Competency Profiling

Competency- Definition
A competency is a characteristic of an employee that contributes to successful job performance and the achievement of organizational results.

Fig 1

These include knowledge, skills, and abilities plus other characteristics such as values, motivation, initiative, and self-control.

Fig 2

Competency based Recruitment
Organizations need to attract and select the most competent and promising individuals.
With limited promotional opportunities, and planned attrition, getting the right people into the right jobs becomes critical to the success of an organization. The cost of an unsuccessful selection is an expense that organizations cannot afford.

Organizations which have developed competency frameworks to assess employee performance need to make the most of their use in recruitment. Otherwise, people may find that although their performance is being managed against one set of criteria, they are selected on the basis of something different.

Competencies can be developed. The emphasis of a competency based recruitment system is to assess the learning ability of the applicants and select those who have the maximum potential to do so.

In this term paper we focus on competency based interviewing techniques for recruitment.

Competency Based Interview

Competency based interviewing is based on the notion that the best indicator of an individual's future performance is his past performance.

It's a style of interviewing used so that a candidate can best show how he would demonstrate certain behaviours or skills in the work place; by answering questions about how he has reacted to and dealt with previous work place situations.

By using past experience a potential employer can predict future behaviour by:
 Eliminating misunderstandings
 Preventing personal impressions
 Reducing the candidate's ability to "fake"

Each candidate is asked the same set of broad questions which are designed to obtain information about the match between the candidate's competencies and those required for the job. For example the competencies of a lawyer may be planning and organizing, innovation, personal drive, problem analysis and decision making. These questions concentrate on the most important parts of a candidate's past experience. This indicates to the interviewer a candidate's ability for to perform well in the job.

Interviewing techniques in the past have focused on accomplishments and future plans. Those with good interviewing skills but possessing little self awareness get through this process. However the emphasis of a competency based interview is on a candidate's life learning. It assesses the candidate as a whole. It emphasizes excellent communication throughout the interview. Those with higher learning abilities relate their learning from experience to the position in question better.

If done well, a competency based interview increases the likelihood of receiving honest and revealing responses to job related questions. The information obtained may be used to gauge a candidate's job related competencies and assist employers in determining which candidate is most qualified for a position. It reveals his level of experience and the potential to handle similar situations in the current position. The information may also be used for reference checks to verify whether the candidate actually did what he claims to.

The interview, generally, would proceed as follows:
 Introductions
 Brief discussion about the job
 Competency based interviewing
 Validation of technical/functional skills where necessary
 Interviewee's opportunity to ask questions
 Close out/next steps in the process

For an interview to be effective it should:
 Be based on a recently updated description of the position resulting from a job description
 Follow a pre-determined rating guide with which the interview panel members are familiar
 Include sufficient factual documentation regarding the candidate's responses

This provides a more accurate basis for selection, as well as a logical, objective, and legally defensible selection procedure.

Development of a Competency based Interview

We now discuss the process used to create competency based interview questions. A group of people who are highly familiar with the position should get together to perform the task giving due importance to objectivity and balanced thinking. The steps to be followed are:

Step 1
Identify what you are looking for by completing the job analysis or by reviewing a recently updated position description. Competency based interview questions should be based on a current position description resulting from a job analysis. The information about the job performed should include the work performed as well as the competencies required to successfully complete the most important work.

Step 2
From the competencies listed as crucial. Identify those which are required upon entry to the position. The interview questions should only assess those competencies which will not be learned on the job during a training period.

Step 3
Write competency based questions to gather the required information.

Step 4 For each key competency, create one or more questions by describing job-related scenario(s) in which the competency is demonstrated. This may be done by describing in detail actual events that have occurred on the job (referred to as critical incidents), or by describing in more general terms situations that routinely happen on the job. The method chosen will often depend on the competency, the level of position, and whether you wish to measure specific behaviours demonstrated, results, or both. We now provide a list of possible competencies, related questions and preferred responses from a candidate.

Ethics and Integrity: Consistently demonstrates the organization's values through behaviours.
Critical Behaviours Follow-up questions for more detail Observations
Describe a situation where you had to say "no" to a customer, co-worker, or supervisor because you didn't think saying "yes" would be right. Describe how you handled the situation.

How/Why did you think you were "right"?

Would you handle the situation differently? Describes specific examples without assigning criticism or blame.
Describes specific actions and/or verbal responses that were provided to make the customer feel listened to and heard.
Articulates a positive outcome.
Describe what you would do if a co-worker asked you to lie for them. How would you handle the request?

What would you say and do? Response describes personal responsibility.

Response is consistent with organization's values.
How would you handle it if you couldn't keep a commitment you had made? Describe the nature of the commitment.

How did you handle the situation?

What was the outcome? Describes a specific example and describes personal responsibility in response.
Response is consistent with organization's policies.
Communication: Effectively communicates, both verbally and in writing.
Describe the most significant written document, report, or presentation which you completed. What was significant about this document/report/presentation?

How were others involved in assisting you with this project? Describes significant written accomplishment in relation to job.
Acknowledges the contribution of others.
Give an example when you were able to communicate with another person even when that individual may not have liked you. Describe how you handled the situation.

What was the outcome?
Please provide another example related to:
- someone from a different culture
- someone who could not hear you
- someone with a different knowledge level Describes specific examples.

Describes specific behaviors and verbal responses.

Describes a capacity to understand and respect differences.
Problem Solving: Develops effective approaches, addresses needs and solves problems.
Describe the most creative work related project which you have carried out. How did you inform others about the project?
How was this project beneficial to the organization?
How was it creative or innovative? Describes a specific project that required innovation.
Articulates positive outcome.
Articulates connection to purpose or goals of the (former) organization.
Describe a time when you were the receiver of a complaint from another department about services provided by your department. What action did you take?

What was the outcome?

What would you do differently? Describes specific examples without criticism or blame.
Describes specific behaviors and verbal responses used.
Articulates positive outcome to encounter OR reflective self evaluation, i.e., "extra" support that could have been provided.
Flexibility: Demonstrates flexibility in one's job roles and manages change in ways that result in productive performance.
Describe a time in which you felt it was necessary to modify or change your actions in order to respond to the needs of another person. What was your role in the situation?
What action did you take?
How did the other person respond to your actions? Describes the need that was being responded to.
Describes specific nature of modification/change.
Modification/change was logical response to described need.
Describe a time when you came to work expecting to do a specific thing and you were asked to do something else. How did you handle this change?

How would you handle this situation if it were to reoccur? Demonstrates ability to respond to new direction without blame or bitterness.
Describe a time when you were asked to work overtime at the last minute. How did you respond to this request?

How would you handle this situation if it were to reoccur? Either worked the overtime without bitterness OR offered alternative solutions to get the work done in a cooperative manner.
Technology: Uses available equipment and technology safely, efficiently and effectively.
If you are asked to operate a new piece of equipment, what would you want to know first? What questions would you ask?

Who would you want to talk with? Describes questions regarding safety of self and others.
Describes consequences of knowing what can occur if not operated proficiently.
Self-Management: Maximizes own time and talents to achieve organizational goals.
It is your first day on your new job and your supervisor is pulled away for 3-4 hours on an emergency. You have been left alone to acquaint yourself with your new job and department. What actions do you take? Describes examples of how to use time productively:
 demonstrates initiative
 articulates skills that can be utilized immediately
 demonstrates self-directive behaviors
Describe a time when you had to do several things at once. How did you respond?

How did you organize the situation?

How did you decide which task had the highest priority?

How do you handle having "too much to do"? Describes specific behaviors for managing multiple tasks:
 seeks information from supervisor regarding priorities
 recognition of how work completion impacts others Describes outcome in a positive manner.
Articulates values that guide work productivity
Seizes Opportunities: Seeks opportunities to innovate and continually improve.
Describe times when you have received positive and negative feedback. How did you respond?

How did you use the feedback that you received? Accepts positive feedback positively.
Considers negative feedback and decides whether to change in response to it.
What is your most recent accomplishment that you thought was innovative? How was this rewarding?

How was this accomplishment beneficial to your workplace? Articulates positive outcome.
Articulates connection to purpose or goals of the (former) organization.
Describe a time when you suggested a different way to do a task. Please describe the situation.

What was the usual way of doing this?

What did you question or what alternative did you suggest?

How was your question or suggestion received?

Would you do it again? Describes specific situation.

Gives clear explanation.

If question or suggestion did not result in change, demonstrates willingness to question or offer other suggestions without bitterness.
Teamwork: Works effectively with team/work group or those outside the formal line of authority to accomplish organizational goals.
Describe an effective or ineffective teamwork experience. What made if effective or ineffective?

How did you contribute?

If that were to recur, would you handle it differently?

If yes, what would you do differently? Describes situation clearly.

Owns own responsibility.

Offers win-win solutions.
Describe a time when you have been part of a team in which differences of opinions developed about how the work was assigned or completed. What was your role?

What actions did you take?

What was the outcome? Describes situation clearly.

Owns own responsibility.
Cost effectiveness: Prudently uses resources based on organizational priorities.
Give an example where you saved money or made work easier or safer. Was that something that happened once, or was that an ongoing opportunity for savings?

Were you the only person who was reducing costs or waste that particular way?

Did you share the idea? Describes situation clearly.

Owns own responsibility.

Recognizes contributions of others (if there were others).

Shares cost-saving opportunities with co-workers or supervisor.

Step 5
Rate the response of each question. The rating should not be based solely on subjectivity and vague terminology like "poor response", "average response" and "excellent response", the rating guide for interview questions should contain the specific behaviors or criteria of an appropriate response.

For each question, identify the key behaviors or criteria that separate an excellent performance of the competency from a poor one. These statements will be used by interviewers to rate candidate's responses, so the language should be clear, simple, and straightforward.

The group may decide (based on the actual job) that behaviors which indicate excellent performance of the competency would include:
• Directed discussion toward identifying common interests and possible solutions
• Involve all parties in development of alternatives that fulfilled their interests and needs
• Helped all parties understand the key issues from others' perspectives
• Resolved the difference in a way that each person felt his or her concerns were respected and addressed

The group should also identify behaviors which indicate adequate and inadequate performance of the competency. This allows interviewers to match candidate responses to a full range of behaviors. The key is to have clear, relevant statements describing what you seek to use to measure the competency. The statements will allow the interviewers to anchor the responses and assign scores.

The rating scales generally used are 9, 7 and 5 point scales. A zero score may be reserved for instances where no response is provided. After choosing a scale, the possible scores are split into ranges and these ranges are labeled to indicate levels of performance.

The Interview Panel
It consists of two to five panel members who have-in-depth knowledge of the position for which the candidates are interviewing. Ideally, at least one member would have participated in the interview development process. If this is not possible, members should at least be intimately familiar with the requirements of the position. Having between two and five members reduces the likelihood of common interviewing errors and provides a manageable number of ratings to discuss. Also having members with diverse backgrounds or perspectives can help ensure more valid and balanced interview scores. The same panel members should interview all the candidates and each member should be assigned specific questions. Part of the structure and objectivity of the interview process involves consistency across candidates. This involves ensuring all candidates are asked the same questions in the same order by the same interviewers. Using the same panel members for all interviews increases the likelihood of consistent ratings. If this is not feasible someone should review the ratings to determine if substitute raters scored candidates differently (eg. If one rater is consistently more or less lenient than another).

A Fair and Objective Conclusion
This step looks to be quite obvious at first glance. However it is easy to gather a lot of detailed information throughout the interview process and then ignore it in favor of a "gut instinct". The decision should be based upon what each candidate said in response to each question. Then the candidate's responses should be compared to the elements listed in the rating guide. Comparison of candidate's with one another should be avoided. The reasons for this are:
• Research has indicated that when several people are interviewed, interviewers tend to remember more details (both good and bad) about the first and last candidates. Focusing on an objective review of one's interview notes helps to mitigate this problem.
• Relatively superficial behaviors of candidates (eg. How much they smiled) often have big impacts on interviewer's decisions. Interviewers tend to form strong impressions about a candidate early in the interview and everything the candidate later says or does only confirms this initial impression. Candidate responses that may be contrary to the impression are somewhat discounted in the mind of the interviewer. It is important to remember to consider all of the available information before deciding each candidate's overall worthiness.
If the interview process is challenged by a candidate, a strong defense is to demonstrate the fairness and objectivity of the process. A comparison of the candidate's responses to the rating criteria is more objective than comparing candidates to one another. Tips for conducting a Competency Based Interview

1. Conduct the interviews in a private setting in which candidate can feel relatively comfortable. Do what you can to put candidates at ease, including the offer of water and a comfortable chair.
2. Consider providing a list of questions for candidates to look at during the interview. The list allows candidates to review questions as they answer, and increases the likelihood that they provide complete responses.
3. Short and simple interview questions are better than longer and complex ones. Also, candidates typically know less about the job than you do, and they will not likely "read between the lines" when answering questions. Make sure your questions are clear, easy to understand, and ask for all the details you wish candidates to provide.
4. Consider having some of the more complex questions be pre-exposed. By allowing candidates time (15-30 minutes) to think about the questions, you are likely to receive more thorough responses.
5. Keep comments and gestures neutral. Saying "thank you" and nodding is more appropriate than saying "that's great!" or frowning. This maintains objectivity and reduces the likelihood of leading (or misleading) candidates to feel or think a certain way.
6. If a candidate gives a generalized answer such as "I have to prioritize my assignments every day," you may choose to restate the question to elicit a more specific response: "Do you recall a particular situation of this type?". Panel members will find it easier to rate responses if the candidates provide details. Similarly, if a candidate gives an incomplete response, such as leaving out the result, you may ask, "How did that turn out?" Clarifying questions should be limited because they can reduce the reliability of the interview process if only certain candidates are asked extra questions. You may wish to have a pre-determined set of follow-up questions to ask candidates as necessary.
7. Each panel member should take notes regarding the candidates' responses. These notes should be factual in nature. Personal judgments made by the panel members, physical descriptions, and comparisons between candidates should not be part of the notes.
8. Each response should be scored independently of all other responses made by the candidate, and should be based upon the rating criteria for that question.
9. After each interview, panel members should first discuss what they heard the candidate say. They should then go over the ratings given to each response and discuss significant differences in score (perhaps those of more than one point). While consensus is preferred, panel members are entitled to their individual decisions and should not be required to change a rating. They may, however, choose to do so as a result of the discussion.
10. Allow sufficient time between interviews so that the process isn't rushed. Sitting through hours of non-stop interviews can cause panel members to lose focus and grow tired. Better decisions are usually made by interviewers who are not exhausted by the process.
11. Be sure to give candidates the opportunity to ask questions of you. Also tell them approximately when they may expect to be informed of your decisions.

Sample Interview

Here we present a sample interview which assesses certain characteristics of the individual.
1. Analytical thinking and judgement
Tell me about a time when you had to make a decision on the basis of incomplete data
2. Organizational savvy and influence
Describe a work effort that was particularly challenging for you because of politics, conflict or other sensitive issues.
3. Drive for results
Tell me about a time when you were disappointed with the lack of results that occurred after working on an issue.
4. Build relationships
Describe a situation when you had to overcome the resistance of others to a plan or idea.
5. Teambuilding
What was your toughest challenge in working with others?
6. (Intra) Personal effectiveness
Describe how you maintain your composure under an extremely stressful or emotional situation.