Competency framework template
Pick the competencies a role needs and the level for each. Every competency comes with a definition and behaviour indicators for four levels; copy the framework to Google Sheets or print it.
Product Analyst
Target level for the role
How to use the framework
- Start from the work. List what the role must deliver, then keep the competencies that make the difference between doing it well and doing it badly.
- Set one target level per competency. The level a fully effective person in the role shows, not the ideal.
- Make it observable. Keep the indicators as behaviour someone could see or hear, so ratings rest on evidence.
- Assess against it. Turn each competency into questions and an anchored scale with the interview scorecard template, and ask every candidate the same questions.
More on assessing these skills: structured interview questions, behavioral interview questions and skills-based hiring.
Questions
What is a competency framework
A set of competencies an organisation uses for a role or a job family, each with a definition and examples of behaviour at different levels of proficiency. The US Office of Personnel Management defines a competency as a measurable pattern of knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviors and other characteristics needed to perform work roles successfully.
How many competencies should a role have
Few enough to assess well: five to eight per role is common in practice. Each one should matter for the job and be observable in behaviour, so that interviewers and managers can rate it from evidence rather than impression.
What are proficiency levels
Levels describe how the same competency looks as expertise grows, from someone who needs guidance to someone others learn from. This template uses four: Foundation, Working, Advanced and Expert. A role's target level is the one a fully effective person in that role shows.
How do I use the framework in hiring
Turn each competency into interview questions and a rating scale. Our interview scorecard template takes the same competencies, with a question and an anchored 1 to 5 scale for each.