Why The Common Complaint Of 'Not Able To Find The Right Talent' Is So Overrated!
Imagine putting out an entry-level job on one of the popular job portals today. We can tell you that until a little while ago it was nothing short of a nightmare. The job had thousands of views, and by the next evening, a recruiter could be staring at 500+ resumes.
It is no wonder that HR professionals want to believe that finding the right talent is a super tricky job. If you too have been in this ‘talent hunt’ situation, we know that life is hard. But it needn’t be. The good news is that things can be simplified to help you not only reach the right candidate but also do so efficiently.
How? Stop chasing ‘talent’!
It has been observed that the more you get to know about the top performers, the less it becomes about talent. The examples are aplenty. IQ-tests can be practised. Memory can be trained. Skill acquisition can be hacked. The more you learn about it, the more you find out about the importance of everything besides talent.
Let’s take a closer look at why ‘not being able to find the right talent’ can never be an excuse!
Talent Is Overrated!
Here’s why chasing talent can often be a waste of time!
1. Exceptional Talent Is Directly Proportional To Consistent Hard Work Over A Period
Today’s digital marketing expert is someone who was born in the 70s or 80s when the concept wasn’t remotely in existence. Saying that they were ‘born with it’ wouldn’t then probably fit in. It applies to numerous professionals today who are at the top of their field today. They may have started practising in the late 90s and early 2000, grasped the continually changing scenario, worked hard to stay on top of strategies and technology.
So, what really separates world-class performers from everybody else?
On the surface, we believe these people to have superior talent than ordinary individuals which gives them their element of greatness. The truth is that these people have used ‘deliberate practice’ consciously or unconsciously to become exceptional over time.
If you are looking at a high volume of resumes, first get the right input of data where you can sort candidates by their skills and experience. Even freshers tend to have some experience (like an internship) to show off. Pick out the candidates who would have spent the most time acquiring these skills. That’s where you get started.
2. It Is Possible To Become Exceptionally Talented – Yes, There Are Steps You Can Follow!
Research has shown that you need to give 10000 hours or 10 years of practice to something to become exceptionally good at it.
The type of practice you need to develop this ability is that you need to stay focused on the task at hand as long as possible, take a quick break and get back to it. You can set a goal and reward yourself each day for attaining it. The idea is to make practice sound like routine.
What’s impressive is that you’ll start to notice the difference right away. It will ensure that you make constant and continuous growth irrespective of where you are starting from.
It is more important to find employees who are disciplined and passionate in their approach to work, and willing to undertake the path to becoming talented!
3. You Can Become Talented In Anything You Want To Be
Talent can be acquired. It is important to ignore the fear of failure, or not being able to meet expectations. The idea is to try, fail and learn along the way. The idea is to persevere until the work becomes second nature.
Employees need to be courageous enough to venture into unknown territory, and not be bogged down by hurdles. One way to ensure that employees stay on the path to excellence is by rewarding their achievement, no matter how small!
4. Talent Doesn’t Come Easy – Blood, Sweat And Tears Are A Part Of The Package
10000 hours of practice would mean that if you practiced a new skill for 3 hours a day, you'd take about nine years to become exceptionally talented at it. If you practiced the same skill for 8 hours a day, you'd need just over three years to become an expert.
Three years does sound better than 9, but it also means that you live and breathe your skill without giving up.
We know that this isn’t as easy as it sounds. There will be times when the challenges will seem insurmountable. There will be circumstances which will make giving up look like the best thing to do. But if you persevere, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is yours to claim.
5. Being Talented Is Good, But It Won’t Help In You Becoming Exceptional, Without…
Implementation. Execution. Practice. Consistency.
If you want to grow and thrive, you need to get down to experiment with your learning and chart your own path to success. There are tons of learning out there. But real learning comes from actual on-ground execution of your skill. If you are ready to practice 8 hours a day for the next four years, there will be nothing stopping you from becoming exceptional.
Employees who are willing to do what it takes to achieve excellence are far more superior than the ones with ‘talent’!
Being talented isn’t a gift (unless, probably, if you are a savant). It’s time to get over the excuse of ‘not being able to find the right talent’ and focus on developing the required talent in your organisation!