Should Employers seek Validated Skills When Hiring?

According to Forbes(April, 2023), in today's world, assessing and validating candidates' skills is integral for matching the right talent to the right role at the right time. This approach can make hiring bias-free and more objective than traditional hiring methods focusing on CVs and academic qualifications.

The rapid pace of technological advancements and evolving job requirements make it essential for employers to ensure that the skills of their workforce align with the demands of the roles they need to fill.

The Value of Skills Validation

Below are some (but not exhaustive) reasons why assessing and validating candidates' skills is integral:

• Job Fit: Matching the right talent to the right role is essential for organisational success. Assessing candidates' skills helps ensure that individuals possess the specific competencies and qualifications needed for a particular job.
• Efficient Recruitment: Skill assessments streamline the recruitment process by providing objective criteria for evaluating candidates. This efficiency is particularly important in high-demand industries or when there's a need to fill positions quickly.
• Quality of Hire: Skill assessments contribute to the quality of the hiring process. By validating candidates' skills, employers can make more informed decisions, reducing the likelihood of hiring mismatches and improving overall workforce productivity.
• Adaptability to Change: In a rapidly changing business environment, employees need to be adaptable and possess a willingness to learn new skills. Skill assessments can help identify candidates with a growth mindset and the ability to adapt to evolving job requirements.
• Employee Development: Assessments not only aid in hiring but also play a crucial role in employee development. They help identify areas where employees can improve and guide the creation of personalised training and development plans.
• Objective Evaluation: Skill assessments provide an objective and standardised way to evaluate candidates. This helps mitigate biases in the hiring process and ensures that hiring decisions are based on merit and competency.
• Retention: Ensuring that employees have the required skills for their roles contributes to job satisfaction and retention. Employees are more likely to stay with an organisation that supports their professional development and utilises their skills effectively.
• Competitive Edge: Companies that prioritise skill assessments are better positioned to stay competitive. Having a workforce with up-to-date skills enhances innovation, productivity, and the ability to meet the challenges of the market.
• Legal Compliance: Ensuring that hiring decisions are based on validated skills helps organisations comply with legal and regulatory requirements. It reduces the risk of discrimination and promotes fair employment practices.
• Cost Savings: Making well-informed hiring decisions reduces the likelihood of turnover and the costs associated with recruiting and training new employees. It's more cost-effective to invest in assessing and validating skills upfront than dealing with the consequences of a poor fit later on.

Assessing and validating candidates' skills is a strategic imperative for organisations looking to build a skilled and agile workforce that can thrive in today's dynamic business environment.

From eliminating biases to reducing time to hire, skills validation as a piece of the recruitment puzzle can bring a lot to the table. And from an employee standpoint, skills-based hiring and validation can provide them with agility, adaptability and career advancement opportunities (Forbes, 2023)

How to Validate Skills

Employers have long sought to validate prospective employee skills using a variety of tried and tested methods, including:

• Curriculum Vitae and Application Review
• Reference Checking
• Online Skills Assessment
• Technical Assessment
• Portfolio Review

These traditional employer validation of prospective employee skills can be susceptible to various forms of bias. Recognising and addressing these biases is crucial for creating a fair and inclusive hiring process.

How the Digital Skills Passport can support Skills Validation

Abodoo’s Digital Skills Passport (DSP) with Skills Validation provides a comprehensive and verifiable record of an individual's skills, qualifications, and professional experiences. Abodoo enables it's Educational Partners to support their learners and graduates beyond the traditional Curriculum Vitae by incorporating mechanisms for validating and verifying the claimed skills.This type of passport is especially relevant in today's dynamic job market, where the demand for specific digital skills is high, and employers seek efficient ways to assess the capabilities of potential candidates.

The goal of the Digital Skills Passport (DSP) is to create a more transparent, efficient, and reliable way for individuals to showcase their skills while providing employers with a trustworthy means of assessing a candidate's qualifications. The DSP aligns with the evolving nature of work and the increasing importance of skills in various industries.

Adopting a Skills First approach to Employee Recruitment and Retention

Adopting a Skills-First approach to employee recruitment and retention involves prioritising and emphasising the skills and competencies of individuals as the primary factor in hiring, promoting, and retaining employees. This approach is particularly relevant in a rapidly changing work environment where skills requirements evolve, and it aligns with the need for organisations to remain agile and competitive.

Here are key considerations for adopting a Skills-First approach:

Skills-Based Job Matching:

• Use skills assessments and tools to match candidates' skills with the requirements of the job. This ensures a more objective and accurate evaluation of candidates.

Skills Validation Tools (DSP)

• Implement tools or platforms that allow candidates to showcase and validate their skills. This could include online portfolios, certifications, or assessments.

Emphasise Skills Diversity

• Prioritise a diverse set of skills to foster a well-rounded and adaptable workforce. Consider both technical and soft skills in the hiring process.

Promote Lifelong Learning

• Encourage a culture of continuous learning and development. Highlight the organisation's commitment to helping employees acquire new skills throughout their careers.

Up-skilling Opportunities

• Provide opportunities for employees to upskill and reskill. This can include workshops, online courses, mentorship programmes and conference attendance.

Flexibility and Adaptability

• Foster a culture that values adaptability and flexibility. Employees should feel encouraged to explore new roles and responsibilities that align with their evolving skill set.

Employee Well-Being

• Consider the well-being of employees, both in terms of physical and mental health. A healthy and supported workforce is more likely to engage in skill development.

By adopting a Skills-First approach, organisations can build a more agile, adaptive, and high-performing workforce that is well-equipped to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing business landscape.

EIT Digitalare leading the charge in Europe with the announcement of the D-Academy powered by abodoo. The Digital Skills Passport is the cornerstone of the Skills Platform that will capture and validate the Skills of their Master Graduates as they go through personalised learning pathways. When they are employment ready they can showcase their full validated skills stack and experience a super skills 1st match.

Key Takeaways

• The rapid pace of technological advancements and evolving job requirements make it essential for employers to ensure that the skills of their workforce align with the demands of the roles they need to fill.
• Assessing and validating candidates' skills is a strategic imperative for organisations looking to build a skilled and agile workforce that can thrive in today's dynamic business environment.
• The goal of the Digital Skills Passport (DSP) is to create a more transparent, efficient, and reliable way for individuals to showcase their skills while providing employers with a trustworthy means of assessing a candidate's qualifications.
• By adopting a Skills-First approach, organisations can build a more agile, adaptive, and high-performing workforce that is well-equipped to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing business landscape.