A* Grades Are Failing You: Why Skills-Based Hiring is the Way Forward
The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally reshaped how we work, learn, and hire. Yet, employers are still clinging to outdated hiring practices.
One of the biggest mistakes? Overlooking the value of soft skills. These uniquely human traits, like collaboration, empathy, and creativity, are the glue that holds teams together, boosts productivity, and ensures long-term employee retention. Experts predict Artificial Intelligence (AI) will never replace that.
This article explores why it’s time to embrace skill-based recruitment strategies. At add-victor, we’ve seen firsthand how athletes and veterans embody the qualities needed to transform recruitment challenges into opportunities for building resilient, high-performing teams.
The Problem: Grades & Work Experience Don’t Tell the Full Story
Michelle Sims’ examination of entry-level hiring strategies in 2024 sheds light on a major paradox; employers want candidates with experience, yet candidates need a job to gain experience. Leaving around 70% of UK jobseekers locked out of entry-level jobs.
The pandemic only made things worse. Lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 further limited opportunities for graduates to gain experience. Meanwhile, employers remain fixated on grades and qualifications—a metric that can often misrepresent a candidate’s true potential. For example, the government’s 2020 A-Level grading U-turn revealed glaring discrepancies in results, undermining their credibility*.
*In 2020, Students in England were not able to sit their A-level exams due to the pandemic. This U-turn meant that they received grades based on teacher predictions, replacing the initially controversial algorithm-based calculations.
Despite this, degree inflation persists. Kate Morgan’s 2021 findings showed that less than 7% of the world’s population holds a Bachelor’s degree, yet demand for degrees is rising—even for jobs that don’t strictly require them. This overemphasis on academic qualifications and high grades means that talented candidates, who also possess the practical soft skills essential for success, are being overlooked.
Why Soft Skills Matter More Than Ever
The rise of AI in the workplace has created new challenges. While AI excels at data analysis and decision-making, it can’t replicate the human traits essential for effective teamwork and leadership, and ultimately long-term career success. These include:
- Collaborative communication
- Empathy
- Emotional intelligence
- Creativity
- Intuition
Prioritising AI in the workplace needs to be approached with care, as it can sometimes limit individuality and overshadow critical thinking and interpersonal skills. Ideally, employers should harness AI as a tool in conjunction with the above inimitably human qualities, both talent acquisition and learning and development. By prioritising candidates with strong soft skills, on top of owning qualifications, companies can strike a productive balance between human creativity and technology efficiency.
Going for Gold: Transferring Student-Athlete Skills into Your Workplace
How can employers make the right changes to maximise workplace prosperity?
Skills-based hiring is proving to be a game-changer. Companies that prioritise skills over qualifications are 60% more likely to make successful hires. This approach also leads to a 20% higher retention rate.
Therefore, Student-Athletes are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap and be great employees. They combine academic pedigrees with the invaluable soft skills and traits developed through their sporting achievements.
Here’s why they are ideal hires:
- Adaptability & resilience: sports teach students to overcome challenges and stay committed, which translates directly to the workplace.
- Time management & motivation: balancing sport alongside studies requires excellent time-keeping and organisational skills, as well as considerable drive, which is requisite for long-term success.
- Diversity & teamwork: student-athletes come from diverse backgrounds and thrive effectively in team environments. Research shows that well-managed diverse teams significantly outperform their non-diverse counterparts.
With their ream of transferable skills, student-athletes bring fresh transferrable skills and collaborative spirit straight to employers.
The Shift to Skills-Based Hiring
The benefits of skills-based hiring are clear. It’s more inclusive, prioritising what candidates can do rather than where they’ve been. Employers also gain a more adaptable and loyal workforce, better equipped to navigate a fast-changing world.
At add-victor, we specialise in connecting employers with extraordinary talent, from student-athletes to ex-military personnel. We’ve seen how these individuals drive success across industries, from finance to sustainability.
It’s time for employers to rethink their approach. Stop overvaluing grades and qualifications. Start embracing candidates with the soft skills and potential to thrive.
The future of recruitment is skills-based.
Olivia Griffiths
Sources
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