A CANDIDATE’S INNATE organisational fit and likelihood of progressing through the ranks of business are starting to outweigh strong technical skills on a CV, according to a national survey
A CANDIDATE’S INNATE organisational fit and likelihood of progressing through the ranks of business are starting to outweigh strong technical skills on a CV, according to a national survey.
Conducted by Hudson, the survey of 8,000 employers found a large proportion of organisations are looking beyond competence and hard skills when hiring both new employees and making internal appointments.
When hiring new staff, 46 per cent of managers considered organisational fit and the potential to progress further within an organisation more important than actual technical competence. This figure increased to 50 per cent when promoting staff internally.
The research shows that employers are growing smarter about their people strategies, particularly those involved in selection and promotion, according to Matt Dale, Hudson’s national practice leader for talent management.
“In today’s skills-short market, it is crucial for employers to select and retain the ‘right’ staff as they play an integral role in an organisation’s success. More importantly, it is also very expensive to get these decisions wrong,” he said.
“Employers need to spend time getting to know a candidate and should avoid the temptation to rush the recruitment process. It is essential to look beyond a CV and get a sense of the person, what drives them, and how well they’ll fit into the organisational culture and support the organisation’s strategic goals.”
Once companies have found the right talent for their organisation, he said, it was imperative not to let them go.
“One of the key reasons employees leave an organisation is a lack of career progression, so employers must adopt a more sophisticated approach to selection and promotion in order to retain their top talent, otherwise they risk losing them to competitors,” Dale said.
“We suggest analysing an employee’s career and motivational drivers in detail, and then identifying the individual’s potential to progress. Plus, coaching is also an effective tool to use as the individual transitions into the role.”
The survey also found that companies are attempting to develop integrated systems to manage talent – systems that source and screen candidates from the external market while assisting with internal mobility through high potential pools and succession planning options.
