30 April 2014

LinkedIn offers advice on minimising talent mismatch

A global study by PwC commissioned by LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network on the Internet, has included recommendations for professionals, employers, educators and government on poor talent adaptability – the inability for people to retrain for new skills or switch industries.

The study, Adapt to Survive, analyses interactions from LinkedIn’s network of 277 million professionals and information on 2,600 employers from PwC’s Saratoga database, a resource for people and performance metrics, to establish how 11 markets align talent with opportunity.

According to LinkedIn, professionals, employers, educators and governments can position themselves to minimise the possibility of talent mismatches. 
 
Professionals

The rise of social media and an increasingly connected global workforce means it’s never been easier for people to identify new opportunities, plan to develop the skills, and create a network that will allow them to transition into new roles. This could be as simple as staying up-to-speed with companies that might be hiring in your area, or identifying emerging sectors around the world that could present an opportunity for a dramatic career change.

Employers

Talent is the number one factor in competitive success for business, and businesses need to move faster to adapt to new market forces. An existing mismatch of talent in the wrong roles creates a window of opportunity for employers able to identify and attract the right talent to their organisation. 


Social media has made it possible to identify all the relevant candidates – both active and passive – many of whom may not be doing the jobs they want. Employers should use talent analytics to identify the hard and soft skills that are central to the business strategy today and in the future, allowing them to hire strategically.

Educators

Education never stops, and educators should be looking at what skills are in growing demand and which jobs are emerging in the global workforce. They should then adapt curricula so students are equipped with relevant skills when they leave formal education.

Governments

Governments should play an active role in shaping a national mindset that values, nurtures and rewards adaptability. They need to use the levers at their disposal such as employment and immigration laws, as well as proactively shaping education and training systems.