Graduating with a degree was once considered key to kickstarting a prosperous career and many recruiters would typically filter shortlists by removing applicants who weren’t degree qualified without any discussion. This is a traditional and aged way of hiring, posing a barrier for employers who aim to build diverse and inclusive workforces for many reasons. Unfortunately, the practice still exists today and can be one of the methods that employers find the most difficult to ditch.
Interestingly, this article from the Harvard Business Reviewshares that the practice took off in the early 2000’s with a significant number of employers adding degree requirements to the descriptions of jobs that hadn’t previously required degrees, a trend that became particularly pronounced after the Great Recession of 08-09 and commonly referred to as ‘Degree inflation’.
The same article recognises that skills-based hiring is on the rise which will open opportunities to a large population of potential employees who in recent years have often been excluded from consideration because of degree inflation. More and more employers are recognising that the qualifications available don’t always fully match the needs of their businesses now or in the future with 45% of employers saying an applicant having a degree is ‘not important’ according to an article written by PeopleManagement.co.uk.
It’s also reported by the Mirrorthatin 2023 that less than half of graduates were working in a career that related to their degree. Even the universities minister, Michelle Donelan, acknowledges that “higher education is not necessarily the best route to get to where you want in life” and that that true social mobility is about improving outcomes rather than university placements as reported by the Guardian.
How does ‘Degree Inflation’ impact social mobility, you ask? It’s widely reported that individuals from a lower socio-economic background are less likely to attend or complete a university course but that doesn’t mean that this group of people are less competent or capable. The Social Mobility Commission shares thoughts from the former CEO of Personal Banking at Barclays, Steven Cooper, who left school at 16 and became a bank teller. Steven has faced many barriers over his 30-year career namely promotions hinging on a specific level of qualification or assumptions that he should be in a clerical role given his background however he’s managed to overcome this and enjoy a career that has taken him to the most senior levels.
It’s a fascinating story but unfortunately not the case for so many others.
Society is moving in the right direction but there is still more to be done. According to LinkedIn, there were only 30% of jobs posted that don’t require a degree in 2022. It would be interesting to know how many advertisements that required a degree qualified individual had actually stated which course or topic the individual should be qualified in as far too often the specialism isn’t declared leaving room for speculation if a degree level qualification is required at all.
To promote, enable and accelerate social mobility and create inclusive workplace and hiring practices, organisations should think harder and smarter about talent attraction and retention. Shifting focus from rigid degree requirements to a skills-based hiring approach levels the playing field and provides opportunity for individuals from all backgrounds to thrive.
Skills-based hiring will open opportunities to a large population of potential employees who in recent years have often been excluded from consideration because of degree inflation
Budgets are tight across the world right now, but technology is making huge advancements and nowhere more than in the Gen AI arena. It feels like functionality, accessibility and opportunities are changing daily and businesses are under pressure to ensure they are not left behind their competitors. With the projected worth of the AI market expected to reach £160 billion by 2025, its adoption is now a crucial element for businesses across diverse sectors.
So how do you identify the right route, platform, process, or even company-wide strategy to benefit the most but also keep abreast of the tech, and all without breaking the bank?
One thing to consider is how you plan to implement AI. Not necessarily just focusing on using it. Recently Google ran into some issues when Gemini (it’s viral chatbot with ChatGPT) generated World War 2 images that were historically inaccurate. Moving forward it’s worth asking who will act as responsible and an architect for this technology and who can take AI and input it into a business process to reduce risk and drive the efficiency in your teams.
Is outsourcing your AI computation the right move? Nimbleness will help you to stay on top of governmental changes and flexibility is important. An in-house model could pose risk and you may need to evaluate who is going to support you as new legislations unfold and technology advances.
Is your company equipped with the right skillsets to absorb the information coming from AI and to provide clarity? It’s unlikely that the talent you have in-house have both the technical and so-called ‘soft’ skills, that can help to drive successful AI practices. The technology moves so quickly there are no existing parameters or full-scale expertise, and unlikely to be so. These skills include critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration alongside the ability to communicate the strengths and weaknesses of using artificial intelligence, as well as when not to use it. And even more simply than that, do your team members feel open to testing and learning in the AI space?
Have you considered how to roll out the technology to your teams, how to cultivate AI-based work habits and how to prioritize AI training? The AI industry value is projected to increase by 13 times over the next seven years. However, the technology in this field is moving faster than the talent which the UK is generating to deliver it. There is a significant talent gap, and the demand for qualified AI professionals — contractors included — far exceeds the supply. It’s therefore vitally important to look at internal mobility.
Do you or some employees not fit into a “typical” AI leader stereotype? This can be an area some people feel a lack of confidence or voice around the subject matter due to certain groups of people having more experience or daringness than others. That is why it is even more important to ensure you have a seat at table, and that the table is full of all types of people to help reduce bias and evolve a more inclusive framework around delivering AI.
There is no way to truly know how AI will impact global jobs, but at the minute, it will benefit those of us in the TA space to learn as much as we can, become comfortable in the space, keep reading, and keep growing. Soon we will be hiring for new skillsets in the AI environment and our internal processes will be leveraging new technology – yes it’s all going to look a little different.
What you're witnessing... is why there will still need to be a human in the loop for any system where the output is relied upon as ground truth.
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-68412620
While some individuals may find strengths in their neurodivergent traits, I was reminded by colleagues this week about the importance of recognizing that not everyone experiences their neurodivergence as a superpower, particularly in the context of work.
It is well publicized that organizations who have diverse teams and who demonstrate inclusivity are benefiting from greater levels of innovation, as well as better productivity and performance. Understanding more about the challenges that could be faced by those who are neurodivergent in your workplace is important when considering inclusive practices and leadership.
Here are some reasons to consider why being neurodivergent might not be perceived as a superpower at work.
Social and Communication Challenges: Many neurodivergent individuals, such as those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or ADHD, may face difficulties in social interactions and communication. In a workplace that heavily relies on teamwork, networking, and where communication is not always clear, these challenges can hinder performance and integration.
Sensory Overload: Sensory sensitivities are common among neurodivergent individuals. Bright lights, loud noises, or even certain textures can be overwhelming and distracting in a work environment, making it difficult to focus and perform tasks efficiently.
Executive Functioning Issues: Neurodivergent individuals may struggle with executive functioning skills, such as organization, time management, and task prioritization. These challenges can be managed but can they lead to misunderstandings or conflicts with colleagues and supervisors, when it is not possible for them to be openly discussed and accommodated.
Rigid Thinking Patterns: Some neurodivergent individuals may exhibit rigid thinking patterns or difficulty adapting to change and a preference for routine. In a dynamic work environment that requires flexibility and adaptability, misunderstanding about how to work with this apparent inflexibility can pose significant challenges.
Stigma and Misunderstanding: Despite efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, there is still stigma and misunderstanding surrounding neurodiversity in many workplaces. Neurodivergent individuals may face discrimination, microaggressions, or lack of accommodation, which can negatively impact their performance and well-being.
Mismatch between Skills and Job Demands: While neurodivergent individuals will excel in certain tasks or areas of expertise, they may struggle in environments that do not align with their strengths. In the case where a job requires extensive social interaction, for example, it may not be conducive to the strengths of someone who is neurodivergent, especially without an understanding of the need the individual will have for breaks from this effort.
Lack of Support and Resources: Many workplaces lack adequate support and resources for neurodivergent individuals. Without appropriate accommodations, such as flexible work schedules, quiet spaces, or assistive technologies, neurodivergent employees may struggle to reach their full potential.
It’s essential to recognize that neurodiversity encompasses a wide range of experiences and abilities, and what works well for one person may not work for another. While many individuals will indeed find strengths in their neurodivergent traits, it’s crucial for organizations and teams to acknowledge the challenges that many neurodivergent individuals face in the workplace.
Building a more inclusive and accommodating work environment requires understanding. Whilst pity and ableism are unhelpful in the context of discussing neurodiversity, empathy and proactive efforts to support employees, regardless of their neurodivergent status are critical.
Greater understanding and education of teams will help to ensure that challenges do not become barriers and that ultimately individual team members can fulfill their potential.
I had the pleasure of joining the Tech Talent Charter signatory forum discussion about Neurodiversity in the Workplace in February which was thought-provoking and insightful. What made this session special for me is that Karen Blake, CEO of TTC, shared practical tips about how to foster an inclusive environment for people with Neurodivergence and shared real examples of Neurodivergence outside of those that are typically referenced.
Here are the key learnings I took from the webinar:
Knowledge is the first step to breaking down stigma and learning is constant. Many people without neurodivergence would group Neurodiversity under the Disability umbrella but many Neurodivergent people don’t consider themselves to have a Disability and therefore face barriers getting the support they need. It’s important to always be learning and thinking about, and asking, how we can better support individuals to thrive in the workplace rather than relying on explicit exposure
ADHD and Autism are typically referenced when talking about Neurodivergence, but they aren’t the only conditions. Karen referenced the barriers faced by individuals with conditions such as Dyspraxia and Pathological Demand Avoidance and shared practical tips on how these conditions might be supported and the benefits of hiring these individuals to the business.
Needing a formal diagnosis is a barrier. Obtaining a formal diagnosis can be challenging through public health services and incredibly costly if explored privately (in the thousands…). Many individuals might not want or be able to seek a formal diagnosis for family or cultural reasons. Making formal diagnosis the basis for accessing support within a recruitment process or workplace means many individuals will continue to face barriers and can affect retention and progression opportunities. Organisations don’t need to know what a person’s condition is to be able to provide the support needed for neurodivergent individuals to thrive.
Use accessible language in the recruitment process. Think of the typical example ‘good communicator’ – do you need a person that can communicate with lots of different people or do you need someone with the skills to provide regular project updates and keep stakeholders informed of progress.
Provide interview questions up front. Does the role you’re interviewing for require you to test a person’s memory or would you prefer to have individuals that are fully prepared for interview?
You already have Neurodivergent people in your team and your organisation, you just don’t know it yet. Building respectful workplaces where mistakes can be forgiven, and individuals can access the support they need to thrive is key to enabling an inclusive organisational culture. Consider approaches such as a ‘Manual of Me’ for all employees which provides a few sentences on how each individual works best and can thrive.
Many organisations believe that they are providing inclusive workplaces but the learnings from this session remind me that there is a constant need to learn and evolve processes to ensure an equitable experience for all individuals within an organisation throughout the recruitment process and employee lifecycle.
You already have Neurodivergent people in your team and your organisation, you just don’t know it yet. Knowledge is the first step to breaking down stigma and learning is constant.
https://www.techtalentcharter.co.uk/home
What a whirlwind underway in Austin, TX! As South x Southwest kicked off, people and talent professionals had a day of engaging, innovative presentations of their own to attend – at the TalentNet Live event held last Friday March 8th. TA practitioners, recruiting thought leaders and HR Tech SMEs poured into town to share the latest trends in recruiting and how to stay ahead of the curve.
Here are my top takeaways from this collaborative meeting of the minds:
Changing at the speed of light! Here I think I am well-versed in talent tech and relevant use cases. Well, I was surprised at how much new thinking is out there around the application of TA tech. Not to mention, how lightweight the applications are getting, making it easy to dabble.
Back to basics. There was consensus across our panel Practical AI for Employers, facilitated by Kyle Lagunas – Head of Strategy, Aptitude Research, Nick Livingston – CEO, Honeit, and Allie O’Banion – Seekout, and myself. While there is great interest in bringing AI into the recruiting process, there is also significant apprehension of risk, and frankly a need for education. Education around what can automation do, what is RPA, when to integrate and when to keep tech lightweight, and perhaps most importantly, education around why and how to get out of the Excel workbooks and manual trackers and get data where it belongs – in the ATS or “system of record.” From there, go beyond the basics, and consider the role of AI as an employer, and how to use it in a manner that enhances user experience, eliminates friction, reduces bias, and makes the recruiting and hiring process fairer and more inclusive.
First education, followed by disarming the fear surrounding AI. Robots won’t replace recruiters. This is a people business at its core. And the use of AI doesn’t necessarily increase an employer’s risk profile. In fact, bias can be managed via AI, and increase consistency in the recruiting and hiring process. Consistency doesn’t mean boring and bland. Much of the AI embedded in today’s TA tech can be leveraged to bring brand voice to life while delivering meaningful EVP vignettes across the moments that matter!
The highest and best use of us humans. Recruiters can be fully present now, in their intake sessions with hiring managers and in their phone interviews with candidates. Recruiters at their core enjoy engaging with people. You could say a recruiter is part matchmaker and part salesperson. When assessing your recruiting and hiring processes, or evaluating your tech stack, consider the recruiter persona, as well as your candidate and hiring manager personas. Look at ways to remove friction for all parties, and how to maximize the impact and reach of personal interaction. For instance, the application of AI to recorded transcriptions of intake sessions. No note taking needed, and the recap is likely more comprehensive. Similarly applied to a candidate interview, with the same benefits plus along with highlighting the intersection between the two.
Authenticity is changing the game. Authenticity in talent attraction includes a peek into a day-in-the-life, realistic job previews, amplification of employee advocacy testimonials, and even leveraging social influencers to drive candidates to jobs. Authenticity also means “flawsome” as I like to call it, or imperfectly awesome! Share “the good, the bad, and the ugly…” In fact, this resonated with me when the CEO of Flockity, Tracy Parsons, summed it up with: “Ugly is in the eye of the beholder.” when thinking about whether candidates will be drawn to or repelled by what the job entails in real life. Or as my grandma used to say, “There is a lid for every kettle.” It’s all about making the match. Borrowing from this popular phrase when talking tech, it’s a feature not a bug.
All around, Craig Fisher’s TalentNet Live is a not-to-miss for learning, inspiration, and comradery. Yes, tech was a big focus, but tech that enables us to be present and engaged with candidates and hiring managers in this people business we are in. Humanity is shining through more than ever, amidst all the tech. Until next time, TalentNet Live.
As we approach International Women’s Day, a significant milestone on the DEI calendar for most organisations, I was intrigued, and would even go as far as to say taken aback, by the theme for this year: Inspire Inclusion. Not because it’s a ‘bad’ theme but more about the implication that women have to ‘inspire’ to be included. Now, I appreciate that the notion here is that everyone should be inspiring inclusion, the onus isn’t just on women, but it did motivate me to look at how other organisations might interact with the theme this year in both their celebrations but also their message.
The UK Parliament talks about the ‘Economic inclusion of women’, similarly the United Nations, which first officially recognised International Women’s Day back in 1977, have opted for ‘Invest in women: Accelerate progress’. Both of these instantly grabbed my attention and got me thinking about empowerment, skills and my own career journey.
Whilst I now have the great privilege of leading the UK&I business for AMS, a leading global provider of talent acquisition services, my background lies in technology from my days in IBM where I started my career as a Software Engineer ‘way back’. I learnt so much right from the get go of my career which was an early lesson for me in embracing all learning in the workplace, genuinely to take advantage of it, as you get to not only learn through some fantastic training modules but you also get to apply it too.
All of that constitutes the acceleration of your learning and progress. Whilst I was fortunate to go onto many different business leadership roles across my career, including Board member of IBM UK, the ability to soak up as much learning along the way is a material ingredient on that path to progress.
But the question still stands, how does my 30 years’ experience in the tech sector translate into my current position as an Executive member of a global RPO and talent advisory organisation. The answer, it doesn’t. Or at least that is what we are often, women and men, led to believe. Your future prospects and career options are often defined by your past experiences and history, not the skills you have collected and honed along the way.
I have a fundamental belief that, despite the career roadmaps we put in place, there is no one route to anywhere and the focus on skills is what’s important! I think I could be considered evidence of that!
I have always been a passionate advocate of the skills-based agenda, empowering both businesses and individuals to look beyond the background and instead focus on the talent needed for tomorrow – something which I truly believe will help level the playing field, especially when we look at the numbers of women at C-Suite positions and roles traditionally held by men in certain sectors. The reality is that unless we change the pipeline and think differently about it, then the statistics around gender equality and parity in the workplace won’t move at the rate we all know they can and should.
The latest ‘Women on Boards and Beyond’ report from MSCI detailed that women held 25.8% of board seats at large and mid-cap companies, up from 24.5% in 2022, but growth had slowed compared to previous years. Whilst clearly disappointing, we (and by this I mean the collective ‘we’) should continue to be bold in our investment, relentless in our pursuit for talent above all else and committed in our approach to empower women to become the next generation of key decision makers, because only then can we call ourselves real advocates of change who have ‘inspired inclusion’.
We have made it through the first few months of 2024! And as many industries have had to make changes and find new cost cutting measures in their hiring, we’ve seen momentum in employment numbers across various parts of the world. There is a common consensus around one thing – the way companies are hiring is changing. Flexibility is becoming the name of the game. In my recent catch-ups with various talent leaders – versatility, flexibility and adaptability have been commonly discussed. Here are some of the things I’ve heard in my travels through the talent backroads:
Adapting to market swings, but increasing productivity: In banking and tech, and especially in big cities, the pendulum is swinging back to the employer in terms of hiring strength. With ups and downs in the market there is an increased focus on how to respond to this and still accelerate productivity. Companies are discussing how to collaborate intelligently to increase output.
Remaining flexible to ever-changing roles: With the great “skills mismatch” still a hot topic, there is still a shortage of tech roles. But, in some areas there is a surplus of talent. There are gaps, as well as layoffs. Understanding what roles, by industry and field, are available or limited is of increasing importance.
Employee workplace locations are versatile: With talent having settled into remote work situations, there is still a desire for adjustable location requirements and candidates are willing to move for anything that makes a difference. There are situations where super commuting is occurring – employees live in one location and fly in for a few days and return home. As an employer, understanding what hires want – especially location wise – and balancing that with your strategic needs will be the sweet spot.
Adjusting to a changing qualifications environment: Out with just resumes and in with personality. The new normal will continue to look like a blend of background meets soft skills. Diverse talent, past life experience, transferrable skills, internal mobility will all count in the future of hiring.
Preference is a big driver for success: Pairing well with soft skills, an employee’s interest in a role also counts now. With the move to skills-based hiring companies have a greater ability to assess candidate interests in tandem with capabilities to fulfil a role.
Talent pool volume, but quality reigns supreme: Finding the right person in a pool of applicants full of increasing needs, wants, and asks, can feel like a whirlwind. How will this boost my career? What kind of culture do you have? What values can speak to? It can sometimes feel like a hiring manager is caught in an intricate web of demands between the employer and the candidates. But, quality and pinpointing the ideal fit for a role is going to be made more possible with technology. Hiring managers are remaining agile while determined to find quality talent.
As the year ramps up, we look forward to an interesting next 6 months in talent. We are excited about how companies will digitally evolve to maximize on their opportunity to hire great talent across a range of sectors and skills.
Technology companies are at a pivotal point of evaluating talent attraction and retention strategies. Historically, tech companies have been quite lucrative for potential talent, having a level of swagger and benefits that were perceived by candidates to be above other industries.
With the sector being faced with some unsettlement and apprehension over the past 12 months, this is the perfect time for technology companies to re-evaluate their talent attraction and retention strategies to make them the destination of choice. This can begin by looking at the Employee Value Proposition, but it goes beyond reconsidering the EVP and creating or refreshing Talent Value Propositions to care for the various worker types at tech companies versus taking a broad brush.
Through scrutinizing the approach at a talent segment level, developing a tailored approach, and being transparent about the market dynamics, tech companies can be the place to be again.
Before layoffs, tech companies were more renowned for workplace cultures that serviced employees with free benefits and premium amenities in state-of-the art offices. But gourmet chefs and meditation rooms weren't introduced just to keep workers on site for as long as possible – they were a means of attracting talent.
As many organizations think about how they are going to evolve the skill of prompt engineering in order to maximize the potential of generative AI, it may start with something as simple as identifying who in the organization has a strong skill of facilitation, active listening, and probing skills.
Working in the consulting space, a difference between a star consultant and an average consultant may not always be differences in deep subject matter expertise, but rather the ability to obtain and convey the right information at the right time to the right people. If we were as thoughtful and structured in how we communicate when interacting with one another as we are when structuring an AI conversation, we might just reach our end goals and outcomes more efficiently and effectively.
I’m not suggesting we become robotic, after all, I think we all enjoy a little humor and play whether we’re interacting with AI or humans!
None of the above will come to fruition if you fail to be a good, active listener. This is crucial. By demonstrating genuine interest and engagement in what stakeholders are saying you can put stakeholders at ease and encourage them to share information and insights.
As the mother of a tween, I spend most of my life communicating over text in one- or two-word phrases. When texting I have to think critically of each symbol and word to get the most value from potential responses. By paying attention, I get a response every time. Sometimes an emoji or TikTok, but a response.
However, if we need to figure out how to organize a busy weekend, or work through a situation at school we usually sit on our couch and talk. Asking questions, understanding points of view and coming to mutually beneficial solutions.
That is what Josh Morton’s article discusses. AI will absolutely change our way of working and the jobs of the future. Yet work will still have people. People have valuable information, and we want to continue to practice the skills of questioning and listening to be effective leaders.
As we get better at speaking to robots, we should remember how to most effectively speak to our colleagues and customers, too.
