The Benefits of Skill-Based Hiring for Business Growth

So you developed a cutting-edge software product, but as you grow, you need help finding the right people to help you continue to innovate and stay ahead of the competition. We’ve been there!

Having the right people on your team is crucial for achieving long-term success. The problem with traditional recruitment practices is that they often rely heavily on qualifications like a four-year degree, job titles, and experience. So it is challenging for companies to find the most qualified candidates.

To address this issue, many businesses are adopting a skills-based hiring approach. A report by the Harvard Business School shows that companies are reducing degree requirements and that skill-focused strategies can have a tremendous effect on business results. 

So, how do you find a perfect hire?

Most likely, you do it via LinkedIn. And here Expandi comes into play. Its automated outreach feature allows recruiters to craft personalized messages, streamlining the talent journey and improving the likelihood of finding the perfect fit for the job. With Expandi, you can target candidates with the skill set you search for and send hundreds of personalized messages!

If this sounds intriguing, and you want to lead a successful business, keep reading on! In this article, we’ll examine the advantages of skill-based hiring and how it can aid your business in achieving growth.

How skill-based hiring compares with the traditional approach

So, you know how in a typical job application process, we look at an applicant’s education, work history, and past positions to judge their suitability? 

While these factors can give us a general idea of their credentials, they might not always match the exact skills and abilities needed to succeed in the role. But with a skills-based approach, we can focus on the skills required for a particular job and evaluate applicants based on their ability to demonstrate these skills. 

This approach helps companies find candidates with the needed skills, resulting in improved efficiency, job satisfaction, and better outcomes. Here is a comparison of traditional vs. skill-based hiring approaches:

Traditional Hiring	Skill-Based Hiring
Focus on education, job experience and job titles	Focus on specific skills and competencies
The talent pool is limited	The pool of candidates is broader
Overlooks candidates without traditional credentials	Identifies and evaluates candidates just based on skills
Hires can lack the skills needed for success	Hires have the skills needed for success

Some of the additional benefits of skills-based hiring include:

• More inclusive workforce: Without enforcing stringent educational requirements, skill-based hiring provides a much broader spectrum of candidates the chance to apply, including nontraditional candidates who have honed their abilities in ways outside of the conventional.
• Better alignment with job requirements: Skills-based hiring allows employers to pinpoint the skills needed for the role and seek out potential applicants with those capabilities, leading to a stronger match between the job and the applicant.
• Cost savings: Hiring candidates based on their skills and attitude can benefit employers by reducing employee turnover.
• Future-proofing: As technology moves forward rapidly, skills-based hiring makes it possible for your personnel to be more flexible and quickly pick up and understand new technologies.

If you want to ensure your business can withstand changes in the future, you need to adapt your hiring practices. One way to do this is by using technology to your advantage. As a hiring manager, incorporating tech resources into your recruitment process can make it more efficient and automated, saving you time and money.

What you need to do as a recruiter to attract skilled talent 

You can use several tactics to find and bring on highly qualified personnel.

Skills-based workforce planning

If you’re trying to achieve an organization’s strategic objectives, then you should definitely focus on workforce planning. Basically, this means figuring out what your future talent needs will be, identifying any personnel shortages you’re facing now, and coming up with ways to address those shortages. One way to do this is through skills-based workforce planning, which means figuring out what specific skills and abilities each job requires.

To get started, you’ll want to really understand the role and its responsibilities. Recruiters should assess what the job duties are and what capabilities are necessary for success. Once they’ve identified the required skills, they can create job postings highlighting those particular abilities.

You’ll also want to ensure you have all the necessary tools to make your plan successful. Technology can be a big help here. 

There are plenty of tech tools that:

• let recruiters post job openings on different websites, 
• scan resumes, 
• have online conversations with candidates, 
• and assess their skills and qualifications. 

Some of these tools use machine learning algorithms to make recruitment more effective and data-oriented.

To make workforce planning even easier, you can try using Expandi. This tool automates the LinkedIn outreach process and can save recruiters a lot of time by sending targeted messages to hundreds of potential candidates.

And the best part? Expandi isn’t just limited to LinkedIn. You can also use it for email prospecting on any email platform you prefer. It’s effortless to configure and can help you reach even more potential candidates.

Identifying correct skills required for the job openings and creating skill-based job postings

If you’re looking to hire new employees, it’s crucial to figure out precisely what skills and proficiencies each role requires. To do this, hiring managers should focus on the specific skills and qualifications necessary for success. This can involve studying job postings for the most important skills.

It’s also a good idea to ask managers and team members what skills they think are key for a successful outcome. This can give you a better understanding of what you’re looking for in a candidate.

When writing job descriptions, it’s important to focus on the skills needed for the job, rather than just asking for a specific degree or years of experience. This helps level the playing field and can lead to a more diverse and inclusive talent pool. Use clear and concise language to highlight your commitment to candidates’ skill sets and attitudes.

For example, if you’re hiring for a digital marketing role, instead of demanding specific degrees or years of experience, you could list skills like “knowledge of SEO and SEM” and “familiarity with social media management.” And don’t forget to include the “actively recruiting” tag on all job postings to clarify that you’re looking for candidates right now!

Skill-based hiring process

The hiring process can be broken down into six phases:

1. Looking for candidates: In this phase, recruiters or hiring managers begin by searching for potential candidates. This can involve posting job listings online or reaching out to individuals who may be a good fit for the position.
2. Skills assessments: Once a pool of candidates has been identified, recruiters or hiring managers will assess their skills to determine if they have the necessary qualifications for the job. This can involve reviewing resumes, conducting skills tests, or administering personality assessments.
3. Making an outreach database: At this point, recruiters or hiring managers will create a database of potential candidates, including their contact information and any relevant skills or qualifications.
4. Candidate outreach and follow-up: In this phase, recruiters or hiring managers will reach out to potential candidates to gauge their interest in the position and schedule interviews. They may also follow up with candidates who have already been interviewed to gather additional information or ask for feedback.
5. Interview process: The interview process is where recruiters or hiring managers get a chance to learn more about the candidates and assess their fit for the position. This can involve multiple rounds of interviews, including phone screenings, in-person interviews, and follow-up conversations.
6. Creating a talent pool: After the interview process is complete, recruiters or hiring managers will create a pool of potential candidates who were not selected for the position. This database can be used for future hiring needs or to refer candidates to other positions within the organization.

Using Expandi to contact qualified applicants and organize the recruiting process will save tons of time for recruiters. Expandi allows HR professionals to automatically send connection requests and messages, open Inmail messages and skill endorsements, like posts, and follow any profile or company page. With this tool, recruiters can easily find and connect with skilled talent on LinkedIn, leading to more successful hires.

How to find candidates using a skill-based approach?

One of the first things you’ll want to do is use the advanced search function on LinkedIn. This will allow you to filter your search by specific skills relevant to the position you’re hiring for. For example, if you’re looking for a software developer, search for candidates with expertise in Java, Javascript, Ruby on Rails.

Another tool you can use to find candidates based on their skills is LinkedIn’s “Skills & Endorsements” section. This section allows you to see what skills candidates have listed on their profile, as well as how many endorsements they have for each skill. This can give you a sense of which candidates have the most relevant expertise and experience. To search for the skills and endorsements use them as your keywords.

In addition to searching for specific skills, you can also look for candidates who have participated in relevant groups or published content related to your industry or field. This can help you identify individuals who are passionate about your industry and deeply understand its challenges and opportunities.

Finally, remember to leverage your own network when searching for candidates based on their skills. See if any of your connections can recommend skilled candidates for the position or reach out to individuals you know who work in your industry or field for their insights and recommendations.

Now that you have a candidates list, start your automated outreach campaign.

How to start with the Expandi automation campaign?

1. Log in to the tool and go to the “Campaigns” tab.

You can create your own campaign from scratch or use the pre-maid sequences.Go to the “Marketplace” tab and choose the sequence. To connect with new candidates for the recruitment campaign, we will choose the “Connect new people” sequence.

2. To connect with new candidates for the recruitment campaign we choose the “Connect new people” sequence. 

You can now edit the campaign flow steps, change content and time delays.

3. To add the list of people to outreach, click the “People” tab.

Depending on the approach you use to find proper candidates you might want to make a “New Search” and use a “Sales Navigator” search, “Recruiter” search, “Group” search”, “Event” search or upload an existing CSV with the list of candidates for the outreach.

4. Once you have the list of people and the sequence ready go to the “Settings” tab and set up the number of requests to send daily.

Click on “Start immediately” and that’s it! You can have a coffee break  

5. You can later review the stats for each step of the campaign and adjust the messaging and follow-up times accordingly.

Skill-based career development

When it comes to talent management, focusing on skills can positively impact employee development. Companies prioritizing skills-based education and training can build a more engaged, productive, and satisfied workforce. By investing in this approach, businesses can reap significant rewards.

Encouraging employees to develop their skills and pursue new goals can create a culture of lifelong learning. This can lead to higher levels of job satisfaction, better employee retention, and a more skilled workforce, regardless of whether or not they have a college degree.

If you’re a recruiter looking to develop your skills in this area, Expandi has got you covered. Our Expandi Academy, with the courses taught by top LinkedIn professionals, provides cutting-edge techniques and packed eBooks to help businesses become outreach masters. You’ll learn how to use LinkedIn and other outreach methods effectively to find and attract talented individuals.

Conclusion

Skill-based hiring is the way forward in modern recruitment. As the job market evolves, companies embracing skills-based hiring may be better equipped to navigate the labor market and retain top talent.

To increase the standard of talent and better your business performance, shift the spotlight away from college degrees and work history and onto the required skills. Additionally, when writing job postings, make sure to highlight the required skills and, during the recruitment phase, verify that the applicants have the aptitude for the job. Finally, don’t forget about workforce training and give your employees the opportunities to participate in training programs to keep them motivated and devoted to the job.

If you’re searching for a more efficient system for recruiting qualified applicants, Expandi is the ideal solution. With Expandi, you can simplify the outreach process on LinkedIn and target potential employees who possess the necessary qualifications. It is trusted by 12.500+ users, including Growth Marketers, Business Developers, Recruiters, Startup Founders, and Agency

Owners. 

Don’t wait – give Expandi a try for free and witness the advantages firsthand!

FAQs

• What is a skills-based approach?

When it comes to recruiting, a skills-based methodology prioritizes the capabilities and experience of a job seeker over the educational history or qualifications. Instead of focusing on things like college degrees or program certificates, this approach prioritizes a person’s demonstrated skills. 

• What is a skills-based approach in HR?

When it comes to HR, taking a skills-based approach entails concentrating on a prospective employee’s capabilities and background instead of their educational credentials. This strategy is meant to evaluate a candidate’s ability to execute specific duties required for a job.

• What is a skills-based job description?

When posting a job, a skills-based description helps to attract a broader talent pool by detailing the particular abilities and knowledge needed instead of just emphasizing qualifications or educational credentials. 

• What is a skills-based approach to workforce planning?

A skills-based approach to workforce planning is an effective way to guarantee that your team is an ideal blend of skills and expertise. This method involves pinpointing the precise skills and experiences called for in each position and then searching for applicants who possess those qualities instead of just depending on classic hiring standards.

• What is skills-based hiring?

When it comes to finding the right person for a job, skills-based hiring is a great option. This strategy prioritizes people’s attitudes and experiences over their educational history or qualifications. The goal is to figure out what the candidate can do, not where they obtained their degree.

• What are the benefits of skills-based hiring?

Skills-based hiring presents a host of advantages, such as a broader selection of eligible applicants, increased diversity and inclusion, higher job contentment and retention figures, heightened productivity and efficiency, a better match between abilities and job expectations, and a more expedited yet efficient recruitment process.