Skills over degrees: Paving the way for inclusive hiring

Imagine a job interview where your skills and abilities matter more than the piece of paper you hold. In today’s job market, hiring practices often place too much emphasis on degrees and past roles, which can inadvertently widen gender gaps. Despite the increasing number of women making their mark in the workforce, these traditional hiring methods continue to create barriers and limit opportunities for many talented individuals.

New data from LinkedIn's Economic Graph suggests that a shift towards skills-based hiring could bridge the gap. By focusing on what candidates can do rather than their formal qualifications, we can create a more inclusive and diverse talent pool. In Singapore, for instance, skills-based hiring could increase female representation in traditionally underrepresented occupations by 10%.

Take the role of videographers as an example: Currently, only 26% of these positions are held by women. However, with a skills-based approach, this figure could rise to 49% of the talent pipeline. Another example is the position of infrastructure architect, where women’s representation could grow from 18% to 28%.

May Wah Chan , country head at Michael Page Vietnam and a DEI advocate says, “Focusing on skills opens doors for those returning from maternity leave, changing careers, or stepping into leadership. It values the transferable skills women develop through work, caregiving, and managing life's complexities.” 

She believes that this approach isn’t just fair; it drives better decisions, more innovation, and stronger performance. “Skills-based hiring helps companies access incredible talent that might otherwise be overlooked,” she adds. 

Raunak Bhandari, IHRP-SP , regional HR leader at Google Asia Pacific, observes a shift towards skills-based hiring across the tech industry. Citing Google Career Certificates as an example, he explains, “Many organisations are now partnering with boot camps, online platforms, and vocational training providers to assess candidates through competencies and project work rather than traditional degrees. This data-driven, inclusive approach is key to helping women and other underrepresented groups break into tech.”

He highlights some steps that organisations can take to implement skills-based hiring to increase representation of women:

• Redefine job requirements: Job descriptions should focus on the specific skills required for the role. For example, instead of requiring a computer science degree, seek candidates with demonstrated proficiency in programming, problem-solving, and project management. This can open up opportunities for women who have gained these skills through alternative routes.
• Promote skill-building opportunities: Create pathways for women to build skills that will set them up for success. This could include partnerships with educational platforms or internal mentorship programmes. For example, offering free access to technical training or digital skills workshops for women can provide them with the tools they need to compete for roles in high-growth industries like tech.
• Reduce bias: Ensure that hiring managers are trained to evaluate candidates based on their demonstrated abilities, rather than their resumes, names, or backgrounds. Tools like blind recruitment (where identifiable details are removed from applications) can be helpful in this regard.

Value transferable skills: Emphasise the value of transferable skills, such as project management, communication, and leadership, and encourage women to apply for roles that align with these skills, even if they’re changing industries or have limited experience in the specific role.

Recruiting expert Shulin Lee adds, “In today's AI-driven landscape, genuine skills matter more than outdated credentials.” 

For hiring managers, she recommends asking these skills-based questions during interviews:

• Problem-solving: “Tell me about a time when the standard approach failed. How did you pivot?” This tests adaptability, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving — skills AI can’t replace.
• Crisis management: “Describe a situation where everything was falling apart. How did you take control?” This reveals composure under pressure, decision-making, and leadership in chaos.
• Leadership and influence: “Tell me about a time you had to convince someone to change their mind. How did you do it?” This assesses persuasion, emotional intelligence, and the ability to drive change — skills that make people, not machines, indispensable.

“AI is reshaping industries, but it can’t replace human judgment, resilience, or leadership,” she adds. 

How can organisations rethink their hiring practices to open more doors for women? Share your thoughts in the comments below. #IWD25

✍️ Reported by: Neha Jain Kale

📊 Insights by: Silvia Lara (LinkedIn Economic Graph team)

Read the full report here: LinkedIn Economic Graph Research Institute: https://economicgraph.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/economicgraph/en-us/PDF/skills-based-hiring-march-2025.pdf

Methodology: We define the impact of skills-based hiring by comparing two hiring approaches: one based on prior job titles and another based on skills. Using LinkedIn’s Skills Genome, we identify occupations with at least 50% skill overlap and a minimum number of transitions into the target role. We then calculate the ratio of candidates identified through a skills-based approach versus a title-based approach, taking the median across jobs, countries, and industries, and comparing the proportion of women in the two talent pools.