40. How does the competencies approach contribute to human resources selection?

Competency-based systems of human resources management facilitate the execution of the functions related to talent management, among them the selection. Generally, the process begins with the identification of competencies and continues with the candidate’s assessment against such competencies. In this way, the candidate’s competency for performing the desired occupation can be established.

Thus, the selection process is founded in competencies that are defined by the organisation, either through the application of competency standards established by Functional Analysis (functionalism) or through the definition of the key competencies required (behaviourism).

Competencies facilitate the creation of a criteria framework that may be taken into account when carrying out the selection process, but they may introduce some variations to the traditional characteristics of the process.

These variations may be summarised in: the change of emphasis in the search for a candidate for a position, a candidate for the organisation; consider the difference between personal and technical competencies; introduce simulation exercises to detect whether the candidates have certain competencies or not.

A candidate for a position or a candidate for theorganisation? Clearly, this dilemma is solved in favour of the organisation. What the organisation needs is someone who has a good reservoir of competencies required for different labour situations taking place at the organisation. Then, there appear demands such as “what the enterprise needs from its people” which perfectly differentiate the candidates’ profile beyond their technical ability.

Many organisations create their own model of key competencies and, with that as a reference, they choose their collaborators. Usually, the “model” of competencies reaches the definition of the expected levels and behaviours in a group of not more than 6 or 7 competencies. This group of competencies also includes the description of related behaviours, as well as the levels of competency to be achieved by each behaviour.

This group of competencies are disaggregated into a more detailed and specific group called subcompetencies. At this point, subcompetencies are often expressed at different levels, to which there corresponds a behaviour indicator.

The graph provides an example of this structure:

Several behaviour indicators may be associated to a competency such as “working with information”. Some examples of those behaviours are:

Identifying and using all sources of information appropriately.

Identifying precisely the type and form of the information required.

Obtaining relevant information and keeping the appropriate formats.

The levels of functionality(1) or levels of depth or complexity seek to describe the degree of competency in terms of the scope of performance and the possibility to include activities such as planning and decisions concerning resources or the work of other people.

For example, for the indicator “obtaining relevant information and keeping the appropriate formats” several levels of functionality could be considered:

Level 1: Handling of general and free-access information and registration in computer systems.

Level 2: Handling of information with a certain degree of specialisation or that is occasionally restricted, registration according to priorities and filling in different computer applications.

Level 3: Handling of results and confidential information, decision on the types of files for registration and occasional writing of reports on performance.

Level 4: Handling of confidential information, keeping that information on restricted-access files and destruction of paper copies.

Competencies possessed and competencies to be developed

Many competency-based management models establish a distinction between competencies that individuals already possess –which cannot generally be modified– and competencies that can be acquired and developed.

The former are related to their perceptions, values and preferences, their behaviours and reactions, their involvement with others, their attitudes, etc. Some models of competencies imply that there is little or no margin at all for the alteration of such features. Either they are possessed and coincide with the enterprise’s requirements or not. This group is formed by competencies such as: “achievement desire, team work, quality concern, perseverance before challenges, customer orientation, self-learning”.

This group of competencies are detected by carrying out simulated exercises of critical situations. The person is faced with a fictitious event, already thought of, and his reactions are examined to determine whether he displays the desired competencies.

The latter –the ones that may be developed– are technical and operational competencies. These competencies represent the knowledge, abilities and skills applied to the occupation. For example: use of tools, reading of instruments, ability to interpret graphic information, software management, etc.

Usually, these competencies are assessed through the application of knowledge tests and/or exercises of practical application at work.

In any case, to carry out a competency-based selection process, the enterprise should make explicit their competency-based management model, which is related to the directors’ will and which has a clear specification of competencies that, in this case, become the language shared by the management office and the collaborators and, in sum, the guide of the selection process and the human talent management.

 

 

 

 

^{--------------------------------------------------}
1 Term used by Anne Marelli, 2000.

 

 

The Inter-American Centre for Knowledge Development in Vocational Training (ILO/Cinterfor)
Avda. Uruguay 1238 - Montevideo - Uruguay - Tel: (5982) 908 6023 - 902 0557 - 908 0545 - Fax: (5982) 902 1305
webmaster@cinterfor.org.uy

Copyright © 1996-2008 International Labour Organisation (ILO) - Disclaimer