There is usually a lot of discussion in the business world about hiring and retaining great talent, focusing on pedigree or potential. That’s where this question comes up: what is more important to a company when hiring for executive jobs in the Salesforce ecosystem – the professional pedigree of an individual or the potential?
When we look at major Salesforce-based companies, some candidates have both the pedigree and an undying motivation to make things happen and reach out to the goals. But unfortunately, these types of candidates are quite rare. It is the reason most companies find their way back to the argument of Pedigree vs. Potential.
Applicants for a Salesforce role should demonstrate their unique skills and capabilities to overcome adversity and move to success while maintaining excellence. But the question remains: How critical is it to look for a professional pedigree in a working environment?
Every student dreams of getting into one of the Ivy League universities. Students are willing to take on crippling financial obligations to get the required pedigree that could help them get a place in a good company.
But what exactly are the advantages of this pedigree? A prestigious degree and personal connections to powerful networks, and you gain direct entry into companies. But what if the candidate won’t have the needed skills and motivation for the job? Now, we cannot call this a good hiring for any Salesforce firm.
The candidate might be given a good position in the company without any effort on his part. This might be the easiest way for the Salesforce companies to hire a candidate. But the question to ask is – how good is this for encouraging creativity and innovation in the work culture?
The Preference Goes to Potential
Many research favors assessing candidates based on their potential, not their pedigree. Potential is the ability to adapt and grow in increasingly complex roles and business environments. The question is not whether the people belong to an impressive educational or professional background, but whether they have the potential to learn new skills, deliver exceptional Salesforce services, and dwell in the work culture.
A Gallup survey presents the importance of potential in today’s corporate environment. According to the top US business leaders, the level of importance is ranked into four distinct factors for hiring. These factors were: the amount of knowledge, applied skills, college major, and the university from which the candidate received their college degree. Only 9% thought it was important to consider the university in which a candidate has studied. 84% percent of business leaders said it is important to focus on the knowledge a person has in his particular field, followed by 79% who said it is important for the candidate to have the applied skills.
What can be done to maintain a Balance of Professional Pedigree and Potential?
Even though people might have equal talent, but opportunity is not equally distributed. The imbalance in professional pedigree and potential should be resolved to create a new version grounded on competency.
The need here is to bring intelligence to technology. Technology has flattened access to job opportunities and also broadened candidate pools. But it won’t be any worth without intelligence. Without intelligent intermediation, it would just be more noise, more work, more decision fatigue, and more despair for companies.
Combining the automated screening process with intelligent online assessments can help you make a credible decision on who can be an ideal fit for the business and help achieve success with Salesforce projects. This filtering layer would act as a combination of technology and human touch to make sure that the real talent doesn’t slip through cracks.
Refocus from Professional Pedigree to what Matters
Although many people with good professional pedigree leave a nice impression, there are people too for whom prior experience often paints a misleading and incomplete picture. It’s time to think beyond pedigree and refocus on potential so everyone can get a shot at getting a fulfilling professional experience. What matters here is to build a team based on merit and performance instead of pedigree and connections.
We at 360 Degree Cloud have a team of Salesforce professionals with great potential and skills to deliver the best results. Contact us to know how our experts can serve your business.