How DA Is Incorporating Skills-Based Hiring
How DA Is Incorporating Skills-Based Hiring
Chances are you’ve probably heard the term “skills-based hiring” circulating more frequently since the start of the new year. With intense talent shortages still lingering in 2023, employers have started to become aware that assessing candidates on their abilities and potential rather than degrees and career history can provide instant economic opportunity for their organizations. In addition, skills-based hiring encourages increased diversity and strengthens internal productivity among workplace environments. The benefits of skills-based hiring are becoming more evident to business professionals as a solution to the talent shortage brought by The Great Resignation. The problem is no longer identifying the solution, but rather putting the solution into action.
“While most employers agree skills-based hiring is valuable, few employers have made changes to their practices. This keeps qualified talent on the sidelines and businesses from thriving,” says Wendi Safstrom, President of the SHRM Foundation. When candidates are only assessed on the items on their resume, qualified talent has the potential to be overlooked. While a resume is still an important document to use for consideration, less importance is being placed on it. Emily Field, a partner at global management consulting firm McKinsey & Co., shared research that indicated growth in the number of organizations who are removing the college degree requirement from their job postings and coming up with other ways to determine job readiness. “We’re seeing this especially in technology and managerial roles. This requires rewriting job descriptions and really thinking about what skills are truly needed on day one and what can be trained for on the job and which skills do not matter at all,” according to Field. HR professionals and business leaders need to start embrace working together to develop a hiring strategy that addresses their organization’s immediate and future needs in addition to accommodating this new approach to reducing talent shortage.
One way Decision Associates has integrated skills-based hiring into our executive recruitment process is through a soft skills assessment. We’ve found that traditional applicant tracking systems screen out qualified candidates and create missed opportunities for companies. Decision Associates uses The Predictive Index, a psychometric testing company, to further assess candidates we believe to be a potential fit for our clients’ open position. The quick assessment gives a plethora of insight into the candidates hardwired behaviors/personality traits and how well those align with the nature of the open position. Placing an even importance on experience and skills allows us to determine the best possible cultural fit for our clients’ organizations to ensure a long-time hire.
Learn more about our executive recruitment and organizational culture services on our website: https://www.decisionassociates.net/client-services/executive-recruitment/
