Candidates who can bring the depth of their expertise combined with an entrepreneurial sense of risk by looking outside the box in solving problems will make it to the top of the list for sought after talent.
Describing T-Shaped skills is not a new concept in the marketplace the idea was first mentioned by David Guest in the early ’90s when talking about the future of computer jobs. It was Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO design firm, however, who successfully brought the T-shaped hypothesis to the hiring process.
A T-shaped skill description is a metaphor for visualizing a person’s skills using the vertical stem as the depth of their expertise and the horizontal cross bar as their ability to effectively collaborate with others across the board. According to Brown, collaboration skills are key in bringing interdisciplinary teams together to create new ideas.
For example, when Brown interviews candidates, he listens to how they describe their collaboration skills in working with others, “If all the candidate talks about is what they have done, that’s a problem. The right person for us will talk about how other people have helped them do what they have done.”
The T-shaped concept works so well that IBM has adapted its job descriptions to reflect broader base skills such as empathy and problem solving outside their discipline. However, in today’s global market you need to have a hybrid of skills, those adaptable to your employer’s needs as well as interacting with various groups, sharing ideas and communicating across multiple fields.
The reason why T-shaped skills are so crucial to your career path is because the link between constant changes in the business market and diverse work teams. The new hiring strategies are based on skills that represent the depth and breadth of the value you bring to the organization. Decision-makers are looking for well-rounded candidates who possess both technical and soft skills.
Employers are facing hiring challenges every day because the marketplace is demanding cross functional skill sets with a broad scope of abilities. Universities know this as well. The Stanford Technology Ventures Program teaches entrepreneurial skills to its science and engineering students.
How you can add T-shape skills to your career?
Make learning a priority by continually adding experiences and acquiring new skills. Think in terms of broadening your knowledge versus continual learning in one specific field. A good way to cultivate creative thinking is viewing TED talks and develop an understanding of different viewpoints.
Practice using both technical and soft skills at work. If you struggle with distinguishing soft skills, start by describing your best boss and worst boss. Most likely the characteristics you liked about your best boss will be soft skills that influenced your career. Use this list as a way to help you recognize and develop soft skills.
Basing your career development in the form of a T-shape will open more doors of opportunity and help you adapt as work begins to evolve across a diverse range of skills.
What are your thoughts about the T-shaped concept in hiring?
