Introduction

Promoting a team member or crafting a career path without solid data is like navigating without a compass. Often, these decisions are based solely on past performance or a leader's intuition, without assessing if the individual truly has the potential to take on new responsibilities. This approach can lead to frustration, poor performance, and unnecessary turnover.

At Skillhunters, we believe that every development decision should be informed by data. Psychotechnical and potential assessments are powerful tools for identifying latent skills, mapping internal talent, and making informed decisions. In this article, we’ll discuss how they work, when to apply them, and the tangible benefits they can bring to your organization.

What is a potential assessment?

A potential assessment is a structured process aimed at identifying an individual's capacity to tackle bigger challenges, lead teams, or advance professionally in new directions. Unlike a traditional psychometric evaluation, which measures cognitive skills or personality traits, the focus here is on projecting future capabilities.

These assessments explore aspects such as:

• Leadership style

• Adaptability to change

• Learning capability

• Emotional intelligence

• Strategic thinking

They are used both for promotion decisions and to design individual or collective development plans.

Why assess potential before a promotion?

Because performance doesn’t always equate to potential. A team member may excel in their current role but might not be ready to lead a team or take on a more strategic position. Evaluations enable:

• Minimizing decisions based on intuition or favoritism

• Identifying strengths and areas for improvement with objective data

• Designing more effective and personalized career plans

• Reducing the risk of a failed promotion

Additionally, they bring transparency to the process and strengthen the perception of fairness within the team.

Typical cases where potential evaluations are beneficial

1. Internal promotions to leadership positions: before offering a managerial role, it's crucial to know if the person has the necessary competencies for that level.

2. Succession planning: when anticipating the departure of a key leader and preparing someone in the team to step into that role.

3. Young talent development programs: identifying profiles with high potential to invest in their growth from early stages.

4. Organizational redesigns: in transformation processes, mergers, or restructures, knowing your internal talent is key.

How does the process work at Skillhunters?

Our psychotechnical and potential assessments service combines diverse tools to obtain a comprehensive view of the evaluated profile:

• Psychometric and projective tests: tailored to the level of the position.

• Competency-based structured interviews: allowing the exploration of observable behaviors in workplace contexts.

• 100% online executive report: delivered within 48 hours, containing clear conclusions and practical recommendations.

• Professional support: we help interpret the results and integrate them into decision-making processes.

This process is designed to be agile, confidential, and beneficial for both the company and the evaluated employee.

Tangible benefits for your company

Implementing potential assessments not only improves decision quality but also has a direct impact on the culture and business results:

• Higher retention: employees value investment in their development with a professional approach.

• Reduction of post-promotion turnover: by aligning expectations and actual capabilities, mismatches are avoided.

• Improved work environment: objective processes foster greater trust and perception of fairness.

• Enhanced employer branding: positioning your company as a place that cares for and enhances talent.

What happens if you don’t evaluate?

When promotions or career plans are defined "by eye," risks multiply:

• Promoting someone who isn't ready can affect both the team and the individual.

• Overlooking high-potential talent due to a lack of internal visibility.

• Investing resources in training that doesn’t address actual needs.

The lack of information ultimately generates hidden costs in time, money, and reputation.

Conclusion

If you’re considering promoting someone or want to design a development plan, don’t do it blindly. Use tools that allow you to see beyond the present and make strategic decisions based on evidence.

At Skillhunters, we help you identify the real potential of your employees and provide clear insights to boost your team.

Want to learn more about our potential assessments? Contact us and let’s design a process tailored to your decisions.