Crossover reposted this
Talent & People Operations @ Crossover for Work | AI-First HR Management, Organizational Design, High Volume Recruiting | Overachiever who Gets Stuff Done
Skills-based hiring: buzzword or the future of hiring? Yesterday's Recruiting Brainfood session with Johnny Campbell reminded me that good recruiters have always considered skills, knowledge, abilities, competencies, aptitudes, and work preferences when sourcing candidates. But skills-based hiring takes it further, institutionalizing key mindsets: - Experience ≠ Expertise: Just because you did something doesn't mean you did it well. I played baseball, but the Braves shouldn't hire me as a pitcher! - Education ≠ Guaranteed Knowledge: Hiring exclusively from specific institutions or degrees implies a seal of approval that's often outdated. - Potential > Pedigree: The highest performers are those constantly upskilling. This drive is nearly impossible to measure on paper. - Unexpected candidates often become your best hires. Why am I passionate about this? Because without a skills-first approach, I wouldn't be at Crossover . Coming from nonprofit stakeholder engagement (coordinating volunteer programs, legislative advocacy, and community outreach), I took a chance. I knew I could learn tech industry nuances because I excelled at the job's core functions. Crossover let me prove it through a Real Work Assessment, where I outperformed thousands by demonstrating my skills, not just talking about them. So, if I push back on your degree requirements, years of experience, or specific industry exposure — this is why. Great people deserve a shot. They could be your next all-star! Are you incorporating skills-based hiring in your process? What are your thoughts?
Just don’t use simple online nonsense like plum or similar pls, meet the people and talk to them, even if cam2cam only.
Kelley Macek
1w
I agree! Often as a veteran, I am challenged on my only experience being military. It’s frustrating to explain what an asset this can be if the recruiter does not comprehend skills-based approaches to military retiree resumes. We are flexible, plug and play, and thrive under pressure more times than not. The context may change, but the skills have been sharpened over time. Thank you for this post—it’s uplifting and positive.
Keone Martin
1w
A few more points on the idea: University requirements are discriminatory. At 18 when a lot of people start university a lot of people can't afford it. Even worse a lot of people of certain backgrounds are less likely to sign up for comp sci based on perceived (and real) biases in the industry. Hiring only people with x years of experience increases the odds of starting new project with stale technologies. 15+ year vets are likely to still use Java as their backend just because that was what was standard when they started. It misses the opportunity for fair and impartial assessments on what the best technology is rather than what is comfortable for the senior. This leads to COBOL. Younger devs have started and learnt in a more risk aware environment. With ever increasing attacks coming at smaller products, people who learn today are more likely to focus on security from the start of their development. I think the industry needs to refocus from the idea that you hire seniors to do most of the code writing, to hiring seniors to help juniors do most of the code writing. Two juniors are likely to be more productive than one senior in almost all projects.
Makes sense!
Thanks for sharing
I agree!
I agree!
Interesting view
Great perspective!
Microsoft 365 Consultant
1wSkills-based hiring is increasingly seen as the future of hiring, moving beyond just being a buzzword. Here are several reasons : 1. Meritocracy and Inclusivity Focus on Abilities: Skills-based hiring emphasizes what candidates can do rather than their educational background or work history. This can lead to a more meritocratic hiring process. Diverse Talent Pool: It opens opportunities for individuals from non-traditional backgrounds, promoting inclusivity and diversity within organizations. 2. Alignment with Job Requirements Precision in Hiring: By identifying specific skills required for a job, employers can more precisely match candidates to roles, improving job performance and satisfaction. Training and Development: This approach allows companies to focus on training and developing specific skills in their workforce, fostering continuous improvement and adaptability. 3. Adaptation to Market Changes Agility: In a rapidly changing job market, skills-based hiring helps organizations adapt more quickly to new technologies and industry trends. Future-Proofing: It ensures that employees have the necessary skills to meet future challenges, making companies more resilient and competitive.