Explore the
options, think of delegating or asking for help, prioritise, negotiate, and recycle/reuse work that has already been
done (by yourself or by others) in the past.
IMPORTANT
1 2
IMPORTANT
IMPORTANT
3 4
NOT
NOT
Obviously, the priority has to go to the tasks that are both important and urgent (quadrant No. 1 in the ma-
trix). However, what is not so obvious is that tasks labelled important but not urgent get the next priority (No. 2).
This is what Eisenhower’s point was all about: ‘What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom
important’. Tasks that are in quadrant No. 3 are typical candidates for delegation, and the ones in No. 4 can even
be dropped because they are neither urgent nor important, so why bother?
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Expect questions about the future (under the form of new events that are introduced during the interview) and
try to anticipate changes in your plan.
1
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-based
COMPETENCIES and
POSITIVE INDICATORS
Reflect on your own behaviour for the competencies
that will be assessed
In order to do so in a systematic way, you can use the lists below.
If you think there is room for improvement, think about how you would answer
a question that is related to a situation similar to the assignment.
Resilience
1. Your boss asked you to submit the roster for next month for the staff by the end of the day,
and you very busy working on a report that needs to be ready tonight as well.
What would you do?
2. Today, things are very quiet at the office, and you have no urgent files to deal with. On top of
that, since it is a holiday period, most of your colleagues are on leave. What would you do?
3. You realize that you made an important mistake in a report your boss asked you to produce.
The mistake may have far-reaching consequences for the entire organisation.
What do you do?
4. You don’t agree with the instructions given by your boss on a certain dossier.
What would you do?
5. Because of an internal reorganization, you will be transferred to another department and
your duties will change dramatically. What would you do?
1.
Analyse the assignment in the most
2.
thorough way possible. Understand the
organigramme, the timeline(s), the mission
of the organisation, your department, and
yourself. Make a plan on how you would
solve the issues posed by the assignment. Compare your own (intended)
behaviour with the (positive)
indicators, at least for the com-
petencies listed in the Notice
of Competition for your specific
competition and adjust your
(intended) behaviour if needed.
Good luck!
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Please note that the official source of information for EU
competitions is the European Personnel Selection Office
(EPSO). We do everything in our power to provide you with
the most accurate and up-to-date information possible.