Key Points

• Competency-based interviews are the standard format for senior and executive hiring in life sciences, structured around specific skills tested through real past examples
• Your answers are scored against predetermined positive and negative indicators, from 0 to 4 per question. Understanding this gives you a genuine edge.
• At executive level, interviewers weight leadership competencies as heavily as functional expertise, probing strategic thinking, cultural impact, and emotional intelligence
• Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure every answer. Keep your Situation brief and give your Action the most airtime.
• The most common mistakes are avoidable: hypothetical answers, unquantified results, and examples that don’t reflect the seniority of the role you’re interviewing for

Introduction

Also known as structured interviews, competency-based interviews are the go-to formal interview technique in the life sciences for assessing senior management and executive candidates.

Definition: A competency-based interview is a structured interview format in which candidates are asked to provide specific examples from their past experience. Each question is designed to test one or more defined skills, with answers scored against predetermined criteria. They are the standard assessment method for senior management and executive hiring in the life sciences.

Competency-based interviews in life sciences are used across pharma, biotech, MedTech, and CRO/CDMO organisations to evaluate candidates at the most senior levels of leadership.

They consist of a series of structured questions designed to test your knowledge, skills, and attitude, with each question testing one or more specific skills. The answers you give are then compared to predetermined criteria and graded accordingly.

The core competencies tested in these interviews include:

• Strategic thinking
• Performance against goals
• Adaptability and change management
• Analytical thinking
• Stakeholder and board-level communication
• Initiative and innovation
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Interpersonal skills
• Planning and organising
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Mentoring others
• Learning and development

At the executive level, hiring managers are also increasingly testing candidates on:

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) leadership
• Digital literacy and AI awareness

For example, a hiring manager may test your ability to think on your feet by enquiring how you have handled unexpected events in the past. They will then request that you give them an example of a situation where you had to make a spur-of-the-moment business-critical decision.

The hiring manager will be looking for examples of how you excelled in similar situations in the past, so prepare answers for each of the goals outlined in the job spec.

In competency-based interviews, the premise is that past performance is a reliable indicator of future ability, so the questions focus on specific aspects of past performance. Competency-based interview questions typically begin with:

• “Tell me about a time when….”
• “Give me an example of….”
• “Tell me what approach you took to….”

Competency-based interviews differ from unstructured interviews in that they are systematic, with predefined criteria used to assess each answer. In comparison, normal interviews tend to be more general, with questions loosely aligned with the job specification and the role’s competencies. The questions aren’t designed to unearth specific skills or competence, but rather give a general impression of the candidates’ fit for the role. Due to the business-critical nature of senior management or executive hires, unstructured interviews are rarely used in their assessment.

Why competency-based interviews in life sciences matter

Competency-based interview questions are recognised as valuable ways to assess a candidate’s real ability.

Research consistently shows that structured behavioural interviews improve hiring accuracy by 25–30% compared to unstructured approaches.

They address three important parameters:

• Knowledge – The theoretical understanding of the subject matter and facts, information, and skills acquired through experience.
• Skills – The ability to repeatedly and efficiently carry out tasks with determined results, usually within a given amount of time.
• Attitude –  One’s point of view and approach to a subject, which can influence how they go about delivering a particular task.

For example, a candidate may have excellent interpersonal skills but will not be competent to join a life sciences company as an executive if they lack the right experience, education or attitude. Questions and answers in competency-based interviews are more developed and insightful than those limited to the technical competencies that define workplace skills.

These interviews also reflect the changing nature of Human Resources (HR) in the corporate world. HR is an increasingly valued function, with HR professionals becoming more business-oriented and focused on supporting the organisation through more effective recruitment and selection tactics. They leverage competency-based interviews, together with AI, to look for past evidence of success related to:

• The specific job requirements
• The goals involved with the position
• The environment, which includes market dynamics and business drivers

Competency-based interviews help hiring managers and HR to assess a candidate’s suitability for the role and fit with the organisational culture. This helps ensure the best candidate is appointed for the role and helps mitigate against a bad hire, which can exceed 3x the individual’s salary when lost productivity, recruitment costs and disruption are factored in.

What influences competency-based interviews?

There are a number of factors that influence competency-based interviews. You can expect the questions to focus on business-related goals that will define the success or failure of your performance. These goals will also likely reflect the life science industry sector the organisation operates in, the function the role is posted in, and the goals, objectives and deliverables of the role.

Examples of how a role might contribute to the success of the organisation include:

• Pipeline advancement and R&D investment decisions;
• Regulatory strategy and compliance across global markets;
• Commercial launch performance and market access;
• Manufacturing efficiency and supply chain resilience;
• Culture change and talent development at scale.

When preparing for the interview, think about what is most critical for the position and decide how your experience and achievements relate to these questions:

• What are the main challenges of the role?
• What are the key issues facing the organisation?
• What are the organisations’ mission and objectives?

It can also be helpful to place yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes and think about what questions you might ask if you were in their position.  For a full breakdown of how to research a life sciences organisation before an interview, see our guide to preparing for a senior-level job interview in the life sciences.

What life science hiring managers are  seeking in competency-based interviews

Senior management and executive positions are intended for leaders. They emphasise soft skills such as adaptability, composure, and communication in addition to expertise in their field.

Although the terms ‘manager’ and ‘leader’ are often used interchangeably, there is a distinction between them when it comes to executive roles:

• Management: Consists of the transactions that steer an organisation and plan, direct, and execute its activities. Emphasis is on an authoritarian approach and doing things ‘right’ to accomplish short-term objectives. As such, management-level roles frequently attract questions designed to tease out an individual’s ability to manage projects, assign tasks and deliver results.
• Leadership: Unlike managers, leaders are perceived as charismatic, possessed of strategic vision, and focused on ‘doing the right things’ as opposed to ‘doing things right.’ Leadership is often regarded as an innate characteristic, so competence interview questions are often aimed at measuring emotional intelligence.

When you are interviewing for a senior-level position in a life sciences organisation, competency interview questions will focus on your leadership skills as much as past business performance, if not more. The hiring manager is looking for someone who can determine, put together, and implement a successful corporate strategy, so you can expect questions that relate to this goal, such as:

• Defining a mission and long-term strategy that connects scientific ambition with commercial reality
• Articulating an organisational purpose that resonates across functions, from R&D and regulatory through to commercial and manufacturing
• Building a high-performance culture that fosters innovation, accountability, and patient-focused thinking

How competency-based interview answers are assessed

Like a candidate prepares diligently ahead of the interview, a hiring manager and HR will prepare competency-based interview questions in advance, too. The hiring team decide which types of answers are deemed positive and which are negative. Marks are then awarded depending on the extent to which the candidate’s answer matches those negative and positive indicators.

For example, if you are asked to describe a time when you had to work under pressure, positive indicators might be:

• Takes a positive approach toward problem-solving
• Uses effective coping strategies when under pressure
• Is willing and able to compromise
• Is willing to seek assistance if necessary

Examples of negative indicators might be:

• Sees challenges as problems
• Always tries to deal with the situation alone
• Did not use appropriate strategies to cope with stress

Your answers are then scored based on how closely they match these negative and positive indicators. In some situations, the hiring team might divide negative indicators into two further groups: minor and decisive negative factors. Like minors in a driving test, minor negative factors won’t derail your chance of success at an interview in isolation. However, if you incur too many minors, they could influence the interview outcome. In contrast, decisive negative factors are red flags to a hiring manager and could derail your interview performance.

Using the above examples, you might be scored 4/4 if your answers show a strong display of positive indicators and 0/4 for no evidence of positive indicators.

Preparing for a senior-level interview in Life Sciences

The first step in preparing for a competency-based interview is to understand what competencies and skills are likely to be tested so that the examples you provide hit the right chord.

For example, the job description may state that you need to communicate effectively with key stakeholders and third parties across the organisation. If someone works in customer service, it typically means an empathetic, understanding approach, as well as the ability to assert oneself respectfully when necessary. However, for a senior management or executive-level position in the life sciences, you will need to be able to explain complex subjects simply, compose yourself under pressure, and adopt an approach that inspires confidence and loyalty among your peers.

To anticipate what questions the hiring manager is likely to ask you, you’ll have to do some research. This includes:

• Reading the job specification to pick out the key skills and competencies
• Considering the challenges of the function within which the role sits
• Taking into account the challenges facing the life sciences.
• Asking the hiring manager, HR staff member or executive search consultant about any job requirements that may not have been explicitly stated in the advert

Once you have a good idea of what to expect, identify examples from your career that demonstrate the competencies and skills that the organisation is looking for. Use the STAR technique – Situation, Task, Action, Results –  to articulate your responses. To give an effective response, all four elements of your answer need to build on each other:

1. Situation

Set the scene by providing the Hiring Manager with some background information, which will help put the other elements of your answer into context. For example, if the interviewer asks you about your last position, you could say, “I developed and led the regulatory program for [Organisation], an industry-leading biologics company based in California”.

2. Task

Build on your background by outlining what you had to do to complete all deliverables. Building on the Regulatory Affairs example outlined earlier, you could say, “I assured the compliance of all marketing initiatives by having final sign-off on all collateral and campaigns developed in-house and by external agencies”. Don’t go into too much detail unless prompted.

3. Action

How did you resolve the situation? Your interviewer will know that challenges are common, so don’t be afraid to be honest. Tell them what hurdles you had to overcome to accomplish your goals. Be sure to align your response with the skills, experience and qualities outlined in the job description wherever possible.

4. Results

Describe the outcome. Did you achieve the target? If you failed, explain what you learned from the experience and what you would do differently if you were to approach the task again.

The STAR approach helps demonstrate to the hiring manager and HR that you have a variety of skills, tools, and experience at your disposal to inform your decisions and mitigate risk.

STAR in Practice: A Life Sciences Example

The following shows how a strong STAR response might look for a common executive-level competency question.

Question: “Tell me about a time you had to drive a significant change across your organisation.”

Situation: “When I joined as VP of Manufacturing Operations, our fill-finish facility was running at 67% yield, which  was well below the industry benchmark of 85%. The site had operated the same way for eleven years, and there was significant resistance to change at every level, including among some long-standing senior staff.”

Task: “My remit was to bring yield up to benchmark within 18 months without disrupting the supply commitments we had to three major pharma partners. Any production disruption would have triggered contractual penalties and potentially impacted patient supply.”

Action: “I started by commissioning a root cause analysis rather than imposing solutions. I needed the team to own the problem before they’d own the fix. We identified three process bottlenecks and a maintenance scheduling issue that nobody had formally flagged. I restructured the shift leadership team, introduced a weekly cross-functional performance review, and partnered with an external equipment specialist to retool two critical process steps. I was also transparent with our pharma partners from the outset, which preserved trust during the transition period.”

Result: “Fourteen months in, yield had reached 83%, which was a 24-point improvement. We hit full benchmark at month eighteen. Partner retention was 100%, and one partner subsequently expanded their contract with us. The weekly review process we introduced is now standard across the group’s two other manufacturing sites.”

Using AI to sharpen your preparation

AI tools like Claude or ChatGPT can be a practical rehearsal partner in the weeks leading up to your interview. You can use them to stress-test your STAR examples; paste in a draft response and ask for feedback on whether your Action section is specific enough, or whether your Result is sufficiently quantified. You can also ask them to generate likely follow-up questions based on your answer, which mirrors how a real interviewer will probe. It won’t replace practising out loud with a colleague, but as a low-pressure way to refine your thinking before you do, it’s worth building into your prep routine.

Executing the interview

When answering competency-based interview questions, how you articulate your responses can be the difference between success and failure.

Take time to think the question through thoroughly before answering. It won’t make you appear indecisive: the hiring manager expects you to take a moment to consider the question and prepare a concise answer.  Use the STAR technique described earlier to shape your answer; remember to cover the Situation, Task, Action, and Result when disclosing fine detail (preferably in that order).

If you feel comfortable, take notes, listing all salient points you wish to convey in your answer. If necessary, ask for clarification to ensure you understand the question and don’t go off-topic.

When you give your answer, be prepared for related questions from the hiring manager.  These questions provide valuable insight into the type of answer the hiring manager was seeking when they posed their initial question and give you the opportunity to either further reinforce your original answer or add relevant information you might have missed the first time around.

What if you can’t think of a good example?

If you can’t think of a good example, be honest. Tell the hiring manager that while you can’t think of a comparable situation, you can talk about a similar event, and then explain how you might go about approaching the task. In most situations, the hiring manager will accept this response, though expect related questions to further drill down on how you would execute the task.

Dealing with negative questions

You may have to answer questions that require you to provide what appears to be a negative answer. The key is to stay calm and collected. Hiring managers often expose senior-level candidates to these types of questions to see how they respond under pressure. When you answer calmly and show both confidence and conviction, you will stand out.

Examples of such questions might be:

• What is your main weakness?
• Why haven’t you gone further in your career?
• How do you handle criticism?
• What makes you angry?
• What is the worst mistake you have made at work?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even well-prepared candidates can fall short in competency-based interviews. Watch out for these:

• Giving hypothetical answers instead of real ones. Saying “I would typically…” signals a lack of relevant experience. Interviewers want a specific example from your past, not a description of how you might behave.
• Failing to quantify your results. “We improved performance significantly” is far weaker than “we reduced time-to-market by four months.” Where possible, anchor your Result in a measurable outcome.
• Overloading the Situation at the expense of the Action. Candidates often spend too long setting the scene. The Action element, what you specifically did, is what the hiring manager is scoring. Keep your Situation concise and give the Action the most airtime.
• Speaking in “we” rather than “I.” Collaborative instincts are admirable, but competency interviews assess your individual contribution. Be clear about what you decided, led, or delivered.
• Reaching too far back, or pitching too junior. At the senior level, examples should reflect the role’s seniority and complexity. An example from fifteen years ago, or one that reflects a more junior remit, will undermine your case regardless of how well you tell it.

Competency-based interview question examples for Senior Life Science Roles

The following questions are representative of what senior candidates face in competency-based interviews across pharma, biotech, MedTech, and CRO/CDMO organisations. Each is followed by the kind of probing sub-questions an interviewer might use to push deeper.

Leadership & Culture

1) What is your greatest single achievement?

• Why has it been so important?
• What impact has it had on you since?

2) Tell me about how you’ve approached building and retaining a high-performing team in an environment where specialist talent is in short supply.

• What specific steps did you take to develop the people around you?
• How did you handle it when a key person chose to leave?

3) Tell me about a time you led a cross-functional team through a complex product launch or major regulatory submission.

• What were the biggest points of friction between functions, and how did you manage them?
• What would you do differently if you were to lead that process again?

Decision-Making & Judgement

4) Tell me about the strongest decision you made which was challenged by others and how you handled it.

• How did you respond to the challenge?
• What further review did you make?

5) Tell me about a decision that you wish you could reverse.

• What could you have done but didn’t, and why not?
• Why do you now wish you had acted differently?

6) Describe an occasion where you were too slow to react.

• How was information being provided to you?
• What was your view, and what did you do?

7) Describe a situation where your recommendations would have had negative consequences for others and how you rationalised your decisions.

• What had you been tasked with doing?
• How did you feel personally about those who were impacted?

Stakeholder Management & Influence

8) Tell me about a time when you had to convince the board that a change was necessary.

• How did you persuade the board that your solution was the right course of action?
• How did you follow up?

9) Describe how you led your function or organisation through a period of significant disruption, whether a merger, a digital transformation programme, or a major market shift.

• How did you keep your team focused and motivated during that period?
• What was the biggest lesson you took from that experience?

Conflict Resolution

10) Tell me about a time when you had to act to resolve a conflict between your department or function and another part of the business.

• What actions did you take?
• What was the outcome?

Navigating Ambiguity in Life Sciences

11) How do you ensure compliance with industry regulations in your area of responsibility?

• How did you arrive at your course of action?
• What actions did you take?

12) Tell me about a time you had to make a significant decision with limited clinical or commercial data, for example, around a pipeline asset or an early-stage investment.

• How did you weigh the risks involved?
• How did the decision play out, and what did you learn?

Career & Motivation

13) Tell me about your decision to leave [XYZ] and why.

• What prompted you to consider moving on?
• How did you arrive at your final decision?

Conclusion

Competency-based interviews represent an excellent opportunity to showcase to a hiring manager that you possess the skillset, experience, and attitude necessary to succeed in the role and advance a life science organisation. They reflect your true abilities more effectively than technical-based questions will and make it easier to find the job that’s the right fit for you.

For more job search advice tailored to senior managers and executives, read:

• The 7 Different Types of Executive Job Interviews
• Life Science Interview Tips for Executives: How to Prepare for a Senior-Level Role
• How to Give an Outstanding Interview Presentation: Tips for Life Science Executives
• 13 Of The Smartest Questions To Ask A Hiring Manager
• How to Handle Compensation Questions During Interview: Tips for Life Science Executives
• Post-Interview Etiquette: A Guide for Senior Managers and Executives in the Life Sciences

If you’re actively exploring senior leadership opportunities in the life sciences, we’d welcome a confidential conversation. Get in touch with our team or browse our latest executive roles.