The Use of Shapes in Recruitment:
A Guide to T-Shape and Other Models
Introduction
The use of shapes in recruitment and skills development is a framework that visually represents the breadth and depth of an individual’s expertise. These models help hiring managers and teams understand a candidate’s capabilities and how they fit into a team structure. The most well-known of these models is the T-shaped professional, but other shapes have also emerged to describe different skill profiles.
Historical Background
The concept of the T-shaped professional was first popularised in the 1980s by McKinsey & Company to describe individuals with deep expertise in one area (the vertical bar of the “T”), while also possessing broad, interdisciplinary knowledge (the horizontal bar). Over time, as industries evolved and team-based, cross-functional collaboration became more important, additional shapes were introduced to describe various professional skill sets.
Different Skill Shapes in Recruitment
Each shape represents different levels of specialisation and versatility in the workforce. Some of the most commons shapes used in recruitment is the I, T, M and V shapes:
I - Shape:
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Deep expertise in a single field but limited breadth in other areas.
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Example: A specialist like a data scientist who excels in analytics but has minimal business or communication skills.
T - Shape:
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Deep expertise in one area (the vertical bar) and broad knowledge across other disciplines (the horizontal bar).
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Example: A software engineer skilled in coding but also knowledgeable in design and project management.
M - Shape:
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Expertise in multiple fields with broad knowledge across different disciplines.
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Example: A marketing professional skilled in SEO, content strategy, and data analytics, with general business and leadership skills.
V - Shape:
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Deep expertise in two distinct but complementary areas.
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Example: A UX designer who is also a front-end developer, allowing them to bridge design and technical implementation.
Conclusion
Understanding these skill shape models can help organisations make better hiring decisions and build well-balanced teams. While T-shaped professionals remain widely sought after, other shapes like Pi-shaped, M-shaped, and X-shaped professionals bring unique value to organisations depending on their needs. By recognising and utilising these frameworks, businesses can create dynamic, adaptable, and high-performing teams.