Betting on talent as an alternative to seniority
A global problem that affects especially organizations of the ICT (information and communication technologies) sector is the emphasis that the industry holds in the search for senior professionals.
For some reason, everyone wants to bet on a person who has 10 years of experience, although there are not enough senior professionals in the world. This trend generates a migratory movement of professionals, mostly for personal reasons related to money, welfare, values, etc.
This problem is also masked behind the famous "brain drain" and is a problem mostly on third world countries. This occurs when people leave from less developed countries where they were educated, to others who promise them the "American Dream".
This is how, for example, many IT workers from different countries migrate to North America or Europe, in search for better opportunities. And obviously, these countries can cover their need for trained professionals while other regions in the world become providers.
This same problem includes the movement to attract more women to STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Very few seem to ask how we can add women (or any minority, for that matter) to STEM careers, if there are no new entry level positions -also called sometimes junior or trainee-. Nobody seems to worry about enlarging the base of the pyramid to
add new professional profiles to the labor market.
In general, the perception that hiring "apprentices" is a risk is entrenched. A common notion is that, after being trained, people will move towards new challenges, and that only shows how little confidence on its own retention of talent possibilities organizations have.
Underlying this idea is an underestimation of the employee, thinking that everything is reduced to money, and other factors such as work environment or challenges are ignored as intrinsic motivation to continue in a job. But, once more, this is a reflection of the lack of confidence in our own abilities to provide an interesting work environment.
Every day, at ComIT we try to convince companies that the search for employees should be aimed at people with "high potential" rather than at seniority. Sitting in front of a computer for 10 years doesn't make you an expert or someone who solves problems. As well as not having any work experience doesn't mean that a person should be accompanied closely to generate results.
Over the years I've been spectator of hundreds of people who have grown at a fast pace when they were given the opportunity.
At the end of the day, what none of the hiring organizations should forget is that every one of us was given the opportunity to start in the labor market. Doesn't matter how much we have achieved, always at some point someone gave us an opportunity. And it is our social responsibility to continue feeding the labor market, which will otherwise implode due to the lack of qualified professionals.
For some reason, everyone wants to bet on a person who has 10 years of experience, although there are not enough senior professionals in the world. This trend generates a migratory movement of professionals, mostly for personal reasons related to money, welfare, values, etc.
This problem is also masked behind the famous "brain drain" and is a problem mostly on third world countries. This occurs when people leave from less developed countries where they were educated, to others who promise them the "American Dream".
This is how, for example, many IT workers from different countries migrate to North America or Europe, in search for better opportunities. And obviously, these countries can cover their need for trained professionals while other regions in the world become providers.
This same problem includes the movement to attract more women to STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Very few seem to ask how we can add women (or any minority, for that matter) to STEM careers, if there are no new entry level positions -also called sometimes junior or trainee-. Nobody seems to worry about enlarging the base of the pyramid to
add new professional profiles to the labor market.
In general, the perception that hiring "apprentices" is a risk is entrenched. A common notion is that, after being trained, people will move towards new challenges, and that only shows how little confidence on its own retention of talent possibilities organizations have.
Underlying this idea is an underestimation of the employee, thinking that everything is reduced to money, and other factors such as work environment or challenges are ignored as intrinsic motivation to continue in a job. But, once more, this is a reflection of the lack of confidence in our own abilities to provide an interesting work environment.
Every day, at ComIT we try to convince companies that the search for employees should be aimed at people with "high potential" rather than at seniority. Sitting in front of a computer for 10 years doesn't make you an expert or someone who solves problems. As well as not having any work experience doesn't mean that a person should be accompanied closely to generate results.
Over the years I've been spectator of hundreds of people who have grown at a fast pace when they were given the opportunity.
At the end of the day, what none of the hiring organizations should forget is that every one of us was given the opportunity to start in the labor market. Doesn't matter how much we have achieved, always at some point someone gave us an opportunity. And it is our social responsibility to continue feeding the labor market, which will otherwise implode due to the lack of qualified professionals.
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