Hand extending diploma and graduation cap.

Want to Connect with More Candidates? Rethink Degree Requirements

Often when employers are looking to hire new talent, they pick up an old job description and update it with the specifics of the post they are looking to fill, and the template may include a degree requirement. If this is true for you, it may be time to consider how the hiring landscape has changed. For instance, in today’s labor market, many organizations are focusing their hiring strategy on a skill-based approach, one that removes degree requirements from job descriptions. 

In the current competitive hiring environment, making a decision to utilize a skill-based approach to hiring is a path to connecting with top talent. If you want to talk with an employment professional about changing your workplace degree requirements in order to expand your talent network, connect with the experts at Staffing Network.

Looking for Skills Instead of Degrees

For many positions, a skill-based search makes more sense than putting a degree requirement in place. After all, when there are specific tasks to be performed, whether or not a candidate has transferable skills that will meet the needs of the position is arguably more important than if the person obtained a degree from an institute of higher learning. 

When you have an educational requirement, it closes off a lot of talent pools. For example, if there is a bachelor degree requirement posted within a job description, that posting will not be picked up by community colleges and neighborhood hiring centers, places where there are a lot of people looking for work.

You will open up your options when you embrace a skills-based approach to hiring as removing the degree requirement will make you more competitive when it comes to hiring candidates. More and more organizations are strategizing ways to identify overlooked candidates as the labor market remains tight, adjusting to the current climate will help your business remain fully staffed and productive.

Talk to a Recruiter About Your Hiring Goals

There are experts who can keep you on the cusp of new employment trends. Because naturally, each situation needs to be reviewed in order to target your talent search effectively. Once a staffing professional understands your recruitment goals, they can share best practices with you. A recruiter will carefully listen to what positions you are looking to fill immediately as well as your long term hiring objectives. 

Next, a staffing firm can assist you in updating job descriptions, interviewing candidates, performing skill tests, and checking references. With others taking care of all of the administrative needs of hiring, your time will be freed up to oversee the daily tasks of managing your department.

Is it time for you to rewrite your job descriptions? Removing degree requirements means you are getting rid of a restriction that may have been blocking you from finding the perfect hire for your organization. Employment professionals can help. Staffing Network is a full-service staffing and recruiting firm that specializes in light/skilled industrial, engineering, and operations professionals. Connect with Staffing Network today.

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