Skills-based Hiring
Formal requirements have been a mainstay for many employers hiring for open positions. Traditionally, to be considered for an open role, a candidate had to meet certain formal requirements, such as educational degrees, years of professional experience, personal referrals and other pedigree markers. Organizations used these traditional prerequisites to fit candidates to a specific job profile. As a result, the candidate who satisfied the most prerequisites typically received the employment offer. In recent years, employers have begun shifting away from focusing on educational qualifications and other traditional markers when hiring to a skills-first approach, also known as skills-based hiring. More employers have embraced skills-based hiring in response to their recent labor challenges because it can increase the odds of organizations finding the right candidates.

What Is Skills-based Hiring?
Skills-based hiring can provide employers with certain advantages over traditional recruiting methods. This hiring practice:
• Expands talent pool
• Improves workplace diversity
• Focuses on qualifications
• Fills open positions faster
Switching to skills-based hiring requires organizations to change not only who they hire but also how they hire. It comes down to establishing goals and measuring progress. A skills-based approach to hiring will likely require employers to rewrite job
descriptions so they focus on candidates’ skills and the primary role responsibilities instead of formal requirements.  Despite the potential benefits of skills-based hiring, many roadblocks prevent employers from adopting this approach. Shifting to skills-based hiring requires organizations to change their traditional mindset and hiring practices, which can be difficult and requires a lot of time and effort. Employers can also struggle to find qualified candidates and validate their skills. Skills-based
hiring seems to produce successful candidates for low- to middle skilled positions, but hiring highly skilled workers becomes much more difficult.

 
Summary
Skill-based hiring can be an effective way to find qualified candidates who meet an organization’s needs. Prioritizing skills over traditional hiring requirements can help organizations find applicants who better fit job requirements and can perform the
job. This can allow employers to build a skilled and adaptable workforce to further their organization’s growth.