What determines whether a project ultimately succeeds or fails? The people who deliver it. Too often, firms treat recruitment as a standalone HR function rather than a lever for client success. Recruitment is not just about filling a role. It is about assembling the right blend of skills, experience and attributes for today’s work and tomorrow’s challenges.

Determining Skills Requirements

The foundation of high-performing teams is a clear understanding of the skills required to deliver and exceed client expectations. The following techniques help identify skills in the current team and those needed in future opportunities:

Skills Matrices: A skills matrix maps employees’ proficiency across technical, sector-specific, and behavioural areas. It shows what skills exist within the team and highlights where expertise could be developed. Applying standardised criteria ensures results remain relevant and consistent. Skills matrices identify in-house experts, support individual career development and offer a clear view of strengths.
Project Retrospectives and Lessons Learnt: Closing out a project with a lessons learnt review reveals what worked well and what did not. A valuable outcome is capturing knowledge or skill gaps that hindered delivery. Treating each project as a learning opportunity enables firms to continually refine capabilities to meet client demands more effectively.
Future-Oriented Gap Analysis: Companies must also anticipate tomorrow’s challenges. Conducting a forward-looking analysis of emerging markets, technologies, and industry trends ensures capabilities remain competitive and aligned with client expectations. To be effective, this analysis must connect directly to the firm’s strategy and long-term objectives.

Recruiting to Close Skills Gaps and Drive Success

Once a firm identifies its skills gaps, it now must act to close them. Training can address many gaps, but as companies grow and project volumes rise, recruitment becomes essential. Hiring should directly reflect the competency needs identified, ensuring new recruits bring the skills and attributes that strengthen delivery and client satisfaction. To consistently achieve better outcomes of recruitment, firms should focus on two areas:

Skills Assessment: Interviews remain central to hiring, but leading firms go further by conducting structured, competency-based assessments. These test whether candidates can apply their technical skills in real-world scenarios. This approach ensures hires do not just perform well in interviews, but also proves that they can analyse data, manage clients, and solve problems in practice. Stronger hires translate directly into improved project delivery and client satisfaction.
Balancing Technical Skills, Industry Knowledge, and Intangibles: Delivery demands more than technical expertise. Intangibles such as emotional intelligence, adaptability, and communication skills often make the difference between success and failure. In fact, 75% of HR professionals say they value emotional intelligence over IQ in consulting roles because consultants must build trust, collaborate, and lead change with clients [1]. Screening for teamwork, leadership potential, and adaptability ensures firms hire candidates who not only bring hard skills and industry knowledge, but also the less tangible qualities that drive strong client relationships and long-term success.

Recruitment is not only about filling roles; it is about building the capabilities to deliver exceptional outcomes. By identifying skills gaps and hiring for both technical expertise and soft skills, clients can be confident that every project team is equipped to meet its demands. The result is consistent, high-quality delivery that drives long-term client success.

References

[1] https://voltagecontrol.com/articles/top-skills-in-demand-for-consultants-in-2025

Words by Max Howitt

Edited by Evie-May Kilby-Tyre