Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Reprinted from
ISBN: 978-1-986610-39-1
Upward Mobility
UMB Books
EXTENDED GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Contents
List of Figures vi
About the Course vii
About the Author viii
Acknowledgements viii
Preface A Skill to Get Skilled ix
Section I: What is Skills Management? 1
Chapter 1: Why Skills Management? 3
Chapter 2: Lessons from Business Strategy 7
Reading Notes The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Individual Skills 11
Management
Chapter 3: Skills Management Framework 13
Section II: The Quantified Self 21
Chapter 4: How to Operationalize Skills 23
Chapter 5: What Is Your T.S.S. (Total Skillset Score)? 30
Chapter 6: Meet Jafar, The Skills Manager Pro 36
Reading Notes 42
Section III: Skills Management in Action. Part One 43
Chapter 7: Scenario 1: Job Excellence 45
Chapter 8: Tangible Outcome: Skillset Summary Checklist 50
Chapter 9: Scenario 2: Job Enhancement 56
Chapter 10: Tangible Outcome: Selection Criteria Statement 62
Reading Notes 68
Section IV: Skills Management in Action. Part Two 69
Chapter 11: Scenario 3: Job Diversification 71
Chapter 12: Tangible Outcome: How Jafar Can Make You S.M.A.R.T.E. R. 79
Reading Notes 85
Chapter 13: What (We Think) You Have Learned 86
Chapter 14: Conclusion: What’s Next? 90
Extended Glossary 93
of Terms
Appendix 1: Skills Management Certificate from Coursera 109
Peer Review 121
Self-Assessment 129
Appendix 2: J.A.F.A.R., The Skills Manager Pro 135
Artifact
An object created by a skilled professional to serve as compelling evidence of his/her mastery in
performing work-related duties. A collection of artifacts, also known as professional portfolio, is
often used for job search/promotion/professional development.
Benchmark
An established performance standard or a sample of best practices in the field which provides a
point of reference for establishing the levels of proficiency in performing critical tasks for a given
job.
Benchmarking Criteria
A set of explicit requirements for establishing performance standards/best practices in performing
job-related duties. In some occupational areas (for example, accounting, nursing, office
administration, project management, etc.), benchmarking criteria are established by professional
bodies. Benchmarking criteria can also be defined by organizations for their employees as state-
of-the-art levels of quality and performance.
Business Strategy
A set of theories and recommendations which are used by organizations to achieve their long-term
objectives in a competitive and volatile environment. Despite its scientific appeal, business
strategy is not an exact science, but a way of disciplined thinking that helps decision-makers to
make rational decisions. Some of the business strategy methods, models, and techniques, such as
competitive analysis, can be adapted and used by individuals for crafting and executing their
personal strategies for career advancement in a competitive job market environment.
Career
In this course, we use the term in a narrow sense as an individual’s progress related to his/her work
standing and job satisfaction. In this sense, a career is a sequence of jobs (career moves) and a
successful career is one where the person’s overall job satisfaction is on the rise.
Career Change
In this course, career change is one of the four scenarios for career advancement as presented in
the Individual Skills Management Matrix. A career change scenario takes place when a person
seeks a new position outside of his/her immediate occupational area.
skills. Some examples of career competencies are career self-management, self-marketing and
personal branding, self-coaching, skills management, interviewing, opportunity-seeking, and
networking skills.
Competency
In business strategy, “competency” refers to an organizational capability to mobilize physical and
intellectual resources for executing a planned course of actions, sometimes in a unique way, to
achieve the desired outcome. In human resource management, “competency” is a combination of
observable and measurable KSA (knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes) components that allow
an employee to successfully operate on the job. In this course, we often use the terms
“competency” and “skill” interchangeably, but strictly speaking they are not the same (see “Skill”).
Competency Analysis
In business strategy, competency analysis is used to identify the specific capabilities that are
required for an organization to operate successfully in a given industry and to achieve a
competitive advantage. In human resource management, competency analysis is used to identify
the competencies of employees that can help the organization to achieve a competitive advantage.
Because some competencies (usually referred to as “key” or “core” competencies) are more
important than others, competency analysis helps identify those. It then breaks complex
competencies into smaller parts, units and elements, to identify performance standards and
required proficiency levels.
Competency Dashboard
A visual tool to present a range of one’s competencies measured against corresponding
benchmarks to determine the person’s level of proficiency in performing job-related duties. Also,
the tool can be used to reveal the person’s competitive strengths and weaknesses which in turn
may be useful for hiring/promotion decisions and setting professional development goals.
Competitive Advantage
A theoretical concept widely used in business strategy to define a condition or circumstance that
puts a company in a superior position over its competitors. Business strategists and theorists use
competitive analysis to identify opportunities for gaining a competitive advantage, so they can
come up with practical recommendations about how to achieve it. In this course, the term
“competitive advantage” (or “competitive edge”) is used to define a situation in the competitive
job selection process where one of the applicants obtains the highest total skillset score.
Competitive Analysis
In business strategy, a set of theories and recommendations that are used to analyze the external
and internal environments of a competing organization to reveal its current competitive standing
in the market and to come up with directions for obtaining/sustaining a competitive advantage.
Some of the competitive analysis tools and techniques, such as benchmarking, can be modified
and adapted by individuals for developing their personal strategies in a competitive job market
environment.
this course, we use the term narrowly by taking an individual perspective and focusing on the need
for that individual to maximize his/her total skillset score in a competitive job selection process.
Competitive Strategy
A set of theories and recommendations for designing and implementing a course of actions and
long-term plans to achieve/sustain a competitive advantage. In the business world, developing a
competitive strategy is typically based on an ongoing competitive analysis. Some of the models
commonly used by business strategists, such as the Ansoff Matrix, can be adapted and used by
individuals for developing and implementing their personal strategies in a competitive job market
environment.
Complementary Skill(s)
A range of additional functional or generic skills that are closely related to the person’s immediate
vocational area of expertise and support his/her performance on the job. A good example of a
complementary skill is information technology as related to any non-IT occupation (job).
Core Skill(s)
A suite of main functional skills in the person’s immediate vocational area of expertise enabling
him/her to perform on the job in the given industry (occupation).
Critical Task(s)
A list of the main job duties or responsibilities that capture the essence of the job, so they can be
used for skills assessment in the process of competitive selection or promotion. To enable skills
assessment, critical tasks must be specific and measurable (see “The S.I.M.P.L.E. Critical Tasks
Framework”).
Evidence
The available body of facts, externally-verified documentation, artifacts, observations, or other
truthful information that a person can use for his/her skills assessment and to demonstrate the
mastery of skills.
External Perspective
An objective view of one’s skills which is typically based on expert assessment.
Feedback-Seeking Behavior
In this course, feedback-seeking behavior relates to a person’s proactive solicitation of expert or
peer assessment of his/her mastery of skill acquisition.
Generic Skill(s)
A range of skills that can be used by an individual across a variety of vocational areas. Some
examples of generic skills are communication skills, critical thinking, teamwork, project
management, leadership, and cross-cultural skills.
Goal Setting
A set of theories to guide a process of identifying specific and measurable goals and establishing
timeframes to improve subsequent performance. In this course, we adopted a goal-setting theory
approach known as S.M.A.R.T. (E.R.) goals and modified it for individual skills management.
Job Analysis
In human resource management, job analysis is a process used to identify and examine the
particular job duties, requirements, outcomes, and work environment. In this course, job analysis
is considered from an individual perspective as a technique helping the person examine the nature
of the job and identify critical tasks, the required level of proficiency, and performance standards.
Job Description
In human resource management, a job description is a written statement that describes the nature
and the context of the position, required qualifications, experiences, competencies, job duties, and
expectations. In this course, job description is considered from an individual perspective, with an
emphasis on the required skills.
Job Diversification
In this course, job diversification one of the four scenarios for career advancement as presented in
the Individual Skills Management Matrix. A job diversification scenario takes place when a person
is trying to move forward in his/her occupation (either with his/her current or another employer)
by acquiring a new functional skill in a different vocational area.
Job Enhancement
In this course, job enhancement is one of the four scenarios for career advancement as presented
in the Individual Skills Management Matrix. A job enhancement scenario takes place when a
person is trying to move forward in his/her occupation (either with his/her current or another
employer) by acquiring a new functional (core or supplementary) skill in the same vocational area.
Job Excellence
In this course, job excellence is one of the four scenarios for career advancement as presented in
the Individual Skills Management Matrix. A job excellence scenario takes place when a person is
looking to improve his/her standing in the current position (or to get a similar position with another
employer) by refining his/her existing functional or generic skill.
Job Market
In economics and business strategy, the “job market” is a concept that helps understand the
interplay of supply and demand for labor as a resource in the economy. In this course, we refer to
“job market” as a competitive employment marketplace.
Mastery
We use this term interchangeably with “proficiency”. For example, “full mastery” is the same as
the highest level of proficiency in performing a critical task (see also Skill Acquisition).
Operationalization
Broadly, operationalization is a process or approach that makes an abstract concept measurable.
In this course, we adopt an approach that enables a person to quantify and measure his/her skills
in a competitive environment. Briefly, the approach includes three steps. First, we suggest using
a simulation technique to emulate a competitive selection process where the person’s skills are to
be objectively assessed and weighted. Second, we recommend combining the skills in a cluster
Peer Assessment
Skill assessment performed by someone who is familiar with the job requirements, but is not
necessarily an expert evaluator (for example, a co-worker). Peer assessment is more objective than
self-assessment and is often used as a proxy to expert assessment.
Performance Management
In human resource management, performance management is part of talent management. This is a
process for increasing the effectiveness of the entire organization by planning, organizing,
monitoring, and improving the performance of all employees. In this course, we adopt and modify
some of the performance management tools and techniques and use them for individual skills
management.
Performance Standard(s)
Observable behaviors, actions, and outcomes which describe, explain, and demonstrate how a
specific job duty must be done.
Personal Development
Broadly, personal development is a lifelong process in which a person considers long term goals
and aspirations, assesses his/her abilities and skills, sets shorter term objectives, and engages in
self-developmental activities. In this course, we are mostly concerned with shorter-term, skill-
building goals. We believe that once it is mastered, individual skills management can provide the
learner with long lasting benefits for personal development. For example, a better self-knowledge
and a more proactive and efficient career development, including goal-setting, role model
identification, planning, implementation, feedback seeking, persistence, and resilience.
specialists in other professional areas (the horizontal component of the π to represent the generic
skills).
Proficiency Levels
Steps (intervals) in a rating scale adopted for measuring a person’s skill acquisition, in which each
step (interval) corresponds to a certain stage of the skill attainment and has a numerical value
assigned to it (see Skill Acquisition).
Professional Development
Broadly, professional development is a process of personal development as it relates to career
advancement. In this course, we are mostly concerned with one aspect of professional development
- namely, developing a person’s capacity to effectively manage his/her skill-building activities.
Other important aspects of professional development include obtaining and updating credentials
and certifications and keeping up with new trends and opportunities, both within and outside of
the person’s immediate vocational area of expertise. It also involves acquiring and refining career
competencies (See “Career Competencies”).
Qualified Pool
A (short-listed) group of candidates that most closely meet the job requirements in the process of
competitive selection.
Quantified Self
Broadly, this concept refers to various measurements that can be done for a person with the use of
modern technology. In this course, the quantified self relates to a person’s ability to see him/herself
through the lens of a competitive selection process, in which job contenders must demonstrate
their mastery of required skills and are assigned numerical scores by a hiring manager (selection
board).
Selection Criteria
The explicitly stated standards of performance or other job requirements that job applicants need
to meet.
Self-Assessment
Skills assessment performed by an individual on him/herself. Self-assessment is a necessary step
to gather evidence for peer- and expert assessment.
Self-Efficacy
A person’s belief in his/her ability to succeed in achieving the desired level of performance and
accomplishing a specific task.
Self-Regulation
A process by which a person takes responsibility for his/her own learning, behavior, and progress.
In this course, we use this term interchangeably with self-management.
and organizations in a competitive marketplace, but with some modification can be adapted and
used by individual career builders.
Simulation
Broadly, an imitation of a real-life process in a controlled environment; also, a model that
represents the key features of the modelled object or situation. In this course, we recommend that
a person looking for a more efficient way to organize, manage, and develop his/her skills, should
do it in a simulated competitive job selection setting. The underlying philosophy is that the closer
to reality the simulation is, the better it will be for skills development it becomes.
Skill(s)
“Skill” is a learned ability to perform a work-related operation. It is often used interchangeably
with the term “competency”, though it is not the same. A skill is the person’s ability to perform
the required job function (=a psychomotor component). A corresponding competency includes not
only the skill itself, but also incorporates the underpinning knowledge (a cognitive component)
and encapsulates the necessary attitude (an affective component).
Skill Acquisition
Broadly, a process that is used by a person to attain skills. It is also a set of theories and
recommendations for skills development and assessing progress in the skills attainment. In this
course, we adopted a staged model of skill acquisition with five main stages as reflected in the
assessment rubric ranging from zero (“Non-existent”) to 1 (“Basic”) to “2” (“Intermediate”) to 3
(“Advanced”) to 4 (“Expert”).
Skilled Self
A self-concept based on a skills-based view of own career identity. The idea is to view oneself as
a skilled professional offering high quality services to prospective employers in a competitive
setting.
Skills-Based View
In business strategy, a resource-based view of the firm is a powerful and well-developed concept
which is used to identify the foundation of competitive advantage. The concept is also utilized in
human resource management as it helps focusing on the human component of competitive
advantage. In this course, we draw from business strategy and human resource management and
use a similar concept, the skill-based view of the individual. The underlying idea is to focus one’s
attention on skills as the key component for gaining a competitive edge in the labor market.
Skills Display
In this course, skills display is one of the outcomes of individual skills management training. Skills
display refers to a public demonstration of one’s mastery in performing critical tasks, with an
emphasis on externally-verified, evidence-based, and data-driven deliverables.
Skills Inventory
In this course, a skills inventory is one of the outcomes of individual skills management training.
A skills inventory is a database of one’s quantified skillsets; a collection of externally-verified
evidence of mastery in performing critical tasks for specific jobs.
Skills Management
This term is used, though not frequently, in human resource management as a synonym to
competency mapping in performance management. The idea behind skills management is to help
organizations identify and map competencies (“skills”) of their employees and then organize them
in a skills database (or inventory) for subsequent optimization. In this course, we use a similar
approach for individual skills management.
Skillset Review
In this course, the skillset review is one of the steps in the J.A.F.A.R. Individual Skills Management
Model that provides a bird’s eye view of one’s readiness for a specific job by using a competency
dashboard and a total skillset score.
Talent Management
In human resource management, talent management is a process for increasing the effectiveness
of the entire organization by attracting, developing, motivating, and retaining the most productive
employees. It includes selection, onboarding, employee development, performance management,
and succession planning. In this course, we adapted some of the talent management methods and
techniques.
functional skills) and in addition develops an ability to collaborate with specialists in other areas
(the horizontal component of the T representing the generic skills).