For hiring managers, the hunt for the perfect candidate often feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. Resumes only tell part of the story, and it’s easy to miss out on incredible potential when someone’s skills don’t neatly fit standard job descriptions. But here’s the exciting part—hidden talent exists everywhere. These are the individuals whose skills and abilities aren’t immediately obvious on paper but could be game-changers for your team if you know how to find them.

If you’re ready to look beyond the surface, here are some top strategies to help hiring managers uncover hidden talent and build high-performing teams.

Look Beyond Traditional Resumes

The first thing to ditch? The mindset that a candidate's worth is entirely tied to their resume. While resumes give you a quick summary of someone's career highlights, they don’t always paint the full picture.

Instead of filtering applicants strictly by years of experience or specific degrees, ask yourself what skills this role truly requires. For example, does the candidate need a formal data science degree, or could a passion for analytics and hands-on project experience be enough? Considering non-traditional backgrounds can reveal candidates with resourcefulness, adaptability, and a fresh perspective.

Pro Tip: Look for value-added details like participation in online courses, volunteer work, or personal projects that align with your company’s needs.

Use Behavioral Interview Questions

Interviews are your chance to dig deeper, and behavioral questions give you a glimpse into how someone thinks, problem-solves, and learns. These questions focus on real-life scenarios rather than abstract concepts, helping you assess a candidate's soft skills, like communication, adaptability, and creativity.

Here are some example questions to get the ball rolling:

  • “Tell me about a time you learned a new skill. How did you approach it?”
  • “Describe a situation where you faced an unexpected challenge. What did you do?”
  • “How do you handle failures, and what have you learned from them?”

You’re no longer just testing knowledge or specific skill sets; you’re uncovering how someone thinks under pressure and adapts to change. These qualities are often the key ingredients inside hidden talent.

Focus on Transferable Skills

Not every candidate will have direct experience in the exact role you’re hiring for, but many will have transferable skills that allow them to thrive in your workplace. Transferable skills include things like teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, or tech literacy. These are the building blocks of success in almost any position.

For example, imagine you’re hiring for a project management role, and someone with years of experience running events applies. They may not have managed corporate projects, but their skills in organization, coordination, and handling high-pressure situations suggest they could quickly adapt.

Pro Tip: When talking to candidates, ask them how their previous roles prepared them for challenges similar to those in the new role. You'll often uncover surprising and relevant connections.

Explore Diverse Talent Pools

Sometimes, finding hidden talent means expanding where you’re looking. Think about it this way: if you’re fishing in the same pond as everyone else, you'll probably catch similar results. But when you branch out to new talent pools, you're likely to spot unique perspectives and skills.

Consider the following:

  • Explore universities and schools beyond your usual picks to connect with emerging talent.
  • Partner with organizations that focus on underrepresented groups in your industry, such as women in tech or veterans transitioning into civilian careers.
  • Tap into local meetups, hackathons, or online communities where self-taught professionals gather.

Not only will this broaden your pool of candidates, but it also highlights your company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, creating a welcoming workplace for all.

Pay Attention to Lifelong Learners

One standout sign of hidden talent is a passion for lifelong learning. This is the person binge-watching TED Talks on the weekend or upskilling through LinkedIn Learning courses. They may not have the exact certificates or background you’re looking for, but they have an unmatched eagerness to grow. And that willingness to evolve could make them your company’s next star.

What to Look For:

  • Mention of self-taught skills, side projects, or online courses on a resume or LinkedIn profile.
  • A habit of asking curious and insightful questions in interviews.
  • Someone who’s switched industries or roles over time but seems to consistently master new ones.

When you invest in people who are committed to learning, you’re building a team that’s ready to face whatever challenges the future brings.

Leverage Technology to Uncover Hidden Talent

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized how we approach recruitment. Smart algorithms can help hiring managers identify candidates whose resumes might not stand out to human eyes but who are ideal for the role. By analyzing patterns in job performance and candidate data, AI tools can predict who’s likely to thrive in a given position.

For example:

  • Candidate Matching Software: Tools like LinkedIn Recruiter or JobDiva can highlight individuals with transferrable capabilities you might have overlooked otherwise.
  • Skills Assessments: Platforms like HackerRank (for coding roles) or TestGorilla (for general skills) enable you to evaluate a candidate's abilities hands-on.
  • People Analytics Tools: These can help identify candidates with essential soft skills based on behavioral patterns in assessments or recommendations.

While AI doesn’t replace intuition, it’s a powerful tool to help you uncover hidden gems in a crowded applicant pool.

Build Relationships Before Hiring

Sometimes, identifying hidden talent doesn’t happen during the hiring process at all. Building and nurturing relationships with potential candidates long before you need to fill a role can put you ahead of the curve.

How can you do this?

  • Networking Events: Attend events or conferences within your industry and engage with attendees who stand out.
  • Internships and Apprenticeships: Offer opportunities for students or career-changers to get hands-on experience at your organization.
  • Social Media Engagement: Follow professionals sharing interesting insights or projects on sites like LinkedIn or Twitter.

The benefit here is that you get to see someone’s potential, growth, and commitment over time. When a position opens up, you already know who would be the perfect fit.

Consider Potential, Not Just Experience

Some of the most successful companies measure candidates not just by their experience but by their potential. Sure, what someone has already done is important, but what they could do might be even more valuable. This approach benefits hiring managers in two ways:

  1. It encourages you to see candidates as growing professionals rather than fixed entities.
  2. It makes it easier to hire candidates who align with your company culture and can grow with your organization.

When interviewing, pay attention to people who display drive and a hunger to succeed. These traits often outweigh rigid qualifications.

Encourage Employees to Refer Lesser-Known Talent

Your current employees can be the best scouts for underrated talent. They may have connections with powerful up-and-comers who are flying under the radar but possess immense potential.

To leverage this, create a referral program where employees feel incentivized to recommend candidates. But don’t just rely on technical skills in this process. Ask employees to highlight people they’ve worked with who have a great attitude, unique thinking, or a knack for solving problems.

Every good recruiter knows their gut feeling can be a valuable tool. Sometimes, you meet a candidate who doesn’t have every qualification but brings enthusiasm, creativity, or grit that’s hard to teach. These intangibles might not stand out on a resume or test, but they often translate into enormous success in the workplace.