Four competency frameworks and what each one measures

Q: Is O*NET a competency framework?

O*NET is an occupational database. Its work styles section works as a trait framework, but O*NET does not certify anyone. It describes occupations and the traits they tend to require.

Q: Which framework should a startup use for its first hire?

Use O*NET to define the role, then use SHRM or AICPA if the role is HR or finance. For a general operations hire, build a short scorecard from O*NET tasks and work styles.

What to take away

Each framework measures a different thing, so pick the one that matches the decision you face.
The ATD competency model measures what talent development professionals must do. It does not measure accounting or machinist work.
O*NET work styles describe enduring personal traits, such as attention to detail and dependability. They are not learned knowledge.
The SHRM body of applied skills measures HR knowledge and applied judgment. Its domain structure has changed between editions.
The AICPA core competency framework maps accounting and finance work across functional, personal and broad business perspective areas.

Four frameworks, four different things measured

A competency framework is a list of what someone should be able to do, plus a way to judge whether they can. The four covered here are national frameworks. None of them is specific to a city.

Each answers a different question. What should a trainer know? What does an occupation require? What should an HR lead know? What should a CPA be able to do?

The best business vocabulary tools 2027 page covers the words. The frameworks cover the capabilities. All four define the work, define the evidence, then score the evidence.

The ATD competency model and what it assesses

The Association for Talent Development (ATD) publishes its Talent Development Capability Model for people who design, deliver and manage learning. The model sorts the knowledge and skills of talent development work into 23 capability areas across three domains: personal, professional and organizational. Instructional design and training delivery are among them.

It assesses professional practice rather than personality. A practitioner might be rated on whether they can write a needs assessment or measure whether training changed performance. The model is written for people who already work in the field.

ATD also publishes a code of ethics for members. ATD offers certifications, such as the CPTD, that are built on its model. Use the model to judge readiness for a talent development role. The business acumen guide covers business acumen as a wider skill.

O*NET work styles read as a competency framework

O*NET is an occupational database sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. It describes occupations through tasks, skills, knowledge, abilities, interests and work styles.

Work styles are the part most often read as a competency framework. They include attention to detail, dependability, cooperation, integrity, self control, stress tolerance and adaptability. These describe traits, not credentials.

ONET assesses the fit between a person and an occupation's demands. Two jobs can both need high attention to detail but differ on stress tolerance. ONET is free and public. It is not a certification, so you can use its work styles to build an interview scorecard, but you cannot award an O*NET credential.

The SHRM body of applied skills and its knowledge domains

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) defines what HR professionals should know and do in its body of applied skills and knowledge (BASK). Earlier editions grouped the content into four domains: people, organization, workplace and strategy. Later editions use a different structure, so check the current BASK before you rely on a domain name.

SHRM assesses applied judgment. A candidate might face a scenario about a leave request, a pay equity question or a restructuring. SHRM offers the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP certifications, which are tied to the model.

The AICPA core competency framework for accounting work

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) maintains a competency framework for accounting and finance professionals. It groups competencies into three areas: functional, personal and broad business perspective.

Functional competencies cover decision modeling, risk analysis, measurement, reporting, research and leveraging technology. Personal competencies cover professional demeanor, problem solving and decision making, interaction, leadership, communication and project management. Broad business perspective covers understanding internal and external business contexts.

The AICPA endorsed the framework in 1999 for entry into the accounting profession. It focuses on skills that apply across many accounting careers, not only the topics tested on the CPA exam. It is not a license. In Massachusetts, the CPA license is granted by the Massachusetts Board of Public Accountancy, which sets its own education and exam requirements.

Comparing the four by what each one actually measures

The table below puts the four side by side on the dimension that matters most: what evidence each one produces.

Framework	Owner	What it measures	Evidence produced	Certification
ATD Talent Development Capability Model	Association for Talent Development	Talent development practice across 23 capability areas, including instructional design and training delivery	No score from the model itself; the CPTD and APTD exams test a subset of its knowledge and skills	Yes, ATD offers certifications such as the CPTD built on this model
O*NET work styles	U.S. Department of Labor	Tasks, skills, knowledge, abilities, interests and work styles for more than a thousand occupations	Occupation descriptors and importance ratings; no person-level score unless you build one	No
SHRM body of applied skills and knowledge	Society for Human Resource Management	HR knowledge and applied judgment; domain structure varies by edition	Certification exam scores	Yes, the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP
AICPA core competency framework	American Institute of Certified Public Accountants	Accounting and finance work across functional, personal and broad business perspective areas	A capability map for entry into the accounting profession	No; the framework is not a license, and the CPA is granted by a state board

Four Frameworks Compared

ATD

Primary subject: Talent development
What it measures: Training design, delivery, evaluation, ethics
Typical use: Hiring and developing L&D staff

O*NET

Primary subject: All U.S. occupations
What it measures: Traits such as dependability, cooperation, attention to detail
Typical use: Fit screening and career exploration

SHRM

Primary subject: HR practice
What it measures: People, organization, workplace, strategy judgment
Typical use: HR hiring and certification prep

AICPA

Primary subject: Accounting and finance
What it measures: Functional, personal, broad business competencies
Typical use: Accounting hiring, career mapping

Only O*NET spans the whole labor market. The other three are tied to a profession.

O*NET work styles lean toward traits. ATD, SHRM and AICPA lean toward learned capability. Traits are harder to change; skills are easier to teach.

A worked example makes this concrete. Suppose a small firm needs a new office manager. The role involves scheduling, vendor negotiation, basic bookkeeping and staff coordination.

Using O*NET, the firm screens for attention to detail, dependability and cooperation. Using SHRM, it probes HR judgment on leave and conflict. Using AICPA, it checks whether the candidate can read a profit and loss statement. Using ATD, it checks whether the candidate can run a short training session.

No single framework covers the whole role. The firm must choose two and accept gaps, or build a custom scorecard. Frameworks are starting points, not finished instruments.

Any framework that asks an interviewer to rate traits invites subjective scoring. Anchored rating examples are what keep trait ratings fair. Without them, two interviewers will score the same answer differently.

Where founders can get training help

The U.S. Small Business Administration provides counseling, loan programs and online courses. SCORE offers free mentoring from volunteer executives. Small Business Development Centers offer low-cost training and advising.

None of these programs certifies competency in the ATD, SHRM or AICPA sense. They teach business skills such as bookkeeping, marketing, hiring and tax basics. The vocabulary is practical, not credentialing.

Two decisions are yours to make: which framework guides your first hires, and where your training comes from.

Choose one competency framework, likely SHRM or AICPA, to guide your first two hires.
Use SCORE or a Small Business Development Center for free or low-cost training before paying for courses.

For a broader view of the vocabulary, the best business acumen tools 2027 page lists the document types that make up a business acumen toolkit.

Common questions

What is the difference between the ATD competency model and the SHRM body of applied skills? ATD covers talent development work, such as training design and evaluation. SHRM covers HR practice across people, organization, workplace and strategy. They overlap on learning, but SHRM is broader and more law-heavy.

Is O*NET a competency framework? ONET is an occupational database. Its work styles section works as a trait framework, but ONET does not certify anyone. It describes occupations and the traits they tend to require.

Which framework should a startup use for its first hire?

Use ONET to define the role, then use SHRM or AICPA if the role is HR or finance. For a general operations hire, build a short scorecard from ONET tasks and work styles.

Does the AICPA core competency framework apply outside accounting?

The framework is written for accounting and finance work. Its broad business perspective section is useful to any manager, but the functional section is accounting-specific.

Where can a founder get free help with business skills?

SCORE and Small Business Development Centers offer free or low-cost counseling and training. The U.S. Small Business Administration also offers counseling and courses.

Do any of these frameworks replace a degree or license?

No. They describe capabilities. Licenses such as the CPA are granted by state boards, and degrees are granted by schools. Frameworks help you judge capability, not certify it.