Screening candidates based on the quality of their college education is a traditional hiring method, along with looking at relevant experience, confirming professional references and running criminal background checks. However, headhunting for a candidate with a specialized skill set has become more reliable in the current job market. In this guide, we’ll examine how the differences affect hiring prospects to help you learn more.
Degree-Based Hiring
Degree-based hiring involves searching for candidates who have an advanced degree in a closely related field of study to the role’s responsibilities. The law requires candidates for specific jobs to have specialized degrees, but many technical positions are accessible to candidates who lack a formal college education.
The specific outcomes of degree-based hiring are that a professional degree program:
- Prepares candidates for particular careers in the education, law and medical industries.
- Has the potential to help the candidate accumulate years of hard and soft skills as a student.
- Provides specific knowledge and experience.
- Involves completing projects and signing up for internships that may translate into the work a candidate will do in a future career.
- Helps candidates gain practical experience and insight into an industry and builds resumes.
Skills-Based Hiring
When an employer relies on skills-based hiring, they select candidates based on the abilities and aptitudes needed to perform the role. Since work responsibilities and policies are constantly changing as technology progresses, most hiring managers prefer candidates who show a willingness to learn new skills over those who seem resistant to change. Skills-based hiring has recently become more prevalent in workplaces nationwide.
In a hiring process, assessing a candidate for valuable skills focuses mostly on:
- Practical knowledge gained through personal experience, especially when the candidate took the initiative.
- The ability to perform the assigned tasks following all the expected criteria.
- Specific capabilities, or hard and soft skills, like social aptitude and coding expertise.
- A growth mindset and a willingness to build upon older skills with new knowledge.
The Pros and Cons of Degree vs. Skills-Based Hiring
Many companies hire candidates who possess the skills and education best suited for a role. With an impending talent gap and an increasing number of changes in the job market, more employers are transforming their hiring practices. The debate over potential vs. pedigree is slowly shifting in favor of candidates who have placed most of their effort outside the traditional classroom.
Degree-Based Hiring Pros and Cons
Employers search for candidates with reputable degrees when the law requires or when a job demands competency. In a competitive job market, many recent graduates list their college education at the top of their resumes.
The pros of degree-based hiring are:
- It assesses candidates based on readily confirmed criteria.
- A degree ensures that candidates have experience completing tasks in a particular subject.
- Some roles might require certifications, and a degree program gives students the chance to earn them.
The cons of degree-based hiring are:
- Employers exclude otherwise qualified candidates, especially in jobs related to emerging technologies.
- It creates obstacles for candidates who are disproportionately burdened by degree requirements, like low-income populations.
Skills-Based Hiring Pros and Cons
Consider these advantages of skills-based hiring:
- Skills-based hiring allows employers to recruit from demographics where candidates are less likely to have a college degree.
- It has a stronger economic outlook and leads to lower unemployment numbers.
- Lowering educational standards often results in positions filling more quickly, leading to a healthier job market.
Still, skills-based hiring may have some notable downsides:
- Legal requirements and institution policies make college degrees expected or even mandatory.
- Employers must assess candidates for hard skills that a degree would indicate.
Other Qualities Looked at in the Hiring Process
Potential vs. Pedigree
A candidate with a high amount of potential has the talents and willingness to learn that would make them an excellent fit for the position. On the other hand, a candidate with a pedigree has a good formal education and comes from a family with the means to help them succeed.
Aptitude vs. Influence
A talented candidate with the ability to quickly learn new knowledge on the job has a high level of aptitude. A candidate with connections has a high level of influence.
Crucial Considerations for Hiring Processes
Here are more tips and considerations to have when you’re choosing the best hiring process for your company.
- Sustainability is vital: Even after successfully conducting skills-based hiring, the employer might need to upgrade the employee pool as time passes.
- Expect employee growth: An employer needs to provide continued training for employees, who must regularly update their skills to remain on the cutting edge of the industry.
- Test for hard skills: These are measurable skills that applicants have learned in classes, at past jobs or from personal firsthand experience.
- Interview for soft skills: These are usually challenging or impossible to measure, but they are easy to determine during a discussion with applicants. Communication skills and work ethic are a few examples.
Choosing Instant Teams
Instant Teams works to make hiring for your company fast and efficient. We connect candidates with the most promising growth potential to employers looking to fill positions on their remote teams. We recruit employees in several large industries, developing the following teams:
- Our customer support teams work directly with customers, allowing you to easily recruit new employees we have already vetted for you using the latest hiring methods.
- Our operations support teams can help you find solutions for the onboarding process of operations management positions. Whether your company is in a high-growth phase or going through reorganization, we provide the support you need for assembling efficient remote admins.
- Our telehealth program serves as a hiring solution for busy medical centers, providing automated remote team support for patients. We medically train our employees in this program for HIPAA compliance teams to build, deliver and power customized telehealth solutions for hospitals, clinics and medical organizations.
- Remote Ready is a training and employment program specially designed for military spouses. This population often has job gaps due to frequent moves and other factors related to military service. Military spouses are a goldmine population for candidates who possess talent and aptitude.
Find Employees With Instant Teams
Instant Teams takes all the guesswork out of building a sustainable workforce. We rely on the latest recruiting methods, engaging quality candidates who possess valued abilities and the potential to lead successful careers. If you have any questions about our recruitment process, please contact us online regarding our services. When you’re ready to get started, request a call today.
