Rethinking Skills and Skills to Rethink
A recent excursion into the world of job hunting and job listings raised a rather interesting question: is the job market too narrow-minded?
This might be a rather strange question, but it is not without merit. Most adverts follow the same structure:
· Firstly there is a short (and often broad) introduction of the job;
· This is followed by the list of responsibilities;
· Then comes the desired skills an employee should possess; and
· The remuneration package ends off the whole ensemble.
It is the skills list that seems to be rather problematic. Again, upon closer inspection a pattern emerges. Skills that are desired usually includes a number of years’ of experience, some formal qualification and then some general skills such as hard-working, self-starter, reliable and trustworthy.
You may still be wondering why this is a problem. Here’s why. The World Economic Forum recently published a list of skills[1] people should possess in order to remain relevant in job market over the next five years. The majority of the skills that appear on the list can all be considered soft skills (i.e. character traits and interpersonal skills). There are a few technology skills — although these are also somewhat “soft” — but for the most part it speaks more to an employee’s attitude and mindset rather than formal training. Skills such as analytical thinking, problem solving and creativity top the list. This speaks of a changing world wherein employees — and employers — will need to be more adaptable and more flexible if they are to survive.
There is definitely no denying that in many professions a formal degree is required, and in most instances there is unfortunately no getting around that requirement — for now. Yet very often employers list formal degrees as an essential requirement when it is actually not. It would most certainly be advantageous, but the skills to do the job are not exclusively taught at a university or college. In hiring employees without a formal education, employers have the unique opportunity to train employees in exactly how they (the employer) want the job done, instead of having to first break down the antiquated and structured thinking that is often the hallmark of college graduates. Instead more time can be spent in training a free-thinking adaptable employee that will — in time — better suit the job requirements.
Requiring formal training where none is officially required raises another problem. The cost of education has been a long-standing problem in most countries, first world and third world alike. The idea of studying for four years and then spending ten years paying off student debts is too daunting a task for most young people, who rather opt to find jobs right after high school. Many have the idea to one day study and pay their own way, but few ever fulfil that idea. Life intervenes, cost of living is higher than expected — and salaries are often lower than expected — and the idea of gaining a college education fades away…
Online studying stepped in to try and bridge this gap, offering courses and training programs at a reduced cost; or sometimes for free; in an attempt to provide individuals the opportunity to upskill themselves. Yet despite the popularity of these websites, and their proven usefulness in training potential employees, employers still seem reluctant to accept such courses as acceptable, instead just considering them as a “nice-to-have”. Completing online courses, and upskilling oneself without the formal structures and routines of college, while also having a full-time job, actually shows a lot of discipline and determination on the side of the employee, skills that are also rather valuable. It has only been in recent years that employers considered online courses, and then also with rather stringent requirements.
As for experience, the old adage of “there is no substitute for experience” may still be true, to some extent. With experience comes years of thinking and doing in a particular way. What is often seen — or presented — as experience, may in actual fact be an inability to change. Hiring an individual who have done the job for several years does not mean you are getting the best person for the job. It can also mean you are getting a person with one view on how to do the job. Hiring an individual with the ability to analyze and solve complex problems and be flexible, means that you will have an individual able to adapt to changing times and changing requirements, who will look at each problem as a new challenge and not try force an old (read “tried and tested”) solution on new problems.
The global pandemic and lockdown regulations forced a sudden and dramatic change in job markets the world over. Companies not able to adapt to the sudden change were left behind, many of which had to close down. The skills list compiled and published by the World Economic Forum does not only show employees how to future-proof themselves, but also show companies who they need in their organization to survive change. Hiring employees who exhibit these skills therefore becomes a matter of survival and no longer just a good idea. One cannot expect to hire employees who think outside the box when your job requirements force them into a box.
[1] Kate Whiting (21 Oct. 2020) These are the top 10 job skills of tomorrow — and how long it takes to learn them, World Economic Forum, Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/top-10-work-skills-of-tomorrow-how-long-it-takes-to-learn-them/ (Accessed 10 February 2021)
