Competence mapping

Why is competence mapping important?

Having a good understanding of your own competence is useful for several reasons. Early in your research career, it can help you identify competence gaps and target your career development accordingly through a career plan.

When applying for jobs, a competence mapping gives you a clearer picture of your opportunities and makes you better equipped to present your competence in your CV, applications and interviews. It is quite common to either underestimate your competence or forget about your competence. If you start doing a competence mapping you will usually get the experience that you have more knowledge and skills then you think. Sometimes it can be useful to get some help from people who know you well who can give you feedback or a neutral sparring partner who can ask you questions that help you reflect upon your competence. This might even help you overcome the imposter syndrome that is quite common in academia. 

What is competence?

Your competence is more than subject knowledge, and can be divided into the following five types of qualities and skills.

• Theoretical knowledge, which relates to your research topics.
• Transferable skills, which are the general skills you use to conduct your research.
• Personal traits, which say something about who you are as a person and what your strengths and areas for improvement are.
• Results, which are also part of your competence. When you can point to good results from the past, it shows that you are likely to achieve good results in the future.
• Values, which are about what motivates you and act as a compass when you decide how to use your competence.

Exercises to map your competence

The following exercises will help you map your competence in each area of the competence wheel.

Theoretical knowledge

Through your research, you have developed deep knowledge within a specific field. It can be helpful to practice explaining your theoretical knowledge in a way that people outside your field can understand. This is especially important if you are applying for jobs outside academia.

• Explain your theoretical knowledge in a way that people outside your field can understand. Try to avoid jargon. You can get ideas on how to do this by reading UiO's descriptions of courses in your field. You can also try to explain your family members who are not in your research field, and if they understand what your theoretical knowledge is, it will be a walk in the park when you get to a job interview outside academia. 

Transferable skills

Transferable skills are relevant to jobs at all levels and in various sectors. Employer surveys show that some of the most important transferable skills include the ability to work independently, learn new things, communicate effectively (orally and in writing), think analytically, solve problems and collaborate.

Some employers outside academia might assume that PhD candidates and postdocs can only work independently. That¡¯s why it¡¯s important to highlight how you collaborate with supervisors, colleagues, research groups etc. when applying for jobs.

• Write down activities from your daily research life and translate them into transferable skills. For example: ¡°I work in a research group¡± can be translated to these skills: collaboration, giving and receiving feedback, cross-cultural understanding, networking.

Read more about transferable skills

Personal traits

You bring a lot to the table simply by being yourself and contributing your unique personal qualities. We spend a lot of time at work, so it¡¯s important that your personal traits fit well with the role and team you¡¯re part of.

When describing your personal qualities, it¡¯s important to provide concrete examples of how you¡¯ve developed those traits. This makes your claims more credible in interviews or applications. Examples of personal qualities include: proactive, engaged, caring and creative.

• Write down your personal qualities and give examples of how you developed them. For example: ¡°I am proactive, and I showed this by initiating Christmas party and summer party every year at work to build a good social environment among my colleagues.¡±
• If you think it is difficult to state qualities you are good at, you can focus on the feedback you have gotten from others or what type of qualities you would like to be associated with.

Results

You wouldn¡¯t be where you are today without getting good results. These achievements are part of your competence too. Good results could include publishing in a high-impact journal, or something from your personal life like competing in the national chess championship. Here¡¯s a method you can use to present your achievements ¨C especially useful when preparing for job interviews.

• The STAR model
  • S ¨C situation: Describe the situation you were in. When was it, where, and with whom?
  • T ¨C task: Describe the task or problem you had to solve.
  • A ¨C action: What did you do to solve the problem?
  • R ¨C result: What was the outcome? What did you learn? If you¡¯re applying for a job, you can also explain how the situation is relevant to the role you¡¯re seeking.

Values

When you make career choices that align with your personal values, you¡¯re more likely to be satisfied with your career. Your values act as a compass for where and how to use your competence. Look into whether a company¡¯s values align with yours.

• The retirement party exercise: Imagine that you are retiring, and a retirement party is being held for you. Imagine that you have achieved everything that you want. When you look around the room, who is there? What are they saying about you? Everyone has now arrived at the party. Your boss stands up and clinks the glass to give you a speech. Imagine that this boss have been with you throughout your whole career (even though you might have changed job several times). What do you want your boss to say? What qualities do you want your boss to highlight about you? What do you wish you have accomplished? What impact have you had? What relationships have you developed? Take a few minutes to reflect upon these questions. They can tell you something about your values, identity, goals and desire for the future. What is one thing you can do already now go get closer to your values and goals?
• Sometimes it can be hard to put your values into words. Try starting from the opposite direction: what really frustrates you? When do you get angry? If it¡¯s when someone is treated unfairly, then justice might be a core value of yours.

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