What are “competencies”? These are the capabilities, relevant knowledge and skills (such as technical and performance skills) a top performer would need to possess in order to be successful in the specific position.
Behavioral interviewing is all about looking for competencies, so here are a few of the top competencies most sought after:
1. Initiative/motivation
2. Innovation/creativity
3. Interpersonal skills
4. Judgment
5. Leadership
6. Listening skills
7. Multitasking
8. Negotiation
9. Organization
10. Planning
Once the top competencies are chosen, behaviors are defined that describe each. For instance, “establish plans” might be defined as setting clear goals and direction during a project. Questions are then teased out to determine whether the person regularly used those behaviors.
Next month: mining job descriptions for the important competencies!