Explain readiness statuses in a talent pipeline

In a talent pipeline, readiness is the evaluation layer that shows how prepared a candidate is for a target role. Unlike stages, which track progression over time, readiness focuses on the candidate’s actual ability to step into the role.

Readiness statuses

Typical statuses include:

• Not Ready: Candidate needs further development before being considered for the role.
• Ready in 6–12 Months: Candidate is progressing and expected to be prepared within a year.
• Ready in 6–9 Months: Candidate is nearing readiness and requires focused exposure or mentoring.
• Ready Now: Candidate is fully prepared and can step into the role immediately.

Why readiness matters

Readiness ensures organizations do not rely on assumptions about progression. It provides a structured way to measure preparedness, supports succession planning discussions, and helps leaders make confident, data‑driven decisions about who can step into critical roles.

How they work

• Readiness is tracked separately from stages to ensure evaluation is deliberate and data‑driven.
• Candidates are grouped by readiness in board‑style views for easy visibility.
• Movement between readiness statuses reflects evaluation outcomes, not automatic progression.
• The first and last readiness statuses cannot be deleted, maintaining consistency in evaluation.