What is the difference between competences and competencies?

The recruitment and selection of professionals and managers are some of the most significant and costly investments an organization can make. Risks can be high, and the cost of a bad hire can have a tremendous impact on time, money, and company culture.

A competence and competency-based approach to recruitment and selecting professionals and managers can help your organization make it a significant and successful investment of time, money, and expertise.

This approach helps your organization:

The organization is clear regarding the competencies and skillsets required by the job

The selection processes encourage a good fit between individuals and their jobs

Managers and staff have the required skills and competencies

Matching requirements to the Individual competence and competencies, the person’s fit with the immediate team, the overall cultural fit, and the particular challenge.

A fair process can also support and sell the decision internally if it is determined that an external candidate is the best choice for the position.

A competence’s focus on the what, and the competency’s focus is on the how.

Competence

Referring to the capability to carry out a defined function effectively.

Competency

The description of the knowledge, skills, experience, and attributes necessary to effectively carry out a defined function.

Competencies naturally cluster into three groups:

Cognitive

(thinking)

Affective

(feeling)

Connective

(acting)

The Alder Koten process for competence and competency-based recruitment

Step 1: Define

We define a position specification using our framework and a collaborative approach based on a thorough understanding of the strategic, cultural, financial, and operational issues our clients face. This project specification becomes the benchmark throughout the project. Including success factors based on the Success Model of our Framework and key competencies and skills based on our Development Model. Both supported and defined using our competency model.

Step 2: Target.

We then use the specification to develop a structured search strategy used as the roadmap for the project. Including defining target organizations that we know typically have the culture, business model, industry, process, and product expertise that our client requires.

Step 3: Approach

We identify talent through industry knowledge, business intelligence, and targeted market mapping. We use the search strategy to reach out to individuals in the targeted organizations and positions and gauge interest in our clients’ position and organization.

Step 4: Assess

Interested candidates are then assessed against the defined project specification.

Step 5: Present

Candidates interested and fit the requirements based on the project specification are presented to our client for an interview.

Step 6: Verify

Three hundred sixty reference checks are performed on candidates that are selected for an interview with our clients. These are done within the context of the project specification and designed to validate the same elements evaluated by our consultants. For example: If the project specification defines the successful candidate as someone with a proven turnaround experience, and our consultants assessed that the candidate had proven turn-around experience, we specifically ask the reference about his/her perception of the candidate’s performance in a turn-around situation.