UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS
Research suggests qualifications have less sway on recruitment decision than other factors
Are qualifications worth the paper they are written on? Not according to research from UK learning design company Infinity Learning. When asked to choose between experience, qualifications or potential (regardless of qualifications or previous work history) four out of five employers thought that a broad range of work experience was most important. Indeed it appeared employers regarded qualifications as the least important factor in the recruitment process.
“With tuition fees on the rise and many re-considering the option of going to university, the research findings could be re-assuring,” notes Sarah Mackie, Commercial Director at Infinity Learning. “The results suggest that individuals are recruited primarily on the basis of their experience, followed by the extent to which they have shown the potential to progress into more senior positions within the organisation.”
The third most important factor in determining whether a candidate should land the job seemed to be their enthusiasm to work for the organisation and perform the required role.
The findings are perhaps a little unsurprising in such a talent marketplace given the emphasis now placed on delivering to the bottom line and the need for a business to see a return on any investment – including human resource – as soon as possible. However, could such an approach rule out commercial interest in the younger end of the talent pool, and does this simply create a catch 22 situation for recruits who want to get a job but cannot get one because they do not already have work experience necessary to get the job?
The research did find in the case of specialist positions, qualifications were more important. For these roles around one third of respondents look for qualifications first, although experience in a similar role elsewhere was still the most important factor for half the survey respondents.
Mackie comments: “Despite the stated feelings toward the value of qualifications, 100 per cent of respondents reported that in order to meet core competencies for a role, it required future candidates have the ability to learn independently.”
“In the light of this I think it’s still important for organisations to value qualifications, as it shows a candidate’s ability to learn,” she concludes. “Companies need to embrace and develop new recruits, and give them every opportunity to learn, thereby growing its own talent.”
The ability to demonstrate an aptitude to learn, then, is clearly one good aspect of undertaking study. However, if these trends hold true in wider society, students may feel they do not need to dedicate three or four years of their life to prove they can learn. This ability can be demonstrated in diverse ways and easily measured by recruiters. At the same time, if organisations are serious about growing their own talent they need to be ready to deliver appropriate learning support and resources to their staff from day one of employment.
