The term “A player” is used commonly among executives, informed hiring managers, human resources and talent management professionals.
What is an A player?
According to Brad Smart, Ph.D. in Topgrading, an A player is: “One who qualifies among the top 10 percent of those available for a position. An A player, then, is best of class. Available means willing to accept a job offer…”
As a sales and executive recruiting firm, we generally agree with the Topgrading assertion that A, B and C players can be defined as:
A player – top 10%
B player – next 25%
C player – below the top 35%
While the percentages noted above may differ between functional positions, industries, etc., we believe that the A player hiring and management methodology can rest on the general accuracy of these approximations.