Jake Zabkowicz is CEO of Hudson RPO, a global recruiting firm serving all levels of organizations, from entry-level to the C-Suite.
getty
Across the United States, the year's second quarter coincides with graduates who are flipping their tassels and taking the first step into their professional lives. There's increasing competition for these young professionals as employers are eager to leverage the new ideas they can bring. And in times of economic uncertainty, some can argue it’s easier to hire people who are early in their careers, rather than more experienced professionals who require greater compensation. That's often why companies develop early career programs—specialized training for new graduates to help them grow within an organization and become leaders.
But while obtaining a four-year degree is often a must-have for gaining employment, the requirement appears to be diminishing. According to a November 2023 report from Intelligent.com, "45% of companies plan to eliminate bachelor’s degree requirements for some positions in 2024." Of course, there are many industries where a traditional degree is nonnegotiable—think physical therapy or mechanical engineering. But other career paths, like computer programming or some aspects of manufacturing, may be better served by focusing on candidates' valuable skills and offering hiring programs.
Skills-based hiring can be a boon for employers who are seeking to diversify their employee base and attract and retain workers who can provide long-term results.
The Benefits Of Skills-Based Hiring
One noticeable benefit of early-career, skills-based hiring is that it assists in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. New LinkedIn data reveals that a skills-first approach to recruitment can help businesses benefit from more diverse talent pools and a more equitable hiring process. By opening up to workers without bachelor's degrees, candidate pools can increase by 9%. In jobs where women are specifically underrepresented, skills-first hiring can increase the proportion of women candidates by 24% more than it would for men.
When employers focus on skills, it also allows them to widen their lens and connect with professionals from adjacent career trajectories who have transferrable skills. For example, companies might consider product developers for sales positions, coders for technical writing or even people who studied psychology for marketing roles. Bringing on people with diverse educational or professional backgrounds can motivate teams to learn new things by offering new insights into hard-to-tackle challenges and improving communication and collaboration among divisions.
Focusing on skills also allows organizations to be more strategic in their approach to hiring. They may be encouraged to evaluate their current résumé review and interview processes. It can even help with understanding and removing barriers to internal mobility.
3 Skills-Based, Early-Career Strategies To Consider
It’s important for employers to have a focused plan to develop skills-based hiring practices, whether workers are new to the workforce or shifting from adjacent careers. Here are some strategies for setting up this approach.
Internal Certification And Training
More and more, large organizations are implementing their own certificate initiatives and comprehensive skills development as part of their early careers program. This could come in the form of in-depth workshops, like “boot camps,” that offer rigorous training on skills like computer coding and development. This helps employers coach early-career employees on the specifics of how their organization gets the job done.
Professional Apprenticeships
Professional apprenticeships, which have been common practice in other parts of the globe, are making headway here in the United States. These programs are different from internships, which are usually defined as short-term work experiences that put existing skills to use to gain experience. An apprenticeship is an extended initiative to teach skills that will help both the employee and the organization in the long term. Several major organizations, such as Accenture, Airbnb and Google, now offer apprenticeships to help their employees advance.
Rotational Assignments
An important part of early career development is giving newer employees the chance to test out different teams, assignments and possibly even geographies. Rotational assignments are opportunities for professionals to try something they may have never considered, which also gives employers the chance to see where team members will really shine. This creates an environment for the early-career employee to offer the most value and have a better chance to move up within the organization. These assignments also lead to increased employee motivation and satisfaction.
Skills-based hiring is much more than simply searching for résumés that list specific skills. It’s an intentional shift in how companies think about talent recruitment and retention. Talent leaders should ask what skills are needed to be successful and whether their organization has people with those skills. By taking a holistic approach to early career hiring, organizations can accelerate the long-term success of both the individual and the organization.
Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?
