Editor’s note: This article was first published in May 2012. Tuenti is described as one of the most visited Spanish social networks, and ‘the current crisis’ refers to Spain’s economic crisis of that time.
Talent is vital in today’s situation, for companies and for people alike. Yet it is hidden and often hard to find. It becomes what sets one apart from another: both in the competitiveness of companies in today’s market and in candidates who offer that “spark” that makes them different when choosing between two similar options.
One example of talent is Bill Gates, who built an empire out of an idea. Or, more modestly, Zaryn Dentzel, an American student who came to Spain and created Tuenti, one of the most visited Spanish social networking sites.
For companies and candidates, talent is that indefinable thing that separates success from failure in any event or circumstance. It has its own characteristics and is born from the fusion of all of them. It is hard to find and, right now, it is a proven fact that talent is the ultimate weapon for companies to grow in the current crisis, and for candidates to be selected by standing out from their closest competitors.
The characteristics of talented people
Talent is that fusion of feelings, characteristics and values which, combined in the right proportion, make someone attractive for a job. In teenage slang, it’s the ideal guy who has it all: looks, brains, strength…
Talented people drive change, are flexible and take the initiative with new alternatives, even when they break with traditional patterns. They are clear team players who inspire enthusiasm and lead the way to the group’s goals, putting collective interests before personal ones.
Their ability to learn is innate. They are always taking up new studies, and their capacity to acquire and absorb new knowledge or skills is evident, because they believe technical knowledge fosters productive and professional growth.
They adapt to the work and business environment. They set their goals and fight for them, and they look to the medium and long term. They are innovative, creative and practical.
The values of talent
Their strengths have to go hand in hand with their personal values. Ethics is one of the foundations those values rest on: respect for the moral standards accepted by society. They are people with a good reputation, correct and respectful towards others and towards their own interests, both as individuals and as a company.
Their image is an asset for the rest of the group. A talented candidate will look after the relationship with the client as a person, and after the client’s interests. They will give clients special treatment and take an interest in their benefits and in how to help them, from the perspective of the company’s own gain. They look for the positive side of every situation they face, seeking the solution that best satisfies everyone.
True to their commitments, they give more than is asked of them and take responsibility for the consequences of their actions. They look for the best results in what they do, hate mediocrity and seek excellence in their work.
How to find talent in people
A thorough competency-based interview is what can offer a glimpse of whatever sets one candidate’s talent apart from another’s. Their professional and personal experiences will provide examples of the values and characteristics that define talent.
A person who, in the interview, describes themselves as someone who looks for what’s best for the team and for the work at hand, and shows they have had experiences that back this up and can be proven, is displaying some of the characteristics or values described above.
Talent isn’t discovered in a short conversation. All you get are small hints, signals and episodes that may be as real as they are unreal; what defines a candidate is how they go about their tasks day after day. It is through that daily work that the truth behind these hints or signals of talent will gradually emerge.
That is the difference between a candidate who offers signs of talent and others who have no previous experience to demonstrate their personal and professional values.
Featured image: Enrique Dans, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
