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Severin Sorensen
Jul 305 min read

Hiring for Mindset Over Skill Set

The traditional approach to hiring—focusing primarily on a candidate’s skill set—has become increasingly obsolete. As CEOs and business leaders, it's important to recognize that the roles we are hiring for today may not exist in the same form two years from now. Factors such as technological advancements are driving significant changes in the workforce. To keep your company agile and competitive, consider pivoting towards talent acquisition strategies that prioritize mindset over skill set to ensure the employees you hire are ready for change and masters of adaptation.



The Urgency of Mindset Over Skill Set

Recent studies highlight the necessity of this shift, and underscore the importance of hiring individuals who are adaptable, embrace change, and possess strong interpersonal skills. Consider the following.


Transforming Workplace

In 2019, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development predicted that within 15 to 20 years, new automation technologies would eliminate 14% of global jobs and transform another 32%, affecting over 1 billion people worldwide. It’s important to note that this forecast did not account for the recent impact of generative AI, like ChatGPT (Tamayo, 2023). With a significant portion of jobs being eliminated or transformed due to automation and AI, employees must be adaptable and willing to learn new skills. Hiring individuals with a mindset geared towards adaptability and lifelong learning will better prepare companies for these technological disruptions.


Technological Adaptation

“The average half-life of skills is now less than five years, and in some tech fields it’s as low as two and a half years. For millions of workers, upskilling alone won’t be enough” (Tamayo, 2023). The rapid obsolescence of skills highlights the need for employees who are not just skilled but are also capable of quickly adapting to new technologies and methodologies. Hiring for mindset ensures that employees are ready to embrace continuous learning and pivot as necessary, beyond just initial skill sets.


Future Forecasts

The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2020 highlights that 50% of all employees will need reskilling by 2025 as adoption of technology increases. This need for reskilling is particularly pertinent for older workers to remain competitive in the workforce (Russo, 2020). With half of all employees needing reskilling, the ability to adapt and learn new skills is more crucial than ever. Hiring for mindset focuses on finding candidates who are open to reskilling and can seamlessly integrate new knowledge and skills into their roles, ensuring long-term workforce viability.


Organizational Agility

A study by McKinsey & Company found that companies with higher agility scores were 70% more likely to be in the top quartile of organizational health, a key predictor of long-term performance (Bazigos, 2015). Organizational agility is strongly linked to long-term performance. Employees with a mindset oriented towards adaptability and resilience contribute to a more agile and healthy organization. Hiring for mindset helps build a workforce capable of responding swiftly to market changes and internal challenges, driving sustained success.


Getting Started


Redefine Job Descriptions

Start by crafting job descriptions that emphasize mindset attributes such as adaptability, curiosity, and resilience. Highlight that the role may evolve and that the company values a candidate’s ability to grow and adapt alongside it. 


Integrate Psychometric Assessments

Integrating psychometric assessments like TriMetrix DNA into the interview process can effectively evaluate a candidate's mindset, motivations, and competencies. The TriMetrix DNA, specifically, provides a comprehensive evaluation through a three-dimensional approach that examines behaviors, motivations, and core competencies, making it valuable for employee pre-screening, workforce development, and executive coaching. TriMetrix DNA combines the insights of DISC, 12 Driving Forces, and core competencies into one concise report, offering a predictive indicator of workplace success that complies with EEOC and OFCCP guidelines without adverse impacts. 


Research demonstrates that using DISC alone achieves 60% accuracy, adding motivators increases predictability to 84%, and including competencies further boosts it to 92%, meaning you’ll have a better understanding of who you’re hiring before you hire them (Psychometric Assessments, n.d.).


Focus on Soft Skills

While technical skills are important, they can often be taught on the job. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and emotional intelligence, which are essential for navigating the complexities of modern work environments. In fact, among high-wage earners in the top 25% bracket, strategic thinking has been identified as the most in-demand soft skill (Wells, 2024). With this in mind, consider swapping traditional behavioral interview questions, like "Can you describe a time when you had to develop and implement a new strategy to achieve a significant goal?” with post-interview prompts that require candidates to demonstrate their abilities in practical scenarios, providing insight into how they might apply their soft skills such as strategic thinking and curiosity in a real work setting.


Invest in Training and Development

Once you’ve hired the right people, provide them with continuous learning opportunities. Invest in training programs that not only enhance their technical skills but also develop their ability to think critically and solve problems creatively. Continuous learning opportunities could include workshops, online courses, mentorship programs, cross-functional projects, conferences, and seminars that encourage skill development and foster a culture of innovation and growth within the organization.


Focus on Reskilling

Consider reskilling as a strategy to attract candidates from broader talent pools and prepare them for open positions. For example, Vodafone aims to meet 40% of its software developer needs internally and Amazon’s Machine Learning University has turned many inexperienced employees into machine learning experts. Similarly, McDonald’s considers reskilling a core part of their employee value proposition, offering policies, tools, and IT platforms to support employees in reskilling for roles that appeal to them (Tamayo).


Questions to Consider When Updating Your Hiring Process

To strategically align the hiring process with organizational goals, it’s important to consider how recruitment efforts support the organization’s vision, reinforces cultural values, and addresses future challenges while fostering innovation, adaptability, and diversity. By defining success, assessing leadership development, and staying informed on industry trends, a sustainable, impactful, and scalable hiring strategy can be developed that grows with the organization.

  1. What is our organizational vision, and how does our hiring process align with it? 

  2. How do we define success for our organization? How can hiring contribute to achieving it? 

  3. What cultural values do we want to reinforce through our hiring process?

  4. What future challenges do we anticipate, and how can our hiring strategy help us address them?

  5. How does our hiring strategy support innovation and adaptability?

  6. What impact do we want our organization to have, and how can our hiring process help us achieve that impact?

  7. How can we create a sustainable and scalable hiring process that grows with the organization?

  8. What role does leadership development play in our hiring strategy?

  9. How does our hiring process help build a diverse and inclusive workforce?

  10. What are the key trends in our industry, and how should they influence our hiring practices?


The Main Takeaway

Shifting the focus from hiring for skill set to hiring for mindset is not just a strategic advantage but a necessity. By prioritizing adaptability, comfort with change, and strong interpersonal skills, we can build a workforce that is not only prepared for the future but also capable of driving your organization toward long-term success. Embrace this approach, and you will position your company to thrive amidst the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.


References



Psychometric Assessments | Services. (n.d.). EPraxis. Retrieved August 2, 2024, from https://www.epraxis.com/psychometric-assessments


Russo, A. (2020, October 20). Recession and Automation Changes Our Future of Work, But There are Jobs Coming, Report Says. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/press/2020/10/recession-and-automation-changes-our-future-of-work-but-there-are-jobs-coming-report-says-52c5162fce/


Tamayo, J., Doumi, L., Goel, S., Kovács-Ondrejkovic, O., & Sadun, R. (2023, September 1). Reskilling in the Age of AI. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2023/09/reskilling-in-the-age-of-ai


Wells, R. (2024, February 7). The Top 10 In-Demand Soft Skills To Learn In 2024, Based On Research. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelwells/2024/02/07/the-top-10-in-demand-soft-skills-to-learn-in-2024-based-on-research/



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