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Skills-Based Hiring Gains Momentum

Skills-Based Hiring Gains Momentum

Aug. 18, 2022
A new SHRM survey found that 79% of companies say scores on skills assessments are just as or more important than traditional criteria in hiring decisions.

Could hiring practices be changing? Well, more than half of employers—56%—use pre-employment assessments to gauge job applicants’ knowledge, skills and abilities, according to new research from SHRM ( the Society for Human Resource Manager.)

An interesting finding of the recent survey of 1,688 HR professionals is the use of skills assessments in hiring, including a willingness on the part of employers to consider candidates who do not have a college degree or the minimum years of experience.

The survey found that 79% of HR professionals say that scores on skills assessments are just as or more important than traditional criteria in hiring decisions, and 36% say a job candidate who scores high on an assessment but doesn't meet the minimum years of experience is very likely to make it onto the list of final candidates.

“With employers still struggling to fill vacant positions, HR professionals are leading the way in using skills-based hiring and skilled credentials to acquire top talent,” said SHRM Head of Government Affairs Emily M. Dickens, in a statement. “

Here are other key findings from SHRM’s survey:

  • 28% of HR professionals said a job candidate who scores high on the assessment but doesn't meet the minimum education requirement would be very likely to make it onto the list of final candidates for consideration. Forty percent said that would be somewhat likely in the same scenario.
  • 82% of organizations that require work samples or work simulation tests do so for applicants identified for further consideration.
  • 78% of HR professionals say the quality of their organization’s hires has improved due to their use of assessments.
  • 23% of HR professionals said the diversity of their hires has improved using these assessments.
  • Of organizations that utilize pre-employment assessments, 1 in 4 plan to expand their use of these assessments in the next five years.
  • Of organizations that don’t utilize pre-employment assessments, 1 in 10 plan to start using them in the next five years.
About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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