Many factors contribute to an organisation’s success. From the products or services it offers to the public to the business strategies it uses to the team behind it, each factor helps in achieving success in some way.
But for a team to be truly effective and contribute to the business’s success, they must be competent in their positions. But what exactly is job competency? Is it something that you can develop? Can it help you grow in your position? Will it continue to be relevant once I join the company?
This article is your empowering guide to understanding the importance of job competencies to one’s career and what it is all about.
What are Job Competencies?
Job competencies are a range of hard and soft skills a person must have to perform perfectly. These skills include technical skills, such as coding for a software developer or financial analysis for an accountant, and behavioural traits, such as communication skills, teamwork, and adaptability, which assist a person in working with others, improving their overall job experience.
Why Does It Matter?
The importance of job competencies can be seen in various business areas and affects every stage of an employee’s life in the company.
First, when hiring new employees, job competencies provide a clear roadmap for HR personnel to find the perfect candidate with the right skills to succeed. This clarity reduces the necessity of making poor hiring decisions, which can affect team morale and cost the company more.
New employees will also find it easier to adjust to the team with the guidance of job competencies for their positions. This will also give them a clear idea of what skills and standards they have to meet, allowing them to succeed even at the start of their careers.
Job competencies also make determining an employee’s effectiveness and overall performance easier. This makes the process more transparent and allows employers and employees to have a constructive discussion on how key areas can be improved.
Job competencies would also greatly benefit employees, as they can motivate them to develop their skills and advance in their positions within the company.
Should there be a need to replace employees due to succession, a process of identifying and developing potential future leaders within the company, job competencies can help teams identify future leaders’ skills and abilities to succeed. It can also help the team to nurture these future leaders so they are ready to take on the position once it is available.
What Should You Do?
Knowing the job competencies for the position you are applying for can make it easier to use and build your skills. However, it is essential to remember that you should have a balance of the right skills to ensure that you will be competitive for the position you are after and that you do not stop honing your skills.
Once you get the position, having the right balance of skills will help you succeed and depending on your performance, you may even be shortlisted for a top position within the company.
For more tips on managing your team effectively, try these:
10 Ways to Establish Healthy Boundaries at Work
Do You Know The Importance of Employee Recognition?
2 Extreme Leadership
Can’t get enough of MiddleMe? You can find me sharing my thoughts here as well:
Instagram @kallymiddleme
X (MiddleMe_net)
FaceBook (MiddleMe.net)
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/kallytay
