Hire Top Talent through the Windshield, not the Rear View Mirror

Is the Past the Best Indicator of Future Performance?
from the Turning Good People Into Top Talent blog series
By Bob Moore, CMC, Managing Principal, Talent Management Institute

hire potential

Most forward thinking organizations are seeking Top Talent to staff for growth or they should be. Yet, most recruiters and hiring managers tend to base their selection decisions on interviews and indicators of past performance. The world of work is changing so rapidly that past performance may be totally irrelevant.

My colleagues and I, along with many other talent management authorities, recommend hiring for potential.  In fact, our research reveals the lack of a clear definition of top talent.  When pressed to answer the question, “What is ‘top talent’?,” most answers included a list of behaviors, characteristics, competencies, or observations which were made after the individual was hired.  The focus needs to shift to assessing for strengths and potential before an individual is hired.  The author of a 2014 Harvard Business Review article, “How to Spot Talent,” proposes focusing on the ability to adapt to ever-changing business environments and grow into challenging new roles.

To assure superior performance, I recommend a three-step Job-Talent Fit process. The first step defines the 3-5 measurable accountabilities that anyone doing the job must possess. The second step defines the skills, competencies, behaviors, motivators and emotional intelligence required by the position. The final step is a comparison of how well candidates fit the talent requirements of the position.

Are you, like many hiring managers and recruiters, confused about what to do and where to start?  Click on the button below to get the Special Report about the Total Talent Management System™. The report includes the ten elements that a complete talent management system must include and the six prerequisites that assure successful implementation.

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Bob

Bob Moore, CMC
Managing Principal

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