The job search continues. I am currently wrestling with a Competency based application form for some crappy admin job. Reading the hefty Competency Framework Booklet that comes with the application pack I have reached the conclusion that it is a management consultant’s heaven and a jobseeker’s hell.
Let me explain. In the Olden Days there would be a bit on an application form that said:
‘Use this space to explain how your skills and blah blah blah meet the job spec blah blah. (Continue on a separate sheet if necessary).’
In the modern world this is obviously no use, it needs to be much more complicated. This is where Key Competencies come in. Instead of writing a spiel about yourself you have to identify the Key Competencies for the role and provide an example of a time when you were Competent. There are usually about five Competencies in each job, like Communicating or Initiative, so you have to come up with times when you Communicated or Initiatized (I know that is not a word).
Keeping up so far? Good. Well, depending on the Grade Band of the job, the Level of the required Key Competency changes. This is shown by different Positive and Negative Indicators for each Level of each Key Competency. A Level 3 Positive Indicator might be to ‘understand what might happen if something is not done in time’, so assumedly Levels 1 and 2 don’t need to bother about what happens if something isn’t done in time. See? So if the Competencies are:
Communicating Level 3
Decision Making Level 1
This means that they want a bullshitter who doesn’t know what he is doing. On the other hand:
Communicating Level 1
Decision Making Level 3
Means that they wants someone who knows what to do, but doesn’t know how to tell anybody about it.
Let me explain. In the Olden Days there would be a bit on an application form that said:
‘Use this space to explain how your skills and blah blah blah meet the job spec blah blah. (Continue on a separate sheet if necessary).’
In the modern world this is obviously no use, it needs to be much more complicated. This is where Key Competencies come in. Instead of writing a spiel about yourself you have to identify the Key Competencies for the role and provide an example of a time when you were Competent. There are usually about five Competencies in each job, like Communicating or Initiative, so you have to come up with times when you Communicated or Initiatized (I know that is not a word).
Keeping up so far? Good. Well, depending on the Grade Band of the job, the Level of the required Key Competency changes. This is shown by different Positive and Negative Indicators for each Level of each Key Competency. A Level 3 Positive Indicator might be to ‘understand what might happen if something is not done in time’, so assumedly Levels 1 and 2 don’t need to bother about what happens if something isn’t done in time. See? So if the Competencies are:
Communicating Level 3
Decision Making Level 1
This means that they want a bullshitter who doesn’t know what he is doing. On the other hand:
Communicating Level 1
Decision Making Level 3
Means that they wants someone who knows what to do, but doesn’t know how to tell anybody about it.
Still not sure? Well, here is a handy table from the Competencies Framework Booklet that should make it all crystal fucking clear:
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