Competency models” identify the knowledge sets, skills, and attributes that make for success within the company. These models are a foundation for the company’s entire talent development and talent management systems. They provide a filter for initial recruitment, interviewing, selection, on-boarding... all the way to longer term career development and succession planning
Competency models have quite a few common denominators. For one, personal competencies related to cognitive skills (e.g., problem-solving and decision-making, attention to detail) and especially interpersonal competencies (including communication skills and teamwork). These typically are seen as more critical than technical/job-skills per se, especially as one rises from individual contributor to supervisor. Most companies recognize job skills are trainable, and that the critical personal and interpersonal attributes are often the ultimate difference makers.