Comment évaluer les compétences clés dans le domaine professionnel ?

Abstract

The article attempts to clarify the question of defining and evaluating key competencies in the professional domain, by reviewing existing literature in the domains of cognitive differential psychology, psychometrics and industrial and organisational psychology. A hierarchical model of competencies is favoured, in which the key competencies are general across professional situations and transferable from one situation to another. The different methods of evaluating key competencies are reviewed. Particular attention is paid to the validity of assessment centres and intelligence tests. The crucial role of general intelligence, depending on the complexity of professional tasks, is demonstrated through an analysis of professional profiles. We review writings on the psychology of intelligence in order to show the importance of the g factor as principle predictor of work performance and the acquisition of key competencies. Finally, the judicious combination of different validated and economical psychometric tools is proposed as the most effective and equitable solution for evaluating key competencies in the three paradigmatic social situations which require it: vocational orientation, recruitment of personnel and access to continuing training.