Organizations around the world are adopting skills-first hiring to successfully expand their talent pool and diversify their workforce. But what is skills-first hiring, exactly? Keep reading to learn more about this approach to talent management and how to use background screening to implement it.
What Is Skills-First Hiring?
Skills-first hiring is an alternative to traditional hiring models that focuses on candidates’ skills rather than on how they were acquired. This is a way of looking at potential employees and assessing them based on the skills they possess rather than their educational background.
This approach has been gaining traction in recent years as employers look for ways to diversify their talent pools and find the best fit for their organization.
The idea behind skills-first hiring is that it allows employers to identify candidates with the right set of skills, regardless of where they come from or what kind of education they have. This means that employers can cast a wider net when searching for potential hires, giving them access to more diverse talent pools and allowing them to find the perfect fit for their organization.
In addition to widening the talent pool, skills-first hiring also helps employers save time and money by reducing the need for lengthy job postings and interviews. By focusing on skills rather than credentials, employers can quickly assess whether a candidate has the necessary qualifications without having to spend time and resources vetting each applicant.
Skills-first hiring also helps level the playing field for those who may not have had access to traditional education or career opportunities.
Skills-First Hiring and Background Screening
Focusing on skill sets instead of educational backgrounds allows employers to save money and time by identifying talented individuals who may not have had access to higher education but still possess the necessary qualifications for a given position.
An effective and legally compliant background screening strategy can be the ideal complement for your skills-first hiring strategy.
For example, if a candidate acquired a certain skill on the job rather than by attending an academic institution, background screening can help employers ascertain that the candidate actually worked where they claimed.
Additionally, background screening can help you reduce unconscious bias by ensuring that you hire candidates with the strongest skill set, not only those who have held the most impressive-sounding positions or come from the most prestigious universities.
Plexus Global: Background Screening Services in California and Beyond
Plexus Global is a California-based background screening company serving organizations all over the U.S. and abroad.
Contact us today by telephone (844-516-1008), email (sales@plexusglobalinc.com), or through our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.