The pandemic has hit the job market unlike anything seen in our lifetimes. According to the Office for National Statistics, since February 2020 the number of employees on the UK payroll fell by more than 820,000. While we in no way can diminish the impact the last year has had on organisations, we need to stay open to the opportunity now presented and change how we evaluate candidates to focus on a new age of skills.

When it comes to hiring new candidates, there’s always been an emphasis on what skills a candidate might have and why these skills make them desirable. But the idea of the “perfect candidate” is outdated. It concentrates too heavily on what’s on an individual’s application rather than looking at them more holistically to consider how their work ethic and their experiences might make them the best person for the company.

It’s time for change. We need to reassess the importance and necessity of certain skills that have dominated applications during the recruitment process to date. So what needs to be prioritised?

Validating skills
We’re already seeing companies remove the bachelor’s degree requirement for many engineering roles. Instead, there’s now a greater emphasis on candidates possessing a baseline level of certain skills. Where they learned them matters less and less.

There’s good reason for this shift. Typically speaking, colleges and universities are focused on specific disciplines. While this makes sense in a theoretical context, the learning of a discipline doesn’t necessarily translate to the reality of work. Take languages for example: you may be the best in your class at reciting conjugations of Spanish verbs, but if you can’t speak freely to express a point, that knowledge isn’t very useful in the real world. The same metaphor applies to tech as well.

Companies want to know whether a candidate can validate the skills they say they have. Certifications are nice, but they don’t mean anything if they’re not backed up by a real-world understanding. How can you be sure they have it? And how many potential dream candidates with the real-world understanding you need have been overlooked simply because they’re self-taught—perhaps only due to having the “wrong” degree?

The answer: today, fewer and fewer. People who have actively sought to learn a new skill because of a genuine interest are typically more passionate, invested, and eager to prove themselves. All it takes for them to thrive is an employer who can provide the right company mentorship and learning resources. That’s why there’s been a dramatic increase in self-taught technologists whose degrees may not reflect the field they’re in but whose skills have been (and can continue to be) augmented on the job. Success stories have become common—I’ve seen a psych major who got into coding for the love of it, and is now an SVP of engineering.

Which skills matter most?
Certain skills and abilities have been undervalued by employers despite being vital in the world of work. What’s more, with technology becoming ever more prevalent, even employees working in nontechnical roles must demonstrate basic tech skills. The challenge for both candidates and employers is knowing which skills matter most, how to prove them, and how to improve them.

We use written and verbal communication every day in the workplace, yet clear and consistent communication is regularly overlooked. The ability to debate a point and communicate it with clarity—especially in writing—is essential in the professional sphere. If a role is client facing, effective communication is even more vital. The reality is that many people associate poor grammar and communication errors with a lack of professionalism and expertise, and that can do real damage to a business relationship. Communication and writing skills are universally mandated in today’s world.

Similarly, the structure of the modern company dictates that a candidate must be able to work effectively within a team. If they can’t, they’ll struggle. Tech teams in particular typically work in squads that include product managers, architects, engineers, UX designers, writers, and even marketers. It’s the collaboration and productivity of these diverse teams that enable creativity and innovation. While each individual needs to bring a particular skill to the table, remember that skills can be developed. How a person works with others, however, can make or break a team dynamic.

Technology has permeated all industries. Most businesses have embraced this shift, identifying new opportunities through a digital, data-driven focus. Even the most technology-averse companies have had to adopt new practices such as ecommerce or digital marketing. But this so-called “age of reinvention” must also occur for people—in the technology sector and beyond. Many occupations that haven’t traditionally been considered tech roles now require basic skills like coding with Python, proficiency with specific software, or understanding analytics tools and how to apply their insights. This new age requires staff to be more well-rounded.

Building a culture of learning
There’s been a change of business focus. The increased need for teamwork during lockdown, paired with new forms of communication, has sparked a new era of centered around the skills a candidate brings to the table. And that’s changed what organisations look for when recruiting. They used to base decisions largely on the degree a candidate acquired and formal experience. But now, having applicable skills, displaying a passion for work, and solving problems as part of a team are of greater significance.

Once you’ve found your top candidate, you’ll need to determine the set of basic tech skills that can guarantee success. And remember—skills can be developed. But as an organisation, you need to provide practical and relevant training resources. It’s the only way to ensure individuals learn and develop on the job to stay aligned with your company’s direction.

While that might seem overwhelming to many in leadership and HR positions, it shouldn’t be. The right learning partner can help create a versatile approach that allows your team members to focus on their passions, hone their skills, boost their enthusiasm to learn on the job, and grow throughout their careers. A strong culture of learning coupled with the right resources will deliver value for everyone.