Hiring attitudes have changed over the years, but when it comes to the question of which is preferable, skilled or qualification-based recruitment, it would seem that the jury is still out.

Whether it is return-to-office debates, hushed holidaying, or any of the dozens of other conversations doing the rounds, there is always an interesting workplace-based story that grabs everyone’ s attention. One such narrative that is increasingly pulling focus is the issue of hiring, more specifically the pros and cons of skills versus qualified recruitment.

Much has changed in the world of recruitment over the last number of years, with factors such as the global pandemic, the introduction of Gen Z into the workplace and the rise of hybrid and remote models, greatly altering attitudes towards working, and by extension, hiring. 

While this has enabled job applicants to be more discerning in their search for employment, it has also empowered recruiters and employers to think outside of the box. Leading to the question, when recruiting, which is preferable, an applicant with an abundance of skills but no formal qualifications, or a candidate with the required education, but without the necessary skillset?

The who, what and why of skills-based hiring

Globally and particularly in the technology sector, companies are struggling to attract and retain employees. Skills-based hiring is the recruitment of candidates who possess the skills needed to do the job to its fullest extent, but who, on paper, do not have the educational background typically associated with the role. 

This hiring model enables employers to pull from a larger talent pool and, according to research, reduces the risk of onboarding an individual who is unsuited to the role. In fact, many high-profile companies are now choosing to adopt this model ahead of more traditional systems, for example, Apple, Netflix, Nordstrom, IBM and Google. 

For organisations, the benefits are clear, ranging from faster hiring times and reduced recruitment costs, to less tricky placement and access to a higher quality of candidate, but for applicants the benefits are equally as, if not more impressive. 

For example, the demand for multiple qualifications to even get on the career ladder has the potential to exclude a wide array of people. Skills-based hiring means that those who are often marginalised in professional settings, such as women, people of colour and single parents, have an opportunity to excel. 

Additionally, as many young people, particularly Gen Z professionals, choose to forgo tertiary education in favour of developing their skills, skills-based hiring practices enable them to enter into the workplace seamlessly, without forcing them to spend three to four years in an educational institution before they can start to establish themselves. 

The who, what and why of qualifications-based hiring

Qualifications-based hiring is where an individual is recruited due to their educational qualifications, rather than the skills they have amassed. While skills-based hiring is growing in popularity, standardised recruitment based on degrees and education remains popular, as it also comes with a wealth of benefits for the organisation and the employee. 

For example, it means that employers can be assured that the individuals they are hiring will have been trained in the basics and will have an understanding of wider industry patterns, trends and events. It also gives employers greater access to individuals who are determined, as it often takes serious dedication to complete third-level educational courses. 

For the individual, job hunting in areas that require a degree can be ideal as it gives the candidate an exact target to aim for. By knowing a company’s expectations, a potential employee can arm themself with all of the tools they need to make a positive impression and showcase their value to the organisation. 

Additionally, many degrees cover a broad range of topics in a chosen discipline and often students and future employees find that their degree has given them a wide range of transferable soft skills in areas such as communication, teamwork, leadership and public speaking. When they are selected by an organisation, these vital interpersonal skills can make the transition far more seamless. 

Ultimately, whether you choose to hire based on skills or on qualifications, once the future employee is aligned with wider company values and is deemed to be a good fit, how they came to be there very rarely matters, if ever. 

So, why not throw out the blueprints and pick the candidate who impresses you, who shows promise, who has an ambitious mindset and who clearly wants to be there? If you do, how can you possibly go wrong? 

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