Is skills-based hiring the new fad, or it is here to stay?
Recent trends indicate that organisations are putting more emphasis on the skills that their employee have, rather than the qualifications or past experiences they possess.
KPI Recruiting’s Commercial Director, Lily James believes that skills-based hiring, is going to continue through 2024 and beyond. “This is good news for jobseekers, with the door being opened for candidates to show what value they can bring to a business, when previously they may have been put off by the experience required.”
What is skills-based hiring?
Skills-based hiring is a process where the recruiting business puts more of the emphasis on the skills a candidate has. What degrees, qualifications or past work experiences you have are less critical in their hiring decision.
Why is skills-based hiring on the rise?
There are a number of reasons why companies are looking for skills over qualifications.
- Reduced time to hire
- Reduction in costs
- Expanded talent pools and improved diversity
How do you showcase your skills in a job application?
All of this points to exciting opportunities for jobseekers and candidates looking to advance their career. Here’s how to show your skills in a job application.
Know what skills to put on your CV
The starting point is to update your CV. When it comes to what skills you should showcase, be sure to include your hard skills and soft skills. What does this mean? Your hard skills are those that you have gained throughout your career or through training. These include programme skills like Microsoft Office or Sage, as well as technical skills such as copywriting. You should always tailor your CV and cover letter to include specific skills related to the role, like coding for a Software Development role. Look out for key words in the job description to help you.
Your soft skills are your personal attributes that allow you to work well with others. At KPI, we’ve seen that intelligence, emotional strength, agility, adaptability and innovation are amongst the top soft skills employers are looking for.
Consider your transferrable skills
If you do lack experience and are finding it hard to list what you think are relevant skills, think about the transferrable skills you have picked up in other roles, or whilst studying. You may have honed your listening skills, presenting ability and collaboration with others whilst at university. Perhaps you taught yourself how to use WordPress whilst writing your personal blog. All of these skills are transferrable to many open job roles and can be highlighted during the application process.
Validate your skills with real life examples
It’s always great practice to provide tangible examples to the hiring manager of your skillset. If you’ve gained an online qualification or certificate that is relevant to the position, mention it. If you’ve increased sales or website leads in another organisation by implementing some of your technical skills, put the percentage increase on your CV and/or cover letter. Real life examples show the hiring party that you can back up your skills claims and helps paint a picture of what value you can bring to their organisation.
Upskill yourself
You may find yourself in a position where you feel you are lacking some core skills to move forward in the career you want. Be sure to look online for courses that are relevant to your ambitions and set aside time each week to complete them. Adopting a learning mindset, where you want to continuously upskill, is another soft skill that employers find attractive.
KPI Director Lily James said: “These tips will help you stand out from a crowded marketplace when applying for jobs. Whilst subjective qualities such as attitude, team-player, culture and ambition are still important, it’s crucial for jobseekers to be able to emphasise their true worth in ways that employers can easily quantify. The trend of skills-based hiring is here to stay and should be something that all candidates and jobseekers embrace if they want to maximise their career opportunities.
