How a global company connects the dots for skills-based hiring

In today’s dynamic economy, hiring the right candidate has become increasingly critical. To adapt, more executives (90%) are embracing skills-based hiring to build sustainable careers and stronger teams.

Actalent, a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions with 30,000 consultants and 6,100 clients, is contributing to this shift. Strategic Operations Director Thad Gruss is leading Actalent’s work in the skills-based hiring space. One strategic partner he has engaged is iQ4, a technology company with a digital platform that enables learning and employment records (LERs) that capture individuals’ skills, and a marketplace that facilitates learning and hiring. iQ4’s technology gives employers clarity into their workforce’s skills needs and the ability to identify those skills in applicants and their existing employees. We talked with Thad to learn more about his team’s approach to skills-based hiring and he shared the following insights.

Considering transferrable skills surfaces new sources of talent

While traditional hiring methods focus on matching past job titles and years of experience, Actalent is looking at transferrable skills that open up the candidate pool. According to Gruss, this also impacts employee retention and satisfaction. He describes this shift from experience to skills as: “Experience is tenure. Experience is how long you've been doing something. Skills are how well you can do it.”

Skills-based hiring is good for business

Embracing skills-based hiring is a business strategy that can lead to connections with qualified candidates and increased efficiency in the hiring process. When employers leverage tools like iQ4’s platform to target candidates with exactly the skills they need, they get connected with higher quality candidates, quickly.

Gruss stressed, “The more qualified people you can hire and the faster you can hire them is going to increase productivity and ultimately yield higher levels of revenue.”

Skills-based approaches unlock opportunities to enhance existing workforce talent

Upskilling and reskilling allow businesses to nurture existing employees and their capabilities, in parallel to searching for external talent. Actalent provides additional training and shadow programs for entry and mid-level employees in areas such as construction management. Their skills-based approach allows them to identify exactly the type of training that will be most beneficial to cultivate the skills they need.

“There are two types of companies – those that invest in people through development and upskilling, knowing they're going to get a return on that investment – and then there's everybody else,” said Gruss. “I believe companies that are doing the former are the ones that are going to win.”

Skills-based hiring is a win for workers and employers

Through continuous learning from companies like Actalent, the opportunity to match the right candidate to the right position will continue to evolve.

Companies that successfully integrate skills-based hiring into their recruitment processes not only gain a competitive edge, but also create more equitable and opportunity-rich workplaces. For workers — skills-based hiring ensures that they are the right fit and will be supported throughout their journey.