What are the steps to identify key competencies for a job?

1 Analyze the job description

The first step is to review the job description and highlight the main duties, responsibilities, and expectations of the role. This will help you identify the core competencies that are essential for the job, such as technical skills, communication skills, problem-solving skills, or teamwork skills. You can also look for keywords or phrases that indicate the level of proficiency or complexity required for each competency.

2 Consult with stakeholders

The next step is to consult with the relevant stakeholders, such as the hiring manager, the team members, or the clients, to get their input on the competencies that are important for the job. You can ask them to rank the competencies by priority, to provide examples of how they are demonstrated in the job, or to suggest additional competencies that are not in the job description. This will help you validate and refine the competencies that you identified in the first step.

3 Use a competency framework

The third step is to use a competency framework to organize and define the competencies that you identified in the previous steps. A competency framework is a tool that provides a common language and structure for describing and measuring competencies across different roles and levels. You can use an existing competency framework, such as the STAR or the KSA models, or create your own based on your organization's values and goals. A competency framework will help you specify the criteria and indicators for each competency, as well as the expected standards or levels of performance.

4 Review and revise

The final step is to review and revise the competencies that you identified and defined using the competency framework. You should check that the competencies are relevant, realistic, and measurable for the job, and that they align with the organizational culture and strategy. You should also ensure that the competencies are clear, concise, and consistent, and that they avoid any bias or ambiguity. You can ask for feedback from the stakeholders or other experts to improve the quality and validity of the competencies.

By following these steps, you can identify key competencies for a job that will help you design effective and fair interviews. You can use the competencies to create interview questions that assess the candidates' abilities and potential, as well as to evaluate and compare their responses using a scoring system or a rubric.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?