Identifying "top talent" for Extension

Earlier this month, Beth Kuhel wrote about how Google is setting the standard for attracting, hiring, and retaining top talent. I believe it's critical for Extension professionals to examine and understand Google's hiring practices and standards because we need 21st Century Extension professionals to carry on Extension's great legacy over the next 100 years. Extension needs top talent that embraces change and enjoys the challenge of working in a dynamic environment where everything isn’t predictable. Extension needs more innovators, edglings, and those flexible enough in their approach to solve problems and work with an entrepreneurial spirit. 

Sound scary? Face it, the workplace culture that the baby boomers created will not be the workplace of the future.

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Letter grades, test scores, cookie-cutter resumes, and boring cover letters do not predict how successful a candidate will be as an employee. A better predictor of success is seeing how a person can analyze and solve difficult problems. That's why internships so valuable.

Kuhel has summarized Google's 5 traits for identifying "top talent" that I'd like to share with you:

1. Adaptable 
“Top talent” must be able to adjust to new rules, new demands, new people and new environments. They have to be able to cope well with the unexpected and have a positive attitude. They have to be willing to try and learn new ways to achieve targets and they keep an open mind.

Extension needs top talent who:

• Are rapid learners
• Are resilient
• Can quickly change priorities to respond to changing goals
• Try to improve process by rapidly acquiring and integrating new information
• Foster an environment of process improvement rather than blame
• Remain calm and composed under stress
• Manage completing assignments with competing deadlines

2. Collaborative
“Top talent” must recognize when s/he is the best person for the task and when it’s critical to find a volunteer, join others and/or work as a part of a team.

Extension needs top talent who:

• Can follow through on commitments
• Have strong communication skills
• Don’t take negative feedback personally
• Don’t take credit for good results
• Get along well with others
• Are not fearful of incorporating team members with superior expertise for a superior outcome

3. Adept problem solver
“Top talent” must not hesitate when it comes to fixing a problem.

Extension needs top talent who:

• Are first to offer help
• Come through fast and over deliver
• Offer creative, innovative solutions
• Inspire others to take action
• Are consistent
• Provide a new approach to solving problems

4. Humility
“Top talent” must know their talents without feeling the need to broadcast them to fellow colleagues or admin. Their personality should exude confidence but not in a way that intimidates others. 

Extension needs top talent who:

• Embrace others’ better ideas
• Learn from failure
• Step back to see if someone has a better point

5. Leadership
When faced with a problem as a team member, “top talent” must intuitively know the appropriate time to step in or step back; s/he should focus on the project or program's success. Future prospects need to be inclusive, humble, self-directed and mission focused - all while inspiring others to action. "Top talent" must show genuine concern for the well being of their clients and colleages and never say: "That's not my job."

Finally, the ultimate goal for all "top talent" should be to learn everything necessary to excel at their Extension appointment and to exceed their client's needs and expectations.