One of the trends which has been gaining ground in the business world is the ridiculous amount of self-promotion via fancy titles. It is as if many people believe that by adding terms such as “Manager”, “Leader”, “Specialist” and “Consultant”, they are actually becoming better at their jobs and thus can provide more value. Anyone in his right mind knows that this is not the case.
There are a number of other significant traits and qualities which determine a person’s value within an organisation. In this article we discuss a few of these.
Role
There is a key difference between the role and title. The role one plays in an organization is much more important than the actual title. A person’s value and capacity is measured mainly by the role he has and the tasks or projects he undertakes, not what he is called. This is all the more true if one’s role is directly associated with the company’s income.
Experience
When engaging someone for a particular job or project, have a look at the experience that the candidate can bring to the table. This is definitely more important than a person’s current title. If one does not have certain years of experience, which may be required for the role, do not be impressed by fancy titles. This is most likely done to cover up for the lack of years of experience. So don’t go ahead being impressed by a self-proclaimed twenty-year-old consultant!
Together with experience, it is important to take note of one’s track record. The successes gathered from certain projects are pivotal as this is the true indicator of good performance.
Qualifications
Another important aspect which surpasses job titles, is the level of qualifications one holds. If someone is a certified specialist, it would be more of a safe bet to engage him. If someone simply has a nice title and no qualifications to back his claims, you need to be careful. With that said, qualifications will not necessarily guarantee the quality, so one’s profile needs to be looked at holistically.
Engaging the right people is of paramount importance for the success of a business. In a world where many base their strategies on excessive self-promotion, you need to be careful that you are recruiting quality.
Are there any other recommendations of how to identify top talent? Let us know in the comments section.
