Talent Selection for your Company

Talent Selection for your Company

by Susan Fourie

Intentionally identifying, selecting, and developing high-flyers for your Company is crucial for employee engagement and success.  

The high potential candidates are those individuals who constantly and significantly outperform their peer groups in a variety of settings and circumstances. They have a strong capacity to grow and succeed throughout their careers within an organization. Employees may find it difficult to advance to leadership roles without shedding certain previously rewarded personality traits. 

To identify high-flyers, assessments can be used to clarify whether the candidate will be able to do the job. It is important to match the requirements of the position with the characteristics, competencies and skills of the individual. Not only should the ideal candidate match the requirements of the position, but he/she should be able to flourish in the position. The following assessments may be valuable for this purpose:

• Practical and affordable screening assessments like profile matching, prospect screening and work style predictors.
• Risk, integrity and counterproductive behaviour assessments are used to screen job applicants where honesty is important.
• Ability:  Cognitive ability assessments or assess specific abilities within the work environment e.g. mechanical reasoning, clerical- or reasoning abilities, or quick check tests.
• Personality assessments help to determine the way in which people think, feel and act, e.g. 16 PF Questionnaire, Basic Traits Inventory,  or the Work Personality Index.
• Emotional- and social capabilities help to determine the way in which people think, feel and act. Emotionally and socially intelligent employees tend to be more resilient, show a positive attitude and an ability to manage everyday interactions more easily. Assessments that can be utilized are Emotional Intelligent tests, Locus of Control Inventory, MSCEIT, etc.
• Competency measures are primarily used as a way to match a candidate to a job, for instance in-basket simulation exercises, group discussions, case studies and presentations.

Talent Development

There is potential for development in all people.  This can be done through coaching, workshop interventions or teambuilding-sessions. Assessments can add significant value to ensure that employees experience increased engagement, loyalty and productivity amongst employees.  Assessments can be utilized to evaluate “softer skills” that is essential for success in the workplace:

• Personal Development:  MBTI Individual Reports, Wellness & Psychosocial Health, Career Value Scale, Occupational Interest Profile, Strong.
• Leadership Development: Leadership Skills Profile, Leadership Development Report, Work Personality Leadership Report, Managerial Readiness Profile, Apil B, Tram1 & Tram 11 Reports, PsyTech GRT2 assessments 
• Engagement:  Work Engagement Profile
• Interpersonal Development: Thomas-Killmann Conflict Mode
• Anger & Conflict Management (security and policing occupations)
• 360 Degree Evaluations: Feedback from managers, supervisors, colleagues and subordinates
• Career Development (interests, abilities, personalities and values)
• Team Development:  Change Readiness Inventory, MBTI Team Profile, Sources of Work Stress Inventory.
• Potential: Raven’s Progressive Matrices
• Change and Diversity Management:  Change Readiness Inventory & Diversity Questionnaire, Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory
• Risk Management: Employee Reliability Inventory, Hogan SafeSystem.

Talent Application

Employers will have to utilize tailor-made assessments for leadership and competency assessments, evaluation of candidates in high risk environments, call centres, sales manufacturing and many others. Multiple assessment techniques can be used, such as interviews, on-line tests, biographical questionnaires, role-plays, group discussions, presentations and job-related simulations.  Competencies can be measured through role plays for client relations, conflict management, drive and commitment, interpersonal sensitivity, leading others, negotiation, organising and planning, persuasiveness, teamwork and verbal communication.

Talent Retention

Talent attraction and retention is at its highest when there is a close correlation between the organisation’s needs, desires and expectations and those of the individual or employee. People are unique and in the business world it is important to marry the skills and technically abilities with the culture of the company. 

Ensure that reference checks, criminal and qualifications checks are done as standard practice to ensure you are really familiar with the person’s track record and assumptions around their ability. Where applicable, also utilize psychometric assessments for interest and skill surveys, self-development, leadership assessments, career development, management potential reports and personality profiles

For more information about identifying high potential employees, contact the writer.