About competencies

Competencies describe the behaviours and attributes that you demonstrate when doing your job. Find out how they're used in our hiring process.

Behavioural competencies are essential to performing a job. They differentiate average from superior performance.

In the BC Public Service, there are 3 types of competencies:

1. Behavioural competencies that apply to all supervisors, managers and staff
2. Competencies for strategic leadership positions
3. Indigenous relations behavioural competencies for those working directly and indirectly with Indigenous people

See below for more information about these competencies:

• BC Public Service Competencies List (PDF, 146KB)
  • This document includes definitions of each competency
• Competencies for interviews and hiring
• Competencies for strategic leaders
• Indigenous relations behavioural competencies
• Competencies for hiring managers
  • This page describes how competencies are used in the hiring process in the BC Public Service

Competency refresh project

The Workforce Performance and Competencies team is leading a project to refresh and renew the behavioural competencies in the BC Public Service.

The project goal is to create:

• A modern competency dictionary
• A library of resources to help you prepare for job interviews and get the most out of your work experience

The project team held focus groups for each of the refreshed competencies between May 2022 and January 2023. Work to create supporting materials is ongoing.

A date for implementing the full set of modernized competencies across BC Public Service talent processes has not yet been set. Updates will be made to this space as they become available.

For more information, please contact the project team by email.