York Solutions Thought Leadership

York Solutions How to Hire for the Skills that Matter

Written by yorksolutions | May 30, 2018 2:24:15 PM

There is a disconnect in the current job market. Job seekers grumble that they send out dozens of resumes and rarely get an interview. Employers complain that there are not nearly enough qualified applicants for the jobs they need to fill.

According to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 6.1 million unfilled jobs and 6.6 million unemployed people in the U.S. (potentially include the latest unemployment rate that was just released at 3.9%?)There’s a  , and it’s particularly acute in the IT industry.

Companies are struggling to find candidates who match the exact qualifications they outline in the job description. But they’re not always looking for the right things. They require advanced proficiency in a long list of skills, when core competency and an aptitude for building on existing knowledge would suffice. Or they demand an undergraduate or master’s degree, when targeted training would be more applicable to the position.

Does your company fall into this hiring trap? Look beyond that list of resume items you think you need, and instead focus on competency-based hiring.

Concentrate on the skills that matter most.

Zoom in on what a person needs to be successful in this job. What knowledge and experience are absolutely necessary? What can be learned on the job? What soft skills are important? What kind of character and values are you looking for in this employee?

Think outside the box.

Widen your perspective on what your perfect candidate looks like. It’s easy to hire people who are similar to you in background, experience, and mindset. But your team benefits from different viewpoints. Be intentional about hiring people who bring diverse perspectives to the table.

Gain access to a new talent pipeline.

Instead of casting the net wide, narrow your search to a curated group of trained and pre-screened IT professionals. York Solutions’ Barriers to Entry (B2E) program provides comprehensive training, focusing on IT and technology skills, including  project management to produce graduates who are highly skilled and highly motivated.

Many of our program participants are veterans, stay-at-home parents or caregivers re-entering the workforce, and people ready for a career change. They would be overlooked in traditional hiring processes, but they are an untapped resource for talent.

Need help finding top IT talent? Learn more about York Solutions’ Barriers to Entry program.