The "qualified candidate" is evolving, and business needs to keep up

The experience of being a job candidate has dramatically changed over the last several years. Putting in an application was once a somewhat daunting experience for job seekers. Even with Indeed or LinkedIn, it wasn't an all-inclusive platform to centralize your job-seeking or recruiting efforts. That's all changed--so has the meaning of a qualified candidate. 

Remote or Hybrid?

Today, those in the market for a new job, or even casually looking, are eyeing something different in the market. Can a prospect find a job that will allow a hybrid of remote and office work; how about full-remote? 

Rethinking Skills

What about skills? While people with a degree or higher education are more likely to receive a job offer than those who don't, it's not all about a degree anymore. The tech industry was the first to see this; young adults may not have more than some high school education. However, they've been coding in Java or Python for almost ten years- with certifications too. 

The workforce theme we're witnessing in this first month of 2022 will resonate for several years- you'll no longer be able to spot your qualified candidate based on black and white criteria. Instead, job description buzz words such as "or relevant experience" will have to become a standard. Case in point, over the last five years, major companies like Google, Apple, Tesla, and more waived several degree requirements, as have smaller firms.

As we move forward into the next several months, businesses should continue to prioritize skill-based hiring and put a more substantial value on a candidate's experience instead of their formal education. Some positions may still require some degree, but indeed, not all.

We will continue to see a rise in larger companies adopting apprenticeship programs, similar to what the trade of plumbers, electricians, and construction do today, where they can train, develop employees, and teach on the job. 

Investing in your employee early on will go a long way with retention.

If your company is facing recruitment challenges in 2022,
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