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How do we actually assess skills?

calendarJuly 19, 2024
calendarNicola Tatham
How do we actually assess skills?

The talent assessment industry largely agrees that a skills-based approach to hiring is a much-needed evolution. This approach has emerged as a crucial strategy for organisations to identify, measure, and develop the specific skills required to stay competitive. Moreover, by adopting a skills-based approach and not focusing on years of experience, job titles and degrees, organisations can widen their talent pool, and increase representation from typically under-represented groups.

To effectively measure and develop skills, it is essential to understand their various forms and definitions, which vary widely.

 


Sova broadly breaks it down into ‘hard skills’ and ‘soft skills’:

 

Hard Skills

Here we refer to skills with specific, teachable abilities or knowledge sets that can be defined and measured at their core. Examples include technical proficiency, language skills, and certifications (e.g. in a project management methodology). These assessments often come with clear correct/incorrect answers, providing a straightforward evaluation of an individual's capabilities compared to the needs of a role.

Soft Skills

By this we mean interpersonal and behavioural skills that are more subjective and harder to quantify. They include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, and resilience for example. Soft skills are critical for personal and professional success, and it is predicted they will become increasingly important with the rise of AI.

HR Expert Josh Bersin refers to the latter as ‘PowerSkills’, stating that ‘These skills are not “soft” – they’re highly complex, take years to learn, and are always changing in scope.’ Attributes such as learning focus, innovation, adaptability, and interpersonal skills are increasingly recognised as vital components of effective leadership.


 

How do we assess for skills?

While hard skills tend to be more teachable, softer skills tend to be more ingrained and constant within an individual. It is therefore imperative for organisations to ascertain not just the fit in terms of technical/procedural knowledge, but also the motivational and behavioural alignment of candidates to a role and organisational demands. Hence taking an holistic approach to assessing skills.

Sova regard skills as being a combination of (with varying degrees of each element depending on the type of skill):

 

  • Technical abilities

 

  • Behavioural competencies

 

  • Drives and motivations

 

Some skills have a heavier leaning on some elements than others but typically a consideration of all elements can help to understand someone’s potential in any area.


 

Let’s take the skill ‘project management’. In terms of technical abilities, this might include a qualification like Prince 2 and experience in project management. But this only gives us part of the story. We also need to think about someone’s behavioural preferences and motivations.

For example, are they motivated by quality? Perhaps also by having authority? Are they comfortable persuading, focusing on detail, keeping promises and adapting to change? It is only by having this holistic view of the individual that we can really understand the over-arching skill of project management.

Therein lies the beauty of skills; we can see where the potential is to develop someone.

For someone who ‘ticks all the boxes’ it is probable they will demonstrate excellent project management skills. Someone who has the underlying behavioural preferences and motivations is likely to exhibit a lot of potential in the behavioural competencies but without the technical element (e.g. a qualification) they are unlikely to be ready to be a project manager.

However, it is plausible that they are someone we might opt to invest in by training them on the technical/procedural elements of project management. Therein lies the beauty of skills; we can see where the potential is to develop someone.

Similarly, if we unpack another skill, for instance team-working, we are looking for people with behavioural preferences such as agreeableness and tolerance and being motivated by affiliation. In terms of the technical elements of this skill, we might be looking for someone who has completed team-building workshops or undertaken coaching in this area.

By assessing all aspects of the individual, rather than simply looking at someone’s track record or education/training, we can really start to see their potential for development, progression and skills expansion.


 

Sova’s skills-based approach

Sova's comprehensive approach to assessing and developing skills emphasises the importance of both hard and soft skills, recognising their distinct roles in professional success.

By breaking down skills into their constituent parts, Sova highlights the need for a balanced evaluation of technical qualifications, behavioral competencies, and motivational alignment. This holistic view ensures that organisations can effectively identify and nurture talent, adapting to changing demands while fostering growth and potential in their workforce.