COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT
In order to demonstrate competence, there must be some way to qualify and measure it, and this is where competency assessment comes in. Competency assessment may take many forms, from filling in a simple form to in-depth psychological analysis, and any, or all, of these techniques may be valid where appropriate. This book proposes a process-based approach to competency assessment known as the Universal Competency Assessment Model that is intended to be as flexible and scalable as possible.
There are several reasons why someone may want to carry out a competency assessment:
To inspire customer confidence and provide a competitive edge. This was alluded to in the previous section, but what this comes down to is our own credibility, and the confidence that this will inspire in others. When someone makes a choice between a number of people to do something, it is the one who inspires the most confidence who will usually be chosen. One initial argument against this statement is that cost will often have an impact, as some people will always go for the cheapest option but, to counter this, people will also pay more for someone in whom they have confidence. Therefore, on a purely financial level, demonstrating competence is one way to charge more for a person and can be used to help strengthen a business case for someone to pay more money.
As part of an individual’s career development, at a professional or personal level. At a professional level this may include being formally recognised by our peers or by a professional body. For example, achieving ‘chartered’ status is seen as a goal in many industries and will often be accompanied by a right to practise in a particular field. Indeed, in many areas, a certain level of formal competence is necessary in order to work. On a personal level, many people are interested in planning their career paths and setting themselves individual goals. This may be, for example, obtaining chartered status or gaining a new position in an organisation. Again, competency assessment can be used as a valuable tool when developing a career plan or carrying out Continued Professional Development (CPD).
As part of a recruitment process. Many organisations are finding that recruiting people on the basis of a CV (resumé) or a single interview is simply not good enough. It is all too easy to be impressed by someone’s CV or the way that they perform at an interview, only to be let down when they actually start the work. Many organisations now use competency assessment not just as an added measure but as a major part of the actual recruitment process itself. We are living in an increasingly litigious world and it is very difficult to remove someone from a company without long and costly lawsuits (which can put a small company out of business) so it becomes even more important that we recruit the right people in the first instance.
As part of an organisation’s appraisal process. Most companies carry out some sort of appraisal on a regular basis. For example, it may be that each person in a company is assessed on an annual basis to see if they are performing properly. Competency assessment can be a very powerful tool in such cases, as it allows competencies that people possess to be compared directly to the competencies required for their post. It is a very useful mechanism to have a competency set (known as a ‘competency scope’) defined for different positions in the business, as it is then possible to compare people’s actual competencies (known as a ‘competency profile’) with the competency scope to assess suitability. By comparing several of these competency profiles, it is also possible to see how a person’s competence has evolved over time and how quickly. This can give an excellent indication of the ability and willingness of a person to learn and take on new tasks. Such competency assessments are being used widely for appraisal and even, in some cases, being tied directly into pay reviews.
To identify training requirements from the point of view of a person or business unit. It is essential that people have the right competencies for their job and when gaps have been identified through assessment, this can be used as an excellent guide in those areas for which training is required. This can be done at a personal level for personal development or may be done as part of a team or business unit effort.
To identify training requirements from a trainer’s point of view. Competency frameworks and competency assessments are big news for training providers – or should be. By understanding those areas in which people require competence and how they will be assessed, it is possible to create new courses and tailor existing courses towards delivering these competencies. A good training course should map onto established and recognised competency frameworks so that the people buying the training know exactly what they are getting and can map it directly onto their business plans. This not only provides a better service, but also provides another good reason why someone should choose you as a trainer over your competitors.
These are not the only reasons why competency assessment is so important, but it should provide an indication of some of the main reasons why we need to understand and be able to demonstrate competence.
When considering the whole idea of competency assessment, it is essential that you consider why you want to do it in the first place, and what you want to achieve. In the world of engineering, this is known as establishing the requirements for a system or project and it is very important that this is not taken lightly, as too many people will blindly apply competency assessment to their work and not understand why. Unsurprisingly, these are often the same people that cannot see the point of competency assessment and see it as an unnecessary overhead.