January 1st 2026

OMRON: looking at talent differently

Employers seek talent. But too often, potential remains untapped. Not because it isn't there, but because it is difficult to make visible in a CV or job interview. Skills and motivation are present, but they do not always align with how we recruit and select in the Netherlands. That is where opportunities lie: looking at talent differently.

For OMRON Healthcare, which is committed to improving people's quality of life and offers innovative, clinically proven medical equipment, this is not a new issue. The company has long used assessments to look beyond the CV – not to judge, but to truly understand how someone works, learns, and collaborates.

Recently, as a partner of Refugee Talent Hub, they organized an assessment and application program for ten candidates. Devi Retnowati Anggraeni , Talent Acquisition & Learning Development, explains why: "We wanted to give candidates insight into themselves and into how the labor market in the Netherlands works. This allows them to make more targeted choices and apply more effectively."

First insight, then selection

Many organizations still rely on traditional selection methods, such as CVs, cover letters, and interviews. According to Devi, these primarily reveal who is accustomed to the application process, but not who develops quickly, can adapt to a new work environment, or adds value in the long term.

OMRON therefore deliberately chooses a different order: first insight, then selection . Through assessments, they map out what drives someone, how they collaborate, and where growth potential lies. Devi: "With assessments, we look beyond experience alone. We really want to understand what drives someone, how they collaborate, and where growth is possible."

How does it work?

The program organized together with Refugee Talent Hub consisted of three parts:

Online assessment: an externally validated tool that maps the candidate's profile, available worldwide and multilingual.
One-on-one feedback : certified OMRON assessors discuss the report and provide concrete tools for development, taking into account background and cultural context.
Live job application training : candidates practice job applications in a concrete way and receive immediate feedback.

Important principle: there is no right or wrong. Devi: "Everyone has a different profile. The goal is not to judge, but to understand how someone works and collaborates."

Devi Retnowati Anggraeni, Talent Acquisition & Learning Development at OMRON, during the live training with candidates.

What this yields for employers

For employers, this approach reveals something that often remains hidden in a standard procedure: a candidate's true potential. You gain a clearer picture of who can develop quickly, what motivates someone, and how they collaborate. This reduces the risk of mismatch and attrition, and makes decisions more well-founded. Perhaps even more importantly: you expand your talent pool without compromising on quality.

Many organizations talk about skills-based hiring, but how does that work in practice? Not by abandoning the CV, but by supplementing it with insight into behavior, motivation, and growth potential. In this context, the assessment is not an end in itself, but an accelerator: it helps you look beyond what someone has done and truly see what someone is capable of.

Every employer struggling to find and retain talent can benefit from this: look beyond the CV, make potential visible, and structure your selection process accordingly. Talent is already there – you just need to learn to see it differently.