match

name	match
description	Assess internal candidates for roles and succession planning. Activate for: talent match, internal mobility, internal candidate, succession planning, succession, who should be promoted, internal promotion, internal hire, talent pipeline, high potential, HIPO, development plan for promotion, readiness assessment, role fit, candidate assessment internal, compare candidates, talent review, career pathway, promotion readiness, who is ready for next level. NOT for: external recruiting pipeline (use recruiting-pipeline), compensation benchmarking (use comp-analysis), org restructuring (use org-planning).
license	Apache-2.0
metadata	{"author":"Panaversity","version":"1.0","plugin-commands":"/match"}

UNIVERSAL RULES (apply to every talent matching task)

• NEVER base a readiness assessment on tenure alone -- years in role does not equal readiness for next role
• NEVER omit the motivation / career intent dimension -- developing someone toward a role they do not want is wasteful and can backfire if the development leads to them leaving
• NEVER classify a gap as "NOT A FIT" without evidence -- distinguish between "not ready" and "not suited"
• NEVER produce a talent assessment without the CONFIDENTIAL label
• NEVER share a talent assessment with the employee being assessed without explicit HR and manager review and decision
• NEVER make a specific promotion commitment in a talent assessment output -- these assessments inform decisions; they are not decisions
• ALWAYS include specific recommended actions for each candidate

BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION

Source	Check
Conversation	Role requirements (critical, important, nice-to-have), candidate names and current roles, assessment context (vacancy, succession, or development mapping)
hr.local.md	Performance review cycle dates, promotion cycle timing, internal mobility policy, competency framework in use
Prior outputs	/jd output for the target role requirements (if a JD has been written for this role)

CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS

Required (ask if not provided):

• What role or level are candidates being assessed for?
• Who are the candidates? (at least 2 names with current roles and tenure)
• Is this a current vacancy, succession planning, or development mapping?

Optional (ask if context suggests value):

• Is there a timeline urgency (e.g., current holder departing)?
• Are there specific competencies to weight more heavily than others?
• Has the organisation defined readiness criteria for this level?

If information is missing: Assess all six dimensions with equal weighting. Use standard readiness classifications. Note any dimensions where evidence is insufficient for a confident rating.

MANDATORY OUTPUT HEADER

Every output must begin with:

TASK:          Internal Talent Assessment -- [Role Title]
DOCUMENT TYPE: Talent Assessment
JURISDICTION:  [From hr.local.md or user input]
CONFIGURATION: [hr.local.md loaded / best practices]
SENSITIVITY:   CONFIDENTIAL -- HR AND HIRING MANAGER USE ONLY

TALENT MATCHING WORKFLOW

The Internal Mobility Imperative

External hiring costs 3-6x more than internal promotion. External hires take 6-12 months to reach full productivity. Internal candidates who are overlooked for growth either stagnate or leave -- taking institutional knowledge with them.

Before any external job posting: assess internal candidates first. Before any development conversation: map the internal mobility pathway. The /match command supports both.

Phase 1: Gather Requirements

Collect from user:

• Target role requirements (critical, important, nice-to-have)
• Candidates to assess (name, current role, years in role, known strengths/gaps)
• Context: is this a current vacancy, succession planning, or development mapping?

Phase 2: Six-Dimension Assessment

For each candidate, assess against role requirements across:

DIMENSION 1: CRITICAL SKILLS (must-haves for the role) Rating: DEMONSTRATED | DEVELOPING | ABSENT Evidence required for DEMONSTRATED rating -- not just assertion

DIMENSION 2: EXPERIENCE (relevant background) Rating: RELEVANT | PARTIAL | LIMITED Note: experience gap can often be bridged with a structured plan

DIMENSION 3: PERFORMANCE TRAJECTORY Rating: ASCENDING | CONSISTENT | VARIABLE Note: trajectory matters as much as current level

DIMENSION 4: READINESS INDICATORS (signals of next-level capability) Look for: instances of operating above current role level; self-initiated work; peer/stakeholder recognition; problem-solving in ambiguous situations

DIMENSION 5: DEVELOPMENT AREAS (gaps relative to target role) Classify gap type:

• EXPERIENCE GAP: has the aptitude; needs the opportunity
• SKILL GAP: needs to build a specific capability
• MINDSET GAP: operates with assumptions that need to shift (Each gap type has different development interventions)

DIMENSION 6: MOTIVATION AND CAREER INTENT Has this person expressed interest in this direction? What is their stated career ambition? Retention risk if they are not developed: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

Phase 3: Readiness Classification

READY NOW: Can take the role immediately; development continues in role READY IN 6 MONTHS: Specific gaps bridgeable with structured plan READY IN 12 MONTHS:Meaningful development required; strong potential DEVELOPING: Strong pipeline; not ready; invest for 18-24 months NOT A FIT: Skills or motivation not aligned with this direction

Phase 4: Recommendations

For each candidate:

• Specific action recommendation (have conversation, create plan, post externally)
• If READY IN N MONTHS: detailed development plan with timeline
• Retention risk assessment
• Succession conversation guidance if appropriate

OUTPUT FORMAT

TASK:          Internal Talent Assessment -- [Role Title]
DOCUMENT TYPE: Talent Assessment
JURISDICTION:  [Jurisdiction]
CONFIGURATION: [hr.local.md status]
SENSITIVITY:   CONFIDENTIAL -- HR AND HIRING MANAGER USE ONLY

INTERNAL TALENT ASSESSMENT: [Role Title]
================================================================
[CONFIDENTIAL -- HR AND HIRING MANAGER USE ONLY]

ROLE REQUIREMENTS:
  Critical: [must-haves]
  Important: [significant but bridgeable]
  Nice-to-have: [list]

--- CANDIDATE: [Name] ------------------------------------------
  Current role: [Role, years]
  Fit assessment: [STRONG / DEVELOPING / NOT A FIT]
  Readiness: [classification]

  Critical requirements:
    [DEMONSTRATED/DEVELOPING/ABSENT] [Requirement]: [Evidence or gap]

  Important requirements:
    [DEMONSTRATED/DEVELOPING/ABSENT] [Requirement]: [Evidence or gap]

  Development gap: [Specific -- with gap type: experience/skill/mindset]
  Career intent: [What they expressed; motivation level]
  Retention risk: [HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW if not developed]

  RECOMMENDATION: [Specific action]

  Suggested development plan (if READY IN N MONTHS):
  [Specific actions with timeline]
-----------------------------------------------------------------
[Repeat for each candidate]

OVERALL RECOMMENDATION:
  [Priority order with rationale; action to take first]
================================================================

Succession Conversation Guide

For HR/managers having career development conversations with high-potential employees without making specific promises:

OPENING: Acknowledge their contribution and trajectory MIDDLE: "We see you as someone with significant potential here and we want to invest in your development" Describe the pathway (not a promise) Invite their input: "What does your career ambition look like?" CLOSE: Agree one concrete next step Set a follow-up date

NEVER SAY: "You will definitely be promoted in [date]" ALWAYS SAY: "If [conditions] continue, [pathway] becomes realistic"

NEVER DO THESE

• NEVER base a readiness assessment on tenure alone -- years in role does not equal readiness for next role
• NEVER omit the motivation / career intent dimension -- developing someone toward a role they do not want is wasteful
• NEVER classify a gap as "NOT A FIT" without evidence -- distinguish between "not ready" and "not suited"
• NEVER produce a talent assessment without the CONFIDENTIAL label
• NEVER share a talent assessment with the employee being assessed without explicit HR and manager review and decision
• NEVER make a specific promotion commitment in a talent assessment output -- these assessments inform decisions; they are not decisions

AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES

• CIPD (cipd.org) — Talent management and succession planning resources
• DDI (ddiworld.com) — Succession planning methodology, leadership readiness assessment
• Korn Ferry (kornferry.com) — Competency-based assessment framework, leadership potential model
• SHL (shl.com) — Occupational personality and ability assessment frameworks

ALL OUTPUTS REQUIRE REVIEW BY A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL BEFORE USE IN BUSINESS DECISIONS.