Skills-based hiring practice increases and strengthens equity. Removing barriers to well-paying jobs to previously overlooked workers will allow them to pursue attractive career pathways and leadership roles.

Implementing a skills-based hiring strategy will allow organizations to attract and keep a broader talent pool. By hiring based on demonstrated skills rather than degree completion, organizations will open opportunities to a large population of potential employees who in recent years, have often been excluded from consideration because of degree inflation.

Transitioning to a skills-based hiring approach gives your organization an opportunity for a structural reset. Employers can rethink their approach to human capital and talent management and still find the right employees by eliminating degree requirements while adding-detailed soft-skills requirements in job postings.

The OST profession has made major strides in reducing obstacles for workers to advance in the field. Through a skills-based approach to hiring, companies can bolster the number and quality of applicants who apply to open positions and assist workers in finding more opportunities to advance internally, which can help employers improve retention. Now is the right time to look beyond degrees and job titles and hone in on the skills a candidate possesses compared to those required by the job.