Skills-Based Hiring
Hiring Pathways
Unlocking Your Potential: The Value of Skills-Based Hiring for Job Applicants
For job applicants, skills-based hiring is a game-changer. It's a modern approach where employers focus on what you can do and the skills you've developed, rather than solely on where you went to school or your past job titles. This means your diverse experiences, whether from formal education, self-taught projects, volunteer work, or even military service, are recognized and valued.
This approach is especially impactful in Utah, where over 757,000 people are STARs —Skilled Through Alternative Routes — representing more than 50% of the state's entire labor force.* These are individuals who, like many of you, have gained valuable skills outside of a traditional four-year degree program. In fact, a significant portion of Utah's government workforce already thrives without one!
Why Skills-Based Hiring is Great News for You
- Your Skills Take Center Stage: Forget worrying if you have the "right" degree. Skills-based hiring puts your actual abilities and competencies front and center. If you have the skills needed for the job, you're a strong candidate.
- Wider Range of Opportunities: This approach opens doors to jobs you might have previously thought were out of reach. State government agencies are looking for talent in new places, expanding the pool of eligible candidates beyond traditional pathways.
- Fairer Evaluation: It's a more equitable way to assess talent. Instead of checking boxes on a resume, employers are looking at your demonstrated ability to perform the job, leading to a more objective and merit-based hiring process.
- Focus on Growth: It encourages you to think about and articulate the specific skills you possess and how they apply to the roles you're seeking. This can help you better identify your strengths and areas for future development.
- Your Experience Counts, No Matter How You Got It: Whether you learned through an apprenticeship, a coding boot camp, military training, or on-the-job experience, your valuable skills are now given the weight they deserve.
In essence, skills-based hiring isn't just a trend; it's a fundamental shift that puts your actual capabilities in the spotlight, helping you connect with roles where you can truly succeed and make an impact.
*Source: Opportunity@Work analysis of American Community Survey, 2021
