In this review of literature, we will see how the question of professional competencies’ evaluation has been developed in the literature in evaluation, in education and in psychology of work. It is indeed a new matter of concern in the field of education. We will see that authors have proposed definitions and frameworks to develop models of competencies, while others have gained knowledge on how evaluators evaluate competencies in real settings. Others have studied the positive but also the perverse effects of these practices. This review of literature may interest practitioners, teachers and professional trainers who are curious about research findings on these matters.