No Degree? No Problem.

Is a college degree a prerequisite for career success? Looks like LinkedIn is buzzing this morning with the topic. 

The answer is no longer simply a yes or no.

In recent months, Google, IBM, the state of Maryland, and many more employers have reduced or eliminated educational requirements for certain positions, shifting hiring to focus on skills and experience, instead.

The Wall Street Journal covered this topic over the weekend in a thoughtful piece.

Per an analysis from Burning Glass Institute data, jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree were 41% in November, down from 46% pre-pandemic. Reasons cited include a need to reach more applicants, a need to create more equality in the job search process, and to address racial disparities in the workplace.

This begs the question for enterprises: what must you do to attract and retain top talent? Is it to remove certain criteria from job postings? Sure, that’s a start. But the issue is bigger than any one requirement.

In our work with hundreds of enterprise leaders and thousands of independent professionals each year, here are three key observations to ensure success:

1.   Strategy matters – is your organization bought in?

Ask questions like what skills does your organization need to succeed in the coming year? What projects will need to be completed? A well-articulated direct sourcing and talent pooling plan can help prepare your enterprise with at-the-ready talent and ensure your engagements are cost-effective. Is your organization on board to truly implement this plan? If not, starting with a smaller subset of key skill areas is a great way to build “talent density” for critical projects and demonstrate quick wins.

2.   What are you doing to be a Client of Choice?

In a war for top talent, getting quality workers to apply to and take on new roles— be they full-time or contract— is a top enterprise challenge. Are you engaging and nurturing your talent throughout their lifecycle? If not, how can you get started now to ensure 2023 success?

3.   Is your job attracting the right talent?

At a more micro level, is your job post written to attract the best workers for the job? Do you really need all the criteria and experiences listed in each post? Consider the above – does removing, say, a college degree requirement matter to the job at hand? Further, independent contractors need a different type of job req than full-time workers, and it’s important that hiring managers and recruiters understand the difference in crafting posts and interviewing for the two types of roles. 

4.   Are you properly measuring your impact?

In a down economic environment, results matter more than ever. Are you getting the ROA you deserve from your talent strategy? If not, a more thorough plan may be needed to ensure success.  

In a period of change and renewal in the world of work, it’s important that leaders, managers, and recruiters know how to attract, engage, and retain top talent to sustain business operations and be more cost-efficient.

Trending Topics:

●     Despite the rapid growth of the U.S. gig economy, many gig workers are still facing unique and pressing financial challenges. According to research collaboration by Commonwealth, Green Dot Corporation, Gig Wage, and Steady, there’s a need to analyze what employer benefits may be most effective in reducing income volatility for these workers.

●     Designing and developing workplace ecosystems should be a core activity intertwined with corporate strategy. In a world where the future of work is hybrid, leaders and executives must learn to build dynamic interrelationships that create value for their firms.

●     As many U.S. workers are discovering better alternatives to traditional jobs nowadays, Americans are looking to Congress to create not just jobs but also “good” jobs that lead to more flexibility, wage gains, and better quality of life.

●     Recently, the International Workplace Group (IWG) published a white paper titled, “The Future of Work.” In the report, IWG highlights 10 emerging trends that are set to dominate the workforce as hybrid work becomes the COVID-19 pandemic’s legacy.

●     For the past few decades, the consulting industry has been at the forefront of helping firms navigate their key Enterprise Transformation initiatives. However, with the advancement of next-gen technologies in the last few years, top consultants should be aware of the top 5 trends that will shape the future of the consulting industry.

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment or share your thoughts on social media. Find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and we’ll see you again next week!