Competency Mapping

What is competency mapping?

Competency mapping, or skills mapping, is the process of identifying and defining the skills, knowledge, and behavior an employee needs to succeed in a specific job role. 

HR professionals and managers analyze different jobs within an organization and develop an employee competency framework that describes the specific skills required to perform those jobs effectively. You can use this framework to evaluate candidates’ and employees’ skills to make better hiring and talent development decisions. 

Specific frameworks used for skills mapping in organizations include the Lominger Competency Model, CliftonStrengths, and the SHL Universal Competency Framework. 

Example: Our IT manager worked with HR on competency mapping before they posted the compliance manager role, to make sure that the job description included the right skills for the job. 

Why is competency mapping important? 

Competency mapping helps you understand the skills that predict success in a role, allowing you to hire or promote employees who possess those desired skills. If you analyze customer service agent roles and determine that strong communication and active listening skills translate to customer service success, then you’ll know to hire candidates with those skills. 

Competency mapping also allows you to surface skill proficiency gaps among existing employees and provide more effective training. Use a competency level scale to determine if employees’ skills are basic, intermediate, advanced, or expert. If employees are only basic or intermediate in a key skill, you can use this information to provide targeted training in that skill. 

Best practices for competency mapping 

Effective competency mapping begins with a rigorous job analysis. To understand the skills required for success in a specific role, ask employees to complete a position information questionnaire (PIQ) or conduct one-on-one interviews. Use this information to develop a framework that identifies core competencies and associated behaviors for each role. 

Include a competency level scale so you can determine whether an employee’s competencies and behaviors demonstrate basic, intermediate, advanced, or expert proficiency. Finally, embed competencies into job descriptions and performance evaluations, and communicate to employees how you’ll use the framework to make more objective and effective talent decisions.