Skill terminology related to skills management can sometimes be confusing, and there are many special terms. In this vocabulary, you can find the most common words related to skills. Explore definitions to uncover the meaning of each term and gain clarity through examples.
| Word | Description |
|---|---|
| AI-powered skills management | The use of AI at different stages of skills management. For example, AI can automatically read and categorize skills from natural language. |
| Hard skills | Hard skills are also called technical skills. Hard skills refer to specific, teachable abilities or skill sets that are easily quantifiable, such as proficiency in a foreign language, typing speed, or the ability to use software programs. These skills are often acquired through formal education, training programs, or specific job experience, and are essential for task-specific performance. |
| Practical skills | A practical skill refers to a capability or expertise acquired through hands-on experience, training, or application in real-life situations. Unlike theoretical knowledge, practical skills are directly applicable to tasks, activities, or professions, allowing individuals to effectively perform specific actions or achieve particular outcomes. |
| Reskilling | Reskilling happens when an employee acquires completely new skills, outside of current skills. For example, the target might be that the new skills may lead to a new role or career path. |
| Skill bottleneck | Skill bottleneck refers to the situation where there is not enough skilled workforce to do a specific task or fill a specific role. |
| Skill gap | A skill gap is the difference between the skills and skill levels required by the job and the skills and skill levels of the employee. |
| Skill levels | Skill level refers to the degree of competence or proficiency an individual has in performing a specific task or job. It indicates the extent of knowledge, experience, and expertise that a person possesses in a particular area, ranging from beginner to expert levels. Skill levels help in assessing training needs, assigning appropriate tasks, and facilitating career development. |
| Skill matrix | A skill matrix is a visualization of employees and skills in a grid format. It provides an overview of the skills possessed by each employee within an organization, making it easier to identify strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in skills distribution. This visualization helps in strategic workforce planning, training needs assessment, and ensuring that the right skills are available across the team or organization. |
| Skills inference | Skills inference is the process of analyzing various data sources to deduce the skills and competencies that individuals possess. |
| Skills intelligence | Skills inference is the strategic collection, analysis, and interpretation of data related to workforce skills and labor market trends. This information is used by organizations to identify skill gaps, predict future skill needs, and develop effective training and talent management strategies. It helps align workforce capabilities with business goals and market demands, ensuring competitive advantage and fostering sustainable growth. |
| Skills inventory | A skills inventory catalogs the skills, qualifications, and experiences of a company’s workforce. It aids managers and HR in aligning employees with suitable tasks, identifying training opportunities, planning for promotions, and assembling project teams. |
| Skills management | Skills management is a strategic approach that organizations use to identify, develop, and optimize the skills of their employees. Employee skills management plays an important role for example in human resources, project management and resourcing, strategic planning, and cross-functional collaboration. |
| Skills ontology | Skills ontology tells you how strong or weak the relationship is between different skills. It also has information on the properties that each skill possesses. Let’s consider the relationship between “Programming” and “Problem Solving.” The ontology may indicate a strong positive relationship, indicating that individuals proficient in programming often possess strong problem-solving skills. |
| Skills taxonomy | A method to organize skills in lists and hierarchies. |
| Skills-based hiring | Skills-based hiring is a hiring process in which individual skills are emphasized more than the formal degree or past experience. In the recruitment process, there can be tests or evaluations of specific skills. For example, software developers are often tested with a coding test with a certain language. |
| Soft skills | Soft skills are personal attributes, traits, and abilities that enable individuals to effectively interact with others and navigate various social and professional situations. These skills typically involve communication, emotional intelligence, teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving, creativity, time management, and leadership. Soft skills are essential for consultants. |
| Tacit knowledge | Tacit knowledge is knowledge that is often accumulated in the course of doing work. It can be difficult to identify or share with others, but can be done by mechanisms such as mentoring or coaching, shadowing, storytelling, knowledge cafés, cross-functional teams, or team reflection sessions. It is built up through personal experience. |
| Transferable skills | Transferable skills are versatile and can be used in different roles. For example, problem-solving or organizational skills are useful in many diverse roles such as programming or sales assistant. |
| Upskilling | Upskilling is a process in which a worker expands his or her skills. This allows the employee to do more demanding tasks in their current role. Upskilling also enables career progression. |