If you want people to do a good job, give them the right job to do.
Matching candidates with a vacancy is traditionally done on the basis of diplomas and work experience. Admittedly, diplomas and experience give us concrete guidance. But the practical reality teaches us that diplomas and experience are not good predictors of success. After all, a person is so much more than their training and competencies.
A bad match is an expensive and frustrating process for both the candidate and the organisation. But we all know that finding the X-factor, which is what makes the candidate successful in the job, is as difficult as finding the holy grail. Or at least it was as difficult.
Because now you have a solution. It seems that the unknown X-factor lies in a person’s talents. Talents are natural qualities that people possess. Traits that they don’t have to learn, that make them unique and that determine in which areas they can excel.
How do you become a better matchmaker?
To solve the matching issue based on talents, we need to look at the two sides of the issue: 1) the person and 2) the job. We need to have a realistic picture of what the candidate’s WORKing talents are, and you also need to know what the characteristic talents are to excel in the position. This way you get a complete answer to the matching issue, whilst in a traditional assessment only the person-side is mapped out.
How do we tackle this?
Should we no longer pay attention to competencies?
Of course, it is important that people are competent. But note the order: “First your talents. Then your competencies.”
A talent-first approach ensures a sustainable match. You can acquire competencies, but not talents. So always look at the match for talents first and then afterwards you can refine your selection based on competencies.
Do you have insufficient candidates with the right competencies due to the current shortage in the job market? Then the talent-first approach is even more important. You avoid the risk of investing in training people who are not cut out for the job.
Benefits of a talent-first approach:
- More placements of candidates for jobs where there is a shortage in the job market.
- Less risk of investing in someone who later turns out not to fit well in the job.
- A good person-job match leads to optimal personal performance.
- A good person-job match prevents dropout and burnout.
- In a work process you can deploy the right person in the right place.
- Inclusive: match without bias or prejudice.
