Skills-based recruitment

Degrees may open doors, but it’s skills that keep them open – and that’s where the future of recruitment is heading.

I’ve witnessed firsthand how the traditional emphasis on formal qualifications is giving way to a new focus: skills. The future of recruitment is rooted in finding candidates based on what they can do rather than solely focusing on where they've been educated.

At Interval, we champion skills-based hiring, because the competencies a person brings to the table often matter far more than their CV.

Degrees and titles might get someone through the door, but it's their abilities that will keep them there and help them thrive.

We see this challenge not only with traditional qualifications (i.e. university degrees) but also technical certifications (e.g. Microsoft, Cisco, etc.).

Given that most of these certifications have expiry dates, you have to keep redoing them, which isn’t always feasible. As a result, some clients miss out on great candidates because they insist on certifications.

This is not to say qualifications don’t count at all – but hiring for skills as well as qualifications opens up a wider, more diverse pool of candidates. This not only benefits businesses looking to fill positions faster, but also creates a fairer, more inclusive process.

At Interval, we’ve been helping clients, both in the public and private sectors, identify and assess the specific competencies their roles require. This approach has been a game-changer, improving candidate performance, reducing time and contributing to better retention. Here’s how to implement this approach:

Break down the role: Start by analysing the tasks and responsibilities. Decide which are “must haves” and which are “nice to have”. This doesn’t mean watering the requirements down, it means prioritising them. This applies to soft skills, like adaptability and communication, as well as technical abilities.

Use the right tools: Leverage skill-based simulations, structured interviews and case studies to get a deeper understanding of what a candidate can offer.

Test real-world performance: Asking candidates to demonstrate their abilities and how they'd approach the role, either through examples or real-time tasks, offers insight into their potential.

Skills-based hiring is not just a trend, I believe it's the future of recruitment. By prioritising competencies as well as credentials, we can build teams that are more dynamic, adaptable and equipped to meet the challenges of tomorrow.