Which term best describes the combination of skills, abilities, and personal traits that influence job performance?

• A. Competency
• B. Knowledge
• C. Experience
• D. Intelligence

Answer: (A)

Competency is the idea that job performance comes from a blend of what you know, what you can do, and who you are as a worker. It’s the overall capability to perform tasks successfully, built from skills (practical abilities you apply), abilities (how you use those skills), and personal traits (motivation, reliability, communication, teamwork). Because it includes both technical know-how and behavioral attributes, competency predicts how well someone will handle real job situations, not just theory or past hours on the job.

Knowledge alone is just information someone has; it doesn’t show how effectively they apply it in real tasks. Experience reflects time spent doing things, which helps but doesn’t guarantee the ability to perform well in varied contexts. Intelligence measures potential for learning and reasoning, but it doesn’t capture important aspects like communication, attitude, or dependability. Competency brings all of these pieces together, explaining why someone can perform at a high level across different situations.