Job seekers often hesitate to apply for positions if they don’t fully meet the posted requirements, even though they may have skills and experience that would enable them to be successful in the role. HR departments and hiring managers can invite a larger pool of applicants by having a thorough understanding of what skills are essential for the job versus what skills can be acquired through training.
Below, the experts from Forbes Human Resources Council share how they are shifting their hiring practices to make space for applicants who may not meet ideal expectations. With these strategies, hiring managers can rethink their requirements in order to recruit applicants who can bring passion, talent and creativity to their organizations.
1. Describe What Skills Are Necessary In Job Descriptions
Job descriptions should clearly separate non-negotiable and nice-to-have skills. What is needed on day one, versus what could be acquired on the job? An unnecessarily tough filter will weed out high-potential candidates who can succeed and grow within your company. The future of work needs innovative employees, and they may present differently on paper than those traditionally credentialed. – Courtney Pace, Ph.D., Deloitte
2. Invite More Applicants With Clearer Expectations
The Harvard Business Review article “Why Women Don’t Apply for Jobs Unless They’re 100% Qualified” showed leaders—mainly women—held back not because of a lack of confidence, but a belief that all stated qualifications must be met, rather than applying when they met most of the job criteria. For a more inclusive applicant pool, be clear on what is desirable, beneficial and preferred versus what is required or mandatory. – Tory Clarke, Bridge Partners
3. Differentiate Required Skills From Skills That Are Nice To Have
In my experience, if job seekers satisfy 70% to 80% of the requirements, it’s worth them applying. An ideal job description will include must-have and nice-to-have requirements. What’s often not listed on the job description but critical in hiring, is the cultural fit, being a good team player and the ability to learn and adapt. It’s a great idea for job seekers to highlight these skills on their resumes. – Hazel Kassu, Sudduth Search
4. Look For What Candidates Offer Beyond The “Wish List”
Job posts can cast a wide net to account for transferable skills, diverse interpretations and training. But should all requisites be ignored? No—they help set expectations to wean out truly unqualified candidates. But skills can be taught, unlike some characteristics; not checking all boxes isn’t a disadvantage, it’s a chance for applicants to offer more than a wish list. – Noelle Federico, StaffAgency.com
5. Encourage Applicants Who May Appear Underqualified
Research indicates that certain demographics will only apply if they meet every requirement in the job posting, which is especially true for female applicants. Men often apply even if they only have some of the prerequisites. I encourage applicants to apply if they have at least half the requirements, ambition and desire to learn. – Gordon Pelosse, CompTIA, the Computing Technology Industry Association
Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?
6. Look For Passionate Candidates Who Align With Your Culture
What makes a great hire and a great employee? Someone whose passion and curiosity align with our business mission and goals. We are missing out on stellar candidates because they don’t check every box. Have we seen some of our job requirements? Time to realign and streamline the requirements so we don’t eliminate people who can absolutely do the job, learn, adapt and most importantly, add to the culture. – Maria Miletic
7. Account For Applicants’ Skills And Attitude
HR Leaders and hiring managers can not expect a job applicant to meet every single requirement of a job. Hiring for attitude and transferrable skills is more important than if someone meets all the requirements of a job description. Depending on the job, safety requirements, certifications and work hours may be non-negotiable. Training should always be available to learn the job and to grow. – Sherry Martin, Government Administration
8. Focus On Outcomes To Make Space For More Applicants
HR leaders and hiring managers should rethink “requirements” to ensure they can attract the best candidates. A job description based on “outcomes” allows candidates to describe how their experience could translate to those outcomes and will increase applicants with relevant experience. – Michelle Delcambre, Felicis Ventures
9. Consider All Candidates Who Meet The Basic Requirements
Posted job requirements are the hiring managers’ wish list. While the “perfect” candidate might exist, that person is likely the needle in the haystack in the best of circumstances. HR leaders should take care to prioritize requirements and draw a line under the last must-have. Candidates meeting those indicated above the line should be considered; nice-to-haves below the line can be developed on the job. – Laci Loew, XpertHR (a division of LexisNexis Risk Solutions)
10. Look For Candidates Who Are Willing To Learn
HR leaders and hiring managers should consider candidates who lack some job requirements but have potential and a willingness to learn. While certain qualifications are non-negotiable, many skills can be acquired on the job. Prioritizing adaptability, attitude and cultural fit can lead to a more diverse, innovative and inclusive workforce, with opportunities for on-the-job training and growth. – Jennifer Patterson, Patterson Consulting Group
11. Be Prepared To Train Candidates Who Would Be A Good Cultural Fit
HR leaders and hiring managers should not expect all candidates to meet all job requirements. You also want to hire for cultural fit, so if someone meets 70% of the requirements, think about how you can train them so they can be successful in the role. You can teach hard skills, but evaluate soft skills as well as a fit within the team. – Erin ImHof, CertiK
12. Keep Job Postings Simple To Let Candidates Shine
At our company, job descriptions are fairly vanilla in respect to minimum requirements. As long as the minimum requirements are met, the candidate has the opportunity to showcase their strengths and their direct value to the core responsibilities. Highlighting past upskilling and its success truly highlights will and skill which beats formal expertise any day! Hire for attitude! – Britton Bloch, Navy Federal
13. Evaluate Which Skills Are Truly Necessary For New Hires
In my mind, a non-negotiable is any skill you must know on day one—and there aren’t as many as you might think. When I hire, I consider a candidate’s proven history of skilling up and adapting on the job, because I’m looking for someone who, even if they change roles, might want to stay with my company in the long run. I recommend this over looking for strict requirements any day. – Ursula Mead, InHerSight
14. Ease Expectations For Entry Level Positions
It is not realistic to expect candidates to check off all the boxes. What’s more beneficial is having foundational knowledge for the role requirements, demonstrating their ability to be coached and adapting and growing to all the skills and knowledge needed to be a master in the role. This is for entry-level and mid-level roles. For leadership and executive roles, they should meet a higher burden. – Evelyn Reed, HR Jawn
15. Look For Transferable Skills And Potential For Growth
Hiring methods must evolve. Leaders must look beyond the lens of fit based on job descriptions. The focus must include how transferable skills and competencies can add value to teams and complement the goals of organizations. Hiring methods must be developed to assess potential, attitude and talent directly connected to the mindsets of the future: curiosity, critical thinking, collaboration and care. – Chandran Fernando, Matrix360 Inc.
16. Prioritize Applicants With Strong Soft Skills And Provide Training For Hard Skills
There are fundamental distinctions between hard and soft skills. Hard skills can be taught and acquired through formal training to ensure that required job tasks are met. Soft skills i.e., problem-solving, strategic thinking, self-motivation, collaboration and a readiness to learn and adapt, in contrast, cannot be. Candidates will never check every box; hire for culture, and train for skills. – JacLyn Pagnotta, Rose Associates Inc.
17. A Candidate’s Attitude Can Balance A Lack Of Experience
It is impossible to get the wish list complete when hiring for any position. That being said, normally when a business decision is made, it is made based on 65% to 70% of the data points. I think the same rule applies to the job position as well while recruiting candidates. In my view, one thing that is non-negotiable is the attitude the person carries. Attitude helps to get the altitude. – Prakash Raichur, Taghleef Industries
18. Understand Your Organization’s Needs
HR leaders should look for candidates who have transferable skills and fit the company’s culture. It is important to know the position’s non-negotiables, and from there, look at the candidates holistically. Someone with transferable skills or alternative credentials could be the right fit for the company and a specific software program, for example, is easily learned. – Niki Jorgensen, Insperity
19. Look For Candidates With Growth Mindsets During Interviews
It is a mistake for hiring managers and HR leaders to get caught up in every requirement. Certainly, some skills are a must-have, but many skills are transferable. The right person is coachable, willing to look for help and can learn and adapt quickly. Interviewing for that type of growth mindset is where some of the best hires show themselves, regardless of their background. – Carrie Berg, Teladoc Health
20. Determine Which Skills Are Necessary And Which Are Open To Compromise
Humans are not perfect, and the perfect candidate is not always easy to find. Therefore, it is normal for some parts of job specifications to be open to compromise. In most cases, hiring managers must prioritize critical skills and experiences that an applicant must meet. For example, it would be non-negotiable for a software engineering role if the applicant doesn’t have experience in coding. – Jonathan Romley, Lundi
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