Skills Taxonomy

Beamery's Skills Taxonomy is a carefully curated, hierarchical classification system that brings order to the chaos of skills data. With over 32,000 preferred terms and 186,000+ variations, it provides the semantic foundation for all talent intelligence operations.

Taxonomy Structure

Our taxonomy is designed as a directed acyclic graph (DAG) where skills can have multiple relationships and contexts. This structure enables nuanced understanding beyond simple hierarchies.

Core Components

{
  "id": "skill_react_js",
  "preferred_labels": {
    "en": "React",
    "de": "React",
    "fr": "React",
    "es": "React"
  },
  "alternate_labels": {
    "en": ["ReactJS", "React.js", "React JavaScript", "Facebook React"],
    "de": ["ReactJS", "React.js"],
    "fr": ["ReactJS", "React.js"],
    "es": ["ReactJS", "React.js"]
  },
  "skill_type": "software_tool",
  "created": "2015-03-01",
  "last_updated": "2024-01-15"
}

Metadata Richness

Each skill in our taxonomy includes:

Skill Categories

1. Behavioral Skills

Soft skills and competencies essential for workplace success:

2. Technical Skills

Hard skills related to specific tools, technologies, and methodologies:

Programming
├── Object-Oriented
│   ├── Java
│   ├── C++
│   └── C#
├── Functional
│   ├── Haskell
│   ├── Scala
│   └── Clojure
└── Scripting
    ├── Python
    ├── JavaScript
    └── Ruby

Data Science
├── Machine Learning
│   ├── Supervised Learning
│   ├── Deep Learning
│   └── NLP
├── Data Engineering
│   ├── ETL
│   ├── Data Pipelines
│   └── Big Data
└── Analytics
    ├── Business Intelligence
    ├── Statistical Analysis
    └── Data Visualization

3. Product Skills

Commercial platforms and enterprise software:

• CRM Systems: Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics
• ERP Systems: SAP, Oracle, NetSuite
• Marketing Tools: Adobe Creative Suite, Marketo, Google Analytics
• Productivity: Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Slack

4. Natural Languages

Spoken and written languages with proficiency indicators:

{
  "skill_type": "natural_language",
  "language": "Spanish",
  "proficiency_levels": [
    "Basic",
    "Conversational", 
    "Professional Working",
    "Full Professional",
    "Native/Bilingual"
  ],
  "variants": [
    "Spanish (Latin America)",
    "Spanish (Spain)",
    "Business Spanish"
  ]
}

5. Topic Skills

Broader domains of knowledge and expertise:

• Industries: Healthcare, Finance, Retail, Technology
• Functions: Marketing, Sales, Operations, HR
• Domains: Cybersecurity, Sustainability, Digital Transformation
• Methodologies: Agile, Six Sigma, Design Thinking

Hierarchies & Relationships

Broader/Narrower Concepts

Skills are organized in logical hierarchies:

Related Skills

Skills are connected through semantic relationships:

Cross-Domain Mappings

Skills can belong to multiple domains:

{
  "skill": "Python Programming",
  "domains": [
    {
      "domain": "Web Development",
      "frameworks": ["Django", "Flask"],
      "use_case": "Backend APIs"
    },
    {
      "domain": "Data Science",
      "libraries": ["Pandas", "NumPy", "Scikit-learn"],
      "use_case": "Analysis and ML"
    },
    {
      "domain": "DevOps",
      "tools": ["Ansible", "Fabric"],
      "use_case": "Automation"
    }
  ]
}

Taxonomy Management

Update Process

Our taxonomy evolves through a sophisticated process:

1. Signal Collection

   • 3M+ job descriptions monthly
   • Candidate profile updates
   • Customer feedback
   • Industry reports

2. AI Analysis

   • Emerging skill detection
   • Usage pattern analysis
   • Semantic clustering
   • Trend identification

3. Human Validation

   • Knowledge engineer review
   • Industry expert consultation
   • Customer advisory input
   • Quality assurance

4. Deployment

   • Quarterly releases
   • Non-breaking updates
   • Version control
   • Migration support

Quality Assurance

Customer Extensions

Organizations can extend the taxonomy:

{
  "taxonomy_type": "customer",
  "customer_id": "your-company",
  "custom_skills": [
    {
      "id": "skill_proprietary_platform",
      "name": "ACME Platform",
      "type": "product",
      "parent": "skill_enterprise_software",
      "internal_only": true
    },
    {
      "id": "skill_company_methodology",
      "name": "ACME Way",
      "type": "topic",
      "related_to": ["skill_agile", "skill_lean"]
    }
  ]
}

Examples & Patterns

Common Patterns

{
  "preferred": "Java",
  "versions": [
    "Java 8", "Java 11", "Java 17", "Java 21"
  ],
  "pattern": "All map to preferred term"
}

{
  "skill": "Excel",
  "contexts": [
    {"role": "Analyst", "focus": "Pivot Tables, VBA"},
    {"role": "Accountant", "focus": "Financial Modeling"},
    {"role": "HR", "focus": "Data Management"}
  ]
}

{
  "skill": "Labor Law",
  "variations": [
    "US Employment Law",
    "UK Employment Law",
    "EU Labor Regulations",
    "APAC Compliance"
  ]
}

{
  "concept": "Customer Management",
  "industry_terms": {
    "tech": "User Success",
    "retail": "Client Services",
    "healthcare": "Patient Relations",
    "finance": "Wealth Management"
  }
}

Best Practices