Dear Jo

As one with some contact with the Human Resources team in my firm, I believe the word 'competency', whilst perhaps ill-derived, now has a technical meaning that cannot be directly equated with level of competence. As used now, it refers to a basic skill level that is necessary in a particular field or area (verbal ability, commercial ability etc) for a person to be able to perform the job competently.

For instance, our ideal Branch Managers 'competency' profile might set minimum levels of competence within the verbal, numerical, leadership, initiative, selling, procedural and one or two other competencies that would be different from the levels required of, say, a Sales Manager. Put all the competencies together and you get a 'Job Profile Analysis'.

I know, I know - we all deplore the spread of jargon, but sometimes it starts with a relatively reasonable at defining the technical terms of a specialist field. Unfortunately, it then proliferates into a virus of the language... you know the result.

cheer

the sunshine warrior