The practice of competency modeling

The purpose of this article is to define and explain a trend that has cause d a great deal of confusion among HR researchers, practitioners, and consum ers of HR-related services: competency modeling. The Job Analysis and Compe tency Modeling Task Force, a work group jointly sponsored by the Profession al Practice Committee and the Scientific Affairs Committee of the Society F or Industrial and Organizational Psychology, has recently concluded a 2-yea r investigation into the antecedents of competency modeling and an examinat ion of the current range of practice. Competency modeling is compared and c ontrasted to job analysis using a conceptual framework (reflected in a 10-d imension Level of Rigor Scale) that practitioners and researchers may use t o guide future work efforts, and which could be used as a basis for develop ing standards for practice. The strengths and weaknesses of both competency modeling and job analysis are identified and, where appropriate, recommend ations are made for leveraging strengths in one camp to shore-up weaknesses in the other.