How to run a skills gap analysis
A skills gap analysis is only useful if it ends in a plan. Here is how to map what you need, measure what you have, and close the difference deliberately.
Why gaps go unmanaged
Most teams sense their skill gaps but never quantify them, so hiring and training happen on instinct. A skills gap analysis replaces the hunch with a map: the skills a role or team needs, the level people are at now, and the specific distance between the two.
The method
Four steps to a real plan
- 1
Define required skills
List the skills a role or team needs, ideally from your competency model.
- 2
Rate current levels
Assess where each person actually is against those skills.
- 3
Quantify the gap
Subtract current from required to get a concrete gap per skill.
- 4
Act
Close gaps with targeted learning, internal moves, or hiring - whichever fits.
How Fintra supports skills gaps
| Capability | What it does |
|---|---|
| Skill extraction | Pulls skills from role profiles to define what a role requires. |
| Skill-gap analysis | Compares required skills to current skills to surface gaps. |
| Learning paths | Recommends courses from a catalog to close identified gaps. |
| Nearest roles | Finds internal roles a person is close to, for mobility. |
| Grow gaps | Competency gaps to the next level, sorted by size. |
Skills-gap checklist
- Required skills drawn from real role profiles, not a wish list.
- An honest current-state rating for each person.
- A quantified gap per skill, not a general sense.
- A decision per gap: train, move, or hire.
- Learning paths tied to the specific gaps.
- A re-check after development to confirm the gap closed.
Frequently asked questions
What is a skills gap analysis?
It is the process of comparing the skills a role or team requires against the skills people currently have, then quantifying the difference. The output is a prioritized list of gaps you can close through training, internal mobility, or hiring. Fintra compares required and current skills and recommends learning paths to close the gaps.
How do you identify required skills for a role?
The most reliable source is your competency model or role profiles, which already define what the role needs. Fintra can extract skills from role profiles, so the required-skills list comes from your actual role definitions rather than a manager guessing under time pressure.
How do you close a skills gap?
Match the gap to the right lever: targeted learning for a developable skill, internal mobility for someone already close, or hiring when the gap is large and time-critical. Fintra recommends learning paths for the first and surfaces nearest-role matches for the second.
How is a skills gap analysis different from a training plan?
The analysis is the diagnosis - where the gaps are and how big; the training plan is one possible treatment. A good analysis considers mobility and hiring too, not just courses. Fintra supports the full path: it identifies gaps, recommends learning, and finds internal candidates who are already close.
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Turn gaps into a plan
Map required skills, quantify gaps, and close them with learning or mobility. Free to start, no card required.
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