The generic competencies are all those skills, knowledge, aptitudes, attitudes and resources of a person that allows him to function adequately in any work environment and achieve the proposed goals in a specific job.
The term “generic competence” is commonly used to describe any element that can be useful for the performance of any job, and not just for a specific position. On the contrary, specific competencies are only useful for a certain number of tasks.
According to various studies in this regard, the generic competences of each person have a very important weight on their employability. This happens because they cover a series of skills and ways of being that can be useful in a very wide range of situations, so companies value them in a really positive way.
Generic competencies can have very different natures. Thus, within this term things such as self-confidence, the ability to work as a team and creativity are included; but also others such as the facility to express oneself orally and in writing, social and emotional skills, and technological skills.
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The field of generic competencies is very broad, as it is not just about knowledge or skills. On the contrary, you also include attitudes, values, ways of thinking, and ways of learning..
This is the main reason that generic competencies are useful in all the jobs and areas of knowledge that exist. By encompassing so many different elements, the people with the most generic competencies will be much better able to function correctly in any situation.
At the same time, the breadth of this concept implies that in practice it is not possible for one person to possess all existing generic competencies. On the contrary, skill in this field is measured in terms of the number of them that an individual possesses, and the degree to which each one dominates..
Generic competencies, belonging to different fields and involving elements from very different categories, can be used successfully in practically any area. Those people who have a large number of them are able to cope with ease in a large number of situations, even those that are unfamiliar to them..
At the same time, generic competencies are also transferable. This means that, when you have enough, it is possible to acquire other skills (both generic and specific) more easily, and carry out all kinds of learning with ease..
The main reason why generic competencies are considered so important is because they allow the individual who possesses them to function easily in any situation.
Therefore, all competencies of this type improve abilities such as learning, relating to other people, or meeting objectives..
On the contrary, individuals who have not acquired too many generic competencies have a greater difficulty following a certain path without guidance, and will require more help to carry out all kinds of tasks. Therefore, we could say that these skills, values and attitudes promote a person's independence.
There are infinite capacities, values, attitudes and abilities that could be included within the group of generic competences. However, in this part of the article we will see some of the most important, in addition to studying why they are fundamental in the modern world..
The acting work environment is increasingly globalized. The largest companies operate in different countries, having both employees and customers in a large number of territories. In addition, almost all the innovations that occur in changes such as science, commerce or technology occur at the international level.
For this reason, one of the most important generic competences that exist is the command of a second language, generally English. The more universal the language that the person masters, and the greater their degree of skill with it, the easier it will be to cope in all kinds of situations.
This skill is in contrast to learning a less spoken language, which could be very useful in specific situations but does not open up as many possibilities. For example, learning Russian can be very useful for people who do business with this country, but it will not be as versatile as mastering English, Spanish or Chinese perfectly..
Emotional intelligence is a set of abilities and skills related to understanding and managing one's own emotions and those of others..
Various investigations on this subject indicate that having a high level of emotional intelligence is essential for success in practically all areas of life.
Emotional skills can be very helpful in all kinds of situations. For example, being able to manage stress, sadness or discouragement is very useful for both employees, managers or entrepreneurs. At the same time, in an environment as connected as ours, it is essential to know how to relate to others correctly..
The use of logic, critical judgment, and rational thinking is a skill highly valued by virtually every business in the world. People with this skill are able to find patterns even in the most complicated situations, allowing them to discover innovative and effective solutions to all kinds of problems..
Critical thinking requires the ability to observe reality as it is, coldly analyzing it without letting your own emotions get in the way. In addition, it also implies the total understanding of what is happening, and the ability to relate the current scenario with other similar ones that have already been experienced..
Time management is a skill that has always been fundamental for businessmen and entrepreneurs, but that is increasingly valued even in the case of an employee.
This occurs because many companies are switching to work-by-objectives models, in order to achieve greater performance and efficiency in their activities..
People who know how to manage their time correctly are able to carry out a greater amount of work in a shorter period of time. In this way, they spend fewer resources, and can advance more than those who do not have this competence..
In practically any task that we are going to carry out, there will be elements that we do not want to face. Because of this, it is essential that anyone who wants to be really effective learns to act despite not wanting to do so..
On the other hand, the capacity for self-motivation can also serve to continue learning and training constantly, something that is essential in the changing and dynamic work environments that exist today..
In the past, a person could have only one skill and use it exclusively during their entire life in their workplace without this being a problem.
Nowadays, however, almost any job requires that individuals be able to adapt to different demands and carry out very different tasks from each other..
Flexibility is the ability to be comfortable in unfamiliar situations and to quickly learn whatever skills are required to carry out a new activity..
This competence is especially important for entrepreneurs, freelancers and businessmen, who have to attend to all areas of their projects.
One of the skills most valued by most modern companies is the ability to make firm decisions even in circumstances where you do not have all the data. Many people require the guidance of others to choose what to do; but the most effective individuals can fend for themselves in this regard.
Making decisions correctly and without hesitation is a skill that can be trained, and that is closely related to other generic competencies such as emotional intelligence, leadership and critical thinking. Again, it is essential for entrepreneurs and businessmen, but it is increasingly valued in all types of jobs.
One of the most common problems that people with a lot of theoretical knowledge have is the difficulty to apply these in real situations.
Therefore, today companies no longer want individuals who know a lot due to their studies but at the moment of truth are not able to act based on what they have learned.
As more and more jobs are automated, the new jobs that are created require high doses of innovation, creativity and the ability to carry out new activities without the need for a guide. Therefore, people who have these skills are highly valued in all areas.
Most of today's companies make use of teamwork, and are much more transparent in their functions than they were just a few years ago.
Therefore, one of the generic competencies most valued by employers is the ability to communicate effectively with other people, both colleagues and clients..
This effective communication must be able to take place both orally and in writing, in any context. People who truly master this competition are just as comfortable speaking with a single individual as they are in front of an audience, or emailing everyone in a company.
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