Recruiting For Skills Not Pedigree
We have all been there. You are looking for that awesome next employee. We write a job description--that includes ideal skills and required education. Then, reality sets in as we are screening resumes---we look for these “ideals” and we start to split the stack. The ones that have the keywords or write-well rise to the top. And let’s be honest, some people may have PAID to get their resume written so of course, it looks amazing.
To summarize how we feel about resumes---they are a CREATIVE writing exercise and it really does not tell you what you need to know about a candidate. But, what do we do---we bring these candidates in for interviews and the BEST could have gotten passed over just because a certain skill was not listed or they didn’t have the required educational experience.
And on top of this, around 40% of college graduates DON’T use their degree anyway!
So, what do we do about it? Invest more time in recruitment resources---more people in a recruiting department, better software to find the right person, managers dedicating time to finding the right people, or some other solution to find “the one”?
Why don’t we take a different approach to the talent gap? Can we think outside the box and not just at a resume? Think about the following:
Explore apprenticeship or internship programs to recruit talent. You get to SEE them in action
Forge relationships with local resources as a way to identify talent (think relationships with high schools, community colleges, or some other joint program)
Explore skill assessments or one that predicts a job fit for you. All of us have innate gifts, talents, and things we truly enjoy. If you could harness your joy with your job---wouldn't you do it?
Talk to them about what they have done within their lives---do they work multiple jobs? Willing to do the entry-level work to learn a business? Any other skills they learned through experience?
So, how do we change the cycle of wash, lather, rinse and repeat? We take ACTION!
Consider dropping degree requirements UNLESS you really need that educational background for a role
Go beyond the resume (what is in the past!)--what is their future potential
Invest in training. Get them to be where you need them! Think of it this way--what if an employee stays and you have not invested in them? Wouldn’t your ROI be higher if you did?
Engage in external resources that help staff get SKILLS development
Last but NOT least--remember to start small. Where can you make small changes to increase your talent bench? Start there, monitor it, improve it, rip it to pieces and make it work for your organization. This is a type of change management and will not happen overnight. Decide to invest in your teams and realize everyone does not have access to HARVARD degrees, but shouldn’t we give them a chance anyway?
