Competency Match Tool

Practical tools to support more consistent, skills-focused hiring and candidate assessment. Many employers face challenges identifying candidates who are the right fit for a role, even when applicants meet formal education or experience requirements.

Developed by Medicine Hat Economic Development, the Competency Match Employer Playbook provides practical tools to support a more structured and consistent approach to hiring. It helps employers define roles clearly, assess candidates using common criteria, and make more informed hiring decisions.

Competencies can include how someone communicates, approaches problem solving, organizes their thoughts and responsibilities, adapts to challenging circumstances, and works independently or with others.

Unlike a credential or number of years of experience, a competency focuses on how someone approaches and performs their work.

Explore the content below for practical tools to support more consistent, skills-focused hiring and candidate assessment.

Follow the Hiring Journey

Our Competency Match program provides the tools and resources needed for an accurate and structured candidate assessment and hiring process. Employers can follow the full process step by step or use individual tools based on their immediate hiring needs.

Each tool includes templates, guidance, and examples that can be adapted to different hiring contexts. Click below to find the tool you need for your stage of the hiring process.

1) Define the Role

Identify the competencies required for the role and use them to create a clear, skills-focused job description. These tools will help you determine the right competencies and build a job description before hiring.

Pre-Hiring Tools

2) Review Applications

Evaluate applications against the same role requirements and identify where more information may be needed. These tools provide guidance and structure while reviewing applicant resumes and applications.

Hiring Tools

3) Set Expectations

Help candidates understand the process, what they will be asked to demonstrate and how they can prepare. These tools will help candidates understand the role and prepare for their applications/interview.

Candidate Tools

4) Fair Assessments

Use structured interviews and job simulations to gather consistent, role-relevant evidence from candidates. Assessment tools include how to run a structured interview and a job simulation (in-person or virtual).

Assessment Tools

What is a competency? A competency describes how someone applies their skills, knowledge, and judgment at work.

Ready to Start?

If this is the first time you've used the Competency Match tools, click below to learn more about the process while moving through the individual steps.

Ready to start your hiring journey and continue to the Pre-Hiring Resources page?

Pre-Hiring Resources

Stay up to date.

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay connected with Economic Development news, activities, events, programs, operations and more.

Newsletter

Address

533 First Street SE
Medicine Hat, Alberta
T1A 0A9

The City of Medicine Hat acknowledges that we live and work on treaty territory. The City pays respect to all Indigenous Peoples and honours their past, present and future. We recognize and respect their cultural heritages and relationships to the land. Medicine Hat is situated on Treaty 7 and neighbour to Treaty 4 territory, traditional lands of the Siksika (Blackfoot), Kainai (Blood), Piikani (Peigan), Stoney Nakoda, and Tsuut’ina (Sarcee) as well as the Cree, Sioux, and the Saulteaux bands of the Ojibwa peoples, and homelands of the Métis Nation District 2 Battle River Territory. Learn more.

Click here to view our site wide Privacy Policy