Certification or Competence
Competence is the set of demonstrable characteristics and skills that enable and improve the efficiency or performance of a job. — Wikipedia.
When you hire someone to execute a task or perform a job, will you hire someone based on his certifications or competence? Well, it depends on the organisation’s culture, setup, and how it values competence.
Certification is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organisation. — Wikipedia
Usually, in an organisation where the people are hired based on certification, they will likely use the same approach in their subsequent hiring. There is nothing wrong with this approach as it enables the company to get someone with the minimum ability or skillset in doing what they need to do. However, will they apply what they have learnt and linked them when performing the job? That is the question that we have yet to find out.
Hiring based on competence requires a shift in the mindset and acknowledging that one might not have the necessary certification to be hired. In most cases, such candidates might have already been excluded automatically by the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Therefore, there’s a need to tweak the process or require human intervention in putting this up for consideration for these candidates.
When I am hiring for an organisation, I use a few criteria to filter them for an interview.
- For candidates who submit their applications directly, I will browse through these submissions to capture keywords or experiences specific to this role. I do not pay much attention to their qualification level.
- For candidates recommended by someone I know based on the skillsets that I need, I will put them up directly for an interview.
Before the interview, we will do our due diligence to “Know Our Candidate” through asking around or via different online means. During the interview, the supervisor managing this hire needs to be comfortable with this candidate. I will try to get more evidence on the different essential competencies for this role. The candidates will need to articulate those actions out during the interview.
I have been very fortunate to be considered for different positions based on other attributes apart from my certifications and how well I scored.
When I was recruited for a position, I asked my manager who made that decision, “Why me?”. He told me that he decided on me due to my “Willingness” and my willingness to try new things, explore, and get things done. I am happy that I did not let him down when I was there. In another situation, I was given a chance to prove myself by applying my abilities and ground knowledge during the interview. The Head of the Department questioned me further on the different considerations and my thoughts. Eventually, I got the job, not due to my certifications, but my competencies and proven abilities to deliver.
What’s the purpose of this article?
Firstly, I hope to bring out the potential gap in the hiring process. If you are hiring someone experienced to execute a task, consider beyond the certifications. Unless you are hiring for a junior position, allow someone willing to learn and not highly qualified to join you.
Lastly, I hope to encourage those experienced and competent to perform your role without the necessary certification. Do not get discouraged, and there will be someone who is seeking your expertise. Getting certified to perform the job is much easier when you are already competent.
All the best!
