Top 2 Tips for Implementing a Competency-based Recruitment & Selection System

Part 11 of 11 of the CompetencyCore^TM Guide to Recruitment & Selection

This is the eleventh in a 11 part series that looks at:

1. The Business Case
2. Key Advantages of Competency-based Selection
3. How Competencies Improve Selection
4. Top 3 Features of Best Practice Recruitment and Selection - #1
5. Top 3 Features of Best Practice Recruitment and Selection - #2
6. Top 3 Features of Best Practice Recruitment and Selection - #3
7. Common Tools: Job Postings & Behavioral Interviews
8. Common Tools: Track Record Review and Reference Checks
9. Common Tools: Standardized Tests, Part 1
10. Common Tools: Standardized Tests, Part 2
11. Tips for Implementing a Recruitment and Selection System

Implementing a good Competency-based Recruitment & Selection System requires two main ingredients:

1. training for those participating in the process and,
2. a well-staged plan for integrating competencies into your selection program.

1. Training on Competency-based Selection
Both line personnel and HR professionals must have the knowledge and skills to be able to apply the various competency-based assessment methodologies to arrive at valid selection decisions, and both must understand how to establish selection processes that are both efficient and effective (i.e., reliable, fair, valid and unbiased).  Likewise, employees must be able to participate effectively to provide an accurate picture of the competencies they possess.  All of this requires targeted training / orientation programs to ensure that all stakeholders have the necessary skills.

2. Implementation Stages
As competency profiles are developed for varied job groups, the following implementation stages are suggested for recruitment and selection.

Stage 1:

• Define the policies and decision-rules for using competencies in the recruitment and selection processes
• Identify considerations / guidelines for including information on competencies in notices of job requirements
• Develop sample notices of job requirements as the competency profiles become available for use.
• Customize or build an interview / reference checking question bank organized by competencies included in the competency profiles.
• Customize or build other competency-based tools or processes (e.g., track-record reviews) that can be used across a number of occupational groups. 

Stage 2:

• As the competency profiles are completed for the job groups, develop and implement recruitment, and selection processes consistent with policy and tools / templates defined in Stage 1.  Review and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of these processes and adjust policies, procedures, templates, etc., as required.
• Plan for and train managers and HR personnel on appropriate competency-based interviewing approaches (e.g., behavioral interviewing).  This training should be just-in-time – i.e., just in advance of recruitment exercises.
• Plan for, design and implement an orientation / training program for employees on how to participate in a competency-based recruitment and selection as new processes are being implemented.
• Collect data on the effectiveness of the new recruitment and selection process (e.g., correlate results of selection process with on-job or training performance results) and make adjustments to the process, as required.

 

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HRSG is a leader in competency-based recruitment and selection solutions and training. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.

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Want to learn more? Download a Best Practice Guide to Improve the Effectiveness of your Interviewing Processes
Compared to unstructured interview approaches, the behavioral interview approach greatly increases your chances of making the best selection decisions. Download this guide to learn how to interview candidates to gather critical information about candidates’ past performance and accomplishments that you can use to predict their performance and accomplishments in the job that you are filling.