Ask SCS:Why you should always match the job to the person, never the person to the job

There are many factors to consider when hiring talent but first we need to define talent unless "hiring talent" means "hiring employees."

Everyone wants to hire for talent but if we can't answer the five questions below with specificity, we can't hire for talent.

1. How do you define talent?
2. How do you measure talent?
3. How do you know a candidate’s talent?
4. How do you know what talent is required for each job?
5. How do you match a candidate’s talent to the talent demanded by the job?

Every job demands required competencies and talent from an applicant. A person may have basic competency / talent which can be supplemented by education, on job training or external training to make him/her successful in the job.

Talent is what we bring to the job, not what the job does to us. Talent without training is like an uncut and unpolished diamond and can create value.  If training improves a talent, then the talent is really a skill.

If we assume that talent is the same as skills, we will continue to hire far too many job applicants who will fail to become successful employees.