65% Of Hiring Managers Will Hire You For Your Skills Alone, Study Finds
Degree inflation—the demand for a four-year college degree for jobs that previously did not require one—is a substantive and widespread phenomenon, according to some reports, making the U.S. labor market more inefficient. In one finding , more than 60% of employers rejected otherwise qualified candidates in terms of skills or experience simply because they did not have a college diploma. Due to the trend of degree bias, job seekers are less likely to pursue skilled trade careers, as if it is less socially acceptable.
Another report details how workers without college degrees are just as productive on the job as their college-educated counterparts. And they are less likely to turnover and less expensive for companies to hire. Plus, degree inflation was harmful to Black and Hispanic job applicants because they’re less likely than white applicants to have college diplomas.
New Poll Finds Skills Dwarf Education
Now, more experts are encouraging young people to ditch the four-year degree in favor of skills development to earn a good salary. Microsoft’s 2024 Annual Work Trend Index declares that 2024 is the year AI skills are needed in the workforce. Sara Gutierrez, SHL’s chief science officer, anticipates this shift to continue as AI skills continue to spearhead innovation and drive efficiency. “This trend underscores the growing demand for professionals with expertise in AI, whose skills are proving resilient to market fluctuations,” Gutierrez observes.
This growing trend is evidenced in the 2024 Resume Genius Hiring Trends Survey of 600 hiring managers. The polling shows that 65% of hiring managers are open to hiring candidates based on their skills rather than traditional education or work experience—even if they lack traditional work experience—a promising trend for job seekers.
The polling results also show that :
“This shift signifies a major change in hiring practices, particularly in the tech industry, where companies like Google, Microsoft, IBM and Walmart are removing degree requirements from job postings. In line with this trend, the World Economic Forum projects that 50% of all employees will need to re-skill by 2025 to respond to advances in technology,” the study concludes.
According to Ed Huang, co-founder and executive director of Resume Genius, “As skills-based hiring becomes more widespread, we're seeing a more level playing field emerge, where talented individuals from all backgrounds can highlight their abilities, pivot into new industries, and pursue their aspirations. It's an exciting development that's redefining what it means to be a successful candidate."
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4 Ways To Prepare For Skills-Based Hiring Processes
The study lists four ways job seekers can prepare for skills-based hiring:
1. Develop a tailored job application. “Job applicants should create tailored versions of their resume and cover letter with a focus on highlighting any specific skills that are immediately relevant to their target role. During interviews, candidates should be prepared to discuss specific examples of how their skills have been applied in real-world situations. Using key words from the job description and tailoring application materials to the role's requirements can also significantly increase a job seeker’s chances of getting hired. Developing a portfolio showcasing work is key for fields like graphic design, writing, programming and project management. Including case studies, project summaries and work samples can effectively demonstrate a candidate’s skills in action.”
2. Focus on soft skills and versatility. “According to the Hiring Trends survey, 54% of hiring managers highly value soft skills such as communication, teamwork and problem-solving, so job seekers should highlight these skills in their resumes, cover letters and interviews to gain an edge in the job hunt. To stand out, candidates should provide specific, real-life examples of applying their top soft skills in previous roles. For instance, those seeking project management positions should showcase instances where they effectively managed tasks, prioritized deadlines and collaborated with teams. This tactic will demonstrate a candidate’s ability to manage multiple projects, meet deadlines and make them more attractive to potential employers.”
3. Get comfortable with skills assessments. “Employers often use skills assessments to evaluate candidates' abilities. To help job seekers prepare, they can familiarize themselves with the formats of these assessments. Practice tests are available on platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Coursera and Skillshare, as well as through free or paid websites tailored to specific industries or skill sets. For example, applicants for data analyst positions can use platforms like DataCamp or Kaggle to practice real-world data analysis tasks. Regular practice on these platforms can increase comfort with the types of questions and tasks found in actual assessments. Additionally, reviewing feedback from practice assessments is important for identifying areas for improvement and effectively re-focusing efforts.”
4. Pursue continuous learning. “Employers highly value candidates committed to ongoing development, so job seekers should set learning goals to guide their efforts and identify areas for skill enhancement. Actively seeking feedback from peers, mentors, or supervisors can provide insights into self-improvement opportunities. Also, exploring various learning resources such as online courses, webinars, workshops, books, podcasts and certifications can aid in skill development. In particular, certifications offer tangible evidence of skills and expertise, making them valuable to employers when evaluating qualifications for jobs or promotions.”
According to Geoffrey Scott, senior hiring manager at Resume Genius, “It's obvious that we're still at the beginning of a big shift. Employers have to keep up the pace and invest in new ways to assess skills and in changing company cultures to value skills as much as degrees.”
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