For several years now, the word talent has been on the minds of all managers and HR directors. In fact, have you ever noticed the appearance of new jobs dedicated to talent management? Indeed, more and more job titles now include the term talent, such as “Talent Acquisition” or “Talent Development”. This is not surprising as the talent shortage reaches a new high in 2022. So who are these famous Talents and what skills make them so special?

 
How to distinguish Talent?

 
In order to recognise a talent, it is necessary to know how to define it. A talent corresponds either to the fact of being gifted in a particular field, or to an ability to develop a particular aptitude easily. We also speak of potential.

Talent can take many forms, such as strong leadership or outstanding commitment. This is why it is always assessed on an individual basis. It is important to take into account the individuality of each person.

Indeed, a single qualification cannot designate the latter. Firstly, the challenge for the company is to identify it. Secondly, the challenge is to make talent management dynamic. Thus, the company naturally wishes to attract and retain these best elements.

Human resources must also put careers into perspective in order to integrate the most talented people into an organisation in the long term. In order to energise teams and motivate their troops, a skills map is very useful for steering possible succession and development plans.

And even if several solutions exist to assess skills, Assessment Center method is currently the only approach that probes an individual’s potential. Indeed, the Assessment Center allows for a precise diagnosis of the resources available to each individual. Moreover, this approach is recognised as the most effective tool in terms of predictive validity.

 
The inescapable skills of the Talents
 

In companies, professional qualifications are broken down into knowledge, know-how and interpersonal skills. Knowledge is a body of acquired knowledge. Know-how is the application of this knowledge. Finally, interpersonal skills are the natural use of a set of knowledge and skills. It is above all a posture linked to a skill, whether relational or technical.

The talented are usually recognisable by their strong capacity to learn and adapt. However, they are not always aware of their strengths. They are sometimes only revealed in the context of an assessment centre. The common belief about talent is that it is present at the highest levels of the organisation.

However, the reality of the company is quite different, as Talent can be present at all levels of the organisation. Once again, let’s keep in mind that Talent is diverse and multiple. In recent years, new English-speaking terms have appeared in Human Resources jargon.

These are the notions of Hard Skills and Soft Skills. Hard skills are generally validated by diplomas or certificates. However, the situation is quite different when it comes to soft skills. Indeed, these famous “soft skills” are more related to an individual’s know-how and personality.

So how do you measure an employee’s emotional intelligence, creativity or teamwork skills? These skills can be confirmed indirectly, for example through various professional achievements and recommendations. It is therefore once again in a professional context that the individual can prove himself. However, a subtle mix of all these qualities is needed to form one or more talents.

About the Assessment Center

The Assessment or Development Center are methodologies that use a professional situation. The objective is to carry out a precise diagnosis of the strengths and areas for improvement of a candidate or employee. In the context of recruitment, this stage enables the company to advise on a suitable integration plan for the individual’s personality and skills. Also, having a global vision of talent is essential to prepare a new organisation within a company. In the case of internal mobility, the assessment includes specific recommendations on a development plan.

GO FURTHER …

Whatever your objectives, we can help you attract, motivate and find the right talent. To contact us, use the contact form or write to us directly at contact@apostrof.fr