Playing safe with transferable skills?

By Halee Reid

Over 90% of employers have stated that demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly and solve complex problems is more important than a candidate's experience and qualifications.  They are not saying that experience and qualifications don't matter, but that thinking, problem-solving and communication skills a job candidate has acquired, are more important than the specific field in which they have experience.

However, when it comes down to it, employers often decide to play it safe and hire the person with more experience!

Why don't managers appreciate transferable skills?

Why are employers unwilling to consider less experienced candidates even when they have the right motivations, attitudes and capabilities?

Is it just too hard?

Assessing the less visible qualities, such as attitude and motivation, may simply be too hard.

One of the reasons organisations often rely on measuring the qualifications and experience of a potential employee is that it is easier to measure.  Even the most forward thinking organisations have struggled to develop formal assessment criteria.

It comes down to risk...

Do you invest your resources in someone who is less proven but has the real potential to have a high rate of return, or someone who has a long history of consistent performance?

This is a classic investment concern for employers who think they are hiring someone for right now, whereas potential is realised down the line.  They may want to roll the dice and hire the person who has a lot of skills and potential but less experience, but potential often means ‘unknown quantity’, which means risk.

This is why employers often care more about experience than skills, or why employers hire the most experienced candidates over the less experienced but often more skilled ones.  They just don’t want to take the risk.

And the problem with skills is that they are less tangible and more risky than experience.  And when you have candidates who have already established a track record, there’s no real incentive for them to take a risk.

Hiring for the future, not the now…

There is always an element of risk when it comes to employing new people. But hiring is, in part, about managing risk.

Plan to attract the best candidates!

As an employer, it’s important to remember that you are hiring a person, not just a collection of experiences.  There is more to the job than doing the tasks that you are hiring someone to do. Transferable skills are where the person will succeed in those other essential, but less tangible areas such as reliability, innovation, creativity, and dedication. 

You can train and coach in skills gaps but without the motivation and desire to work within your specific cultural environment you may not have the best candidate.

But this doesn’t mean that people with direct experience are not the best choice.  It’s a matter of defining the motivators, attitudes and behaviours required so you can work out a plan of who you want and how to attract them.

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Halee Reid is a Senior Consultant in Dixon Appointments' Recruitment Team.  For further information, contact Halee on 03 9629 9999 or email: hreid@dixonappointments.com.au