Marketing company TEAM LEWIS recently created new training schemes where candidates would be selected based on their attitude and potential, rather than just exam results. Jen Wu asks whether traditional recruitment based on academic qualifications is really necessary.
Many organisations are recognising that just because something has always been done, it does not mean it is always the optimal route. Similarly to how the thought of fully remote work once made some uneasy, we are now looking at another solution: the necessity of recruiting employees based on their attitude rather than simply on their academic expertise.
Companies are increasingly migrating toward performance-based hiring methods. According to a recent study from Remote, skills-based recruiting has increased 63% in the past year, as more employers are favouring expertise over academic credentials.
Life constantly brings a mix of challenges and opportunities both at work and outside of it. Rather than simply focusing on academic accomplishments, companies should give importance to assessing candidates based on their capacity to address real-world problems and solve tasks. Many companies are finding that what makes an employee truly valuable is their adaptability, willingness to learn, and ultimately, a good work ethic.
Recruiting based on qualifications
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Is a degree always necessary?
We can likely all agree that we want a doctor or lawyer to have the proper educational background. However, the requirement for degrees can vary from industry to industry. For many professions, such as more people-based jobs, there is no set formula for success.
Another reason why formal education shouldn’t be the “make or break” of hiring an ideal candidate is due to the evolution of technology. Now, the capacity to learn and adapt on the fly becomes increasingly crucial. Companies are now in search of employees who quickly grasp and adjust to the ever-changing tools required to keep processes running smoothly. Alternative education, such as online courses, bootcamps, workshops, and certification programs, has expanded individuals’ opportunities to learn relevant skills without pursuing a traditional degree.
Furthermore, we must acknowledge that the future is about diversity and inclusion. Many people around the world may lack the ability or opportunity to attain a formal degree, but they may be able to bring something to the table that others cannot. Hiring individuals with different life experiences beyond school prepares them to handle unexpected situations. It also can enable mental resilience, resulting in excellent problem-solving skills.
Rather than simply focusing on academic accomplishments, companies should give importance to assessing candidates based on their capacity to address real-world problems and solve tasks.”
A future sans CV?
As hiring professionals consider expanding their hiring requirements to be more skills-based, it’s also important to consider another way of sourcing talent. The Harvard Business Review challenged us to imagine a “hiring process without resumes.” Imagine moving resources to invest in employees, rather than finding ways to exclude them.
For the last couple of decades, the perfect CV has been considered the golden ticket to an applicant’s dream job. But now, as we investigate the data, we see it could actually be harming recruiters from finding the most suitable candidate for the role. A study from G2 shows that companies can lose as many as 89% of potential candidates due to prolonged screening processes. A large group of desirable candidates, especially younger people, demand straightforward processes as technology advances. Traditional methods of collecting data in a repetitive manner are becoming a thing of the past.
A new way to assess candidates
Now, with the help of platforms such as LinkedIn, applicants have the opportunity to showcase their skills in different ways and in real-time. However, many companies are now requiring a CV, cover letter and a link to the applicant’s LinkedIn profile – this once again creates more work for jobseekers, and should be avoided.
If we look back at history, we can see that most companies who fail to adapt “because that’s the way it’s always been done,” tend to fall behind their competition. When considering the necessity of both the degree and CV, the greatest risk a company faces is becoming redundant.
By not thinking diversely, these companies will lose their finest talent, the most innovative thinkers and business growth if they don’t stay one step ahead of market developments and think about the employee attributes they really need.
To avoid this, companies need to make adaptability their priority to not only keep up with the competition, but excel far past them. To notice the innovation and skill all around us, we must constantly update antiquated approaches.
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