This Guest paper was originally published in the January, 2016 PM World Journal.
With some updating of the text, it is reproduced here with the permission of the author.
Copyright Stacy Goff, ProjectExperts.com © 2016.
Published here May 2016

Editor's Note | Introduction by Stacy Goff | Talent from Then to Now 
Talent Management Area 1: Talent Acquisition | Desperately Seeking Project Talent
The Talent Areas of Greatest Importance | Summarizing Talent Acquisition | PART 2

Talent Management Area 1: Talent Acquisition

That Human Resources group I worked with is not the only one searching for Project Talent. The competition is fierce for dearly needed talent. And the Talent targets move. In the 1990s experienced Internet developers were among the most sought-after talent. Today an emerging talent target is Competent Project Managers. And yet, projects need more than talented project managers; the entire team is only as strong as its weakest link.

To find project talent, you must know what you are looking for. This is not easy, because while resume keywords and searchable online databases can help with screening, finding project talent comes down to two key steps:

  1. Analyze and communicate what you are looking for, including the roles these persons must fill, and the qualifications (knowledge, skills, attitudes and competences) needed to fill those roles.
  2. Observe and recognize those needed talents in the candidates you inter-view. Note that most hiring managers rely on interpersonal interaction to verify their judgment that the candidate demonstrates the needed talent.

Talent Acquisition for projects goes beyond filling project manager positions; as mentioned above, each project is only as successful as the Role-Competences of your weakest links. Every stakeholder in a project, from Sponsor to Resource Manager, from internal Customer to Team Member, must demonstrate his or her needed Role-Competences. Those who are best at Talent Acquisition use a proper Competence Model, that lists all the right criteria and appropriate performance levels for each of your roles.

Talent from Then to Now   Talent from Then to Now

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