Talent vs. Skill: What’s the Difference?

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Talent and skill are two words that are often used interchangeably, but there is one key difference between them: the way they’re acquired.

You’re born with certain talents, whereas you can learn and master any number of skills. This might not seem like a very significant distinction, but when it comes to finding the best career path, improving your performance, or even making hiring decisions, it’s important to understand the difference.

Talent vs. Skill

The primary difference between talent and skill is that talent is something you’re born with, whereas a skill can be learned. Yet, despite dictionaries like Merriam Webster making that distinction clear, many of us still use these words interchangeably.

For example:

  • Maria is a very talented writer.
  • Maria is a very skilled writer.

Both sentences are grammatically correct, but there are important distinctions between talent and skill.

If Maria has an innate talent for writing, she’ll be good at it even if she has no prior experience—but she might never know of her talent if she never tries.

On the other hand, Maria could be a skilled writer after taking courses, practicing regularly, and studying the works of great writers, and become so good that writing appears to be her talent, but really, a set of other talents helped her master that skill (perhaps excellent communication, empathy, or a quick ability to learn).

A lot of talents can’t be learned. For example, you can’t really teach someone to be outgoing, or funny, or empathetic. A person might work on those things—for example, they can learn the skills and technicalities of telling a funny joke, but it’s not the same thing as having a talent for it.

Talent and Skill at Work

Your resume probably contains a laundry list of skills, such as the software, tools, or languages you’re proficient in, or maybe some certificates you’ve earned. At job interviews, you’re likely to be asked a series of questions regarding your skills, like whether or not you have experience using a certain program.

Many companies tend to undervalue the talent they need, while overvaluing desired skills. But some jobs require certain talents and attributes that just can’t be learned.

Southwest Airlines is one company that’s gained attention for its unique hiring approach. According to the airline, they hire not based on skills (like how many years an applicant has been a flight attendant or customer service agent), but on three key attributes: “a warrior spirit, a servant’s heart, and a fun-loving attitude.”

Can you imagine a company having to teach its employees to be more funny and personable? It’s much easier to teach them the basics of flight attendant or check-in-desk duties from scratch. Their investment (the extra time it takes to teach those job skills) pays off, because Southwest’s reputation for friendly, engaged, and helpful service draws millions of travelers back to its gates each year.

Which Is Better: Skill or Talent?

Of course, no airline would hire a pilot who couldn’t fly a plane, no matter how charismatic they were; but if two candidates were otherwise equal, they would choose the one whose values best align with the company’s.

The people who are most successful at what they do are those who possess an innate talent, along with the drive to improve and acquire new skills; one is not necessarily better than the other.

Everyone has a talent. The problem is that not all of us are given the opportunity to realize it or showcase it.

If you’re not sure what your talent is, look to the things you enjoy doing most. It could be anything from writing, to planning events, to simply connecting with others. Talent isn’t just about singing or scoring goals on the field—it includes all kinds of gifts that can change the world when you use them to their full potential.

Then, you can use your talent to make yourself even more valuable at your job (and better enjoy it) by learning new skills that complement and enhance your gifts. If you want to broaden your skillset, you can learn virtually any skill with hard work, consistency, and focus.

Expand Your Skills

If you’re ready to broaden your skillset to complement your natural talents and take your work to another level, online courses offer a great opportunity to learn from anywhere, and at your own pace.

Check out our lists of the best online courses in writing, time management, marketing, and so much more.

Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

 

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:

The post Talent vs. Skill: What’s the Difference? appeared first on TCK Publishing.

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