Profile of qualifications

Qualification profile is based on an analysis of the job profile requirements. This is the initial stage of the selection process. In order to increase the effectiveness of staff selection, managers prepare the comparison matrix of ideal candidate qualifications. It is set of individual professional qualities, for which the company will pay off to a specific employee. Profile describes image of the worker, choice of the appropriate criteria for the assessment of the candidate and the appropriate selection techniques.

Application

Competence profiles are used in human resources (HR) to identify and describe the skills, knowledge, and abilities that are required for a particular job or role. They are often used in recruitment and selection, as well as in employee development and performance management. There are several reasons why competences profiles are used in HR:

• Recruitment and selection: Competence profiles can be used to identify the qualifications and skills that are required for a particular job and to evaluate the qualifications and skills of job candidates. This helps to ensure that the best-qualified candidates are selected for the job.
• Employee development: Competence profiles can be used to identify the skills and knowledge that employees need to develop in order to advance in their careers. This can help to identify training and development opportunities that will help employees to reach their full potential.
• Performance management: Competence profiles can be used to evaluate employee performance by comparing their skills and abilities to the requirements of the job. This can help to identify areas where employees need to improve and to set goals and objectives that will help them to achieve success in their role.
• Succession planning: Competence profiles can be used to identify the skills and knowledge that employees need to succeed in different roles within the organization. This can help to identify potential candidates for leadership roles and to plan for future changes in leadership.
• Consistency: Competence profiles help to ensure consistency in the recruitment process, employee development, and performance management. By providing a clear understanding of the skills and knowledge that are required for different roles, they can help to ensure that all employees are held to the same standards.

In summary, competences profiles are used in HR for recruitment and selection, employee development, performance management, succession planning and ensure consistency in the process

Structure

Analysis of the necessary skills for specific position:

• knowledge and skills,
• ways actions and behaviors,
• effectiveness and results of the process.

In the construction of the qualification profile managers identifies such elements as: knowledge, psychological characteristics, skills. These factors can also include: interpersonal, technical and conceptual skills. Creation of profile, take into account the following variables:

• stage of development of the company,
• strategic objectives of the company
• existing culture of the organization.

Creation of qualification profile is usually delegated to specific HR units. They are: supervisor, managers and HR specialists (internal and external).

Examples of Profile of qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration or equivalent;
• 5+ years of experience in Human Resources Management;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage difficult conversations;
• Demonstrated leadership and ability to motivate and guide teams;
• Experience in recruitment and selection processes;
• Proven track record of successful team building;
• Knowledge of HR systems and processes;
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills;
• Proficient in MS Office applications;
• Ability to multitask, prioritize and manage competing demands.

Advantages of Profile of qualifications

An effective Qualification Profile is essential for any recruitment process, as it helps to ensure that the company hires the best candidate for the job. It has the following advantages:

• It clarifies the job requirements for the candidate, helping them to better understand what is expected of them.
• It helps managers to quickly identify the key qualifications that are needed for the job.
• It enables recruiters to compare the qualifications of different candidates and assess their suitability for the role.
• It makes the recruitment process more efficient, as it eliminates candidates who do not meet the required qualifications.
• It helps to ensure that the company hires the best-qualified candidate, which can lead to improved job performance and employee retention.

Limitations of Profile of qualifications

The profile of qualifications is an important tool for managers to identify suitable candidates for the job. However, there are certain limitations that should be taken into consideration when creating a profile of qualifications for a particular position. These limitations include:

• Lack of clarity in the job description: The job description must be clear and concise in order to accurately define the qualification requirements for the job. If the job description is too vague or general, it will be difficult to create a profile of qualifications that is relevant to the needs of the position.
• Overly specific qualification requirements: If the profile of qualifications is too specific, it can lead to excluding potential candidates who could be successful in the position. It is important to strike a balance between specificity and flexibility.
• Subjective criteria: Qualification profiles should be determined based on objective criteria, such as experience and education, rather than subjective criteria, such as personality traits.
• Unclear expectations: The expectations of the job should be clearly communicated to potential candidates. If the expectations are unclear or overly complex, it can be difficult to create an effective profile of qualifications.

Other approaches related to Profile of qualifications

• A competency-based approach - requires prior knowledge in a particular area and is based on the assumption that the individual is able to demonstrate the necessary skills, abilities, and competencies needed to be successful.
• A behavioural approach - looks at past behaviour and experiences to predict future performance. It is based on the assumption that past behaviour is an indicator of future performance.
• A biographical approach - is based on the individual’s life story, including their education, work experience, and other relevant information.
• A personality-based approach - focuses on the individual’s personality traits and how they fit in with the organisation’s environment. This approach is based on the assumption that personality traits can predict job success.

In summary, there are various approaches to the Profile of Qualifications, including competency-based, behavioural, biographical and personality-based. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages and should be carefully considered when selecting a candidate for a position.

Profile of qualifications — recommended articles

Hard skills — Competency modeling — Skills and abilities — Job scope — Team selection techniques — Predictive Index System — Appraisal method — 7S model — Work sample test

References

• Kleindorfer, P. R., Singhal, K., & Wassenhove, L. N. (2005). Sustainable operations management. Production and operations management, 14(4), 482-492.