What is a competency?

Recruitment has to be based on a person’s innate ability and potential in terms of competencies.

So what is a competency? A competency is defined as the innate ability to do something. A competency may be personal, managerial, clerical or practical. A competency is the result of experience or formal training. Examples of what we mean by competencies are listed in the following table:-


Personal: Motivated; Tenacious; Ambitious; Conceptual; Cross-Culturally sensitive

Management: Leadership Ability; Business Sense; Results Oriented; Organised; Quality Driven

Clerical: Computer Literate; Accurate; Alpha Numeric; Systematic; Inquisitive

Practical: Qualification; Language; Physical; Technical; Available (time and location availability)