The HR Forum

Last week I found myself in a meeting in which we were discussing the skill sets and attributes required for a vacancy within our business. The discussion was much like many others I have been part of in recent years and left me wondering; are we obsessed with employing 'graduate calibre' personnel over more tangible attributes such as knowledge & experience and moreover; is our quest for graduate calibre employees just for vanity reasons? The first key requirement suggested was "must be a graduate". Why? I asked. "Oh, it's essential nowadays". So I challenged further; "What subject must the candidate have a degree in and at what level?". Neither of these questions could be answered simply. I also referred to two of our most successful employees who are in the same role who do not have a degree level education. As it turned out we agreed that ideally candidates should have a degree or have studied a diploma or equivalent in maths, business or analytics based subject. I also managed to influence a change in attitude and subsequently our role is now open to candidates who can demonstrate a minimum 2 years practical experience in a similar role. My point is that our recruitment strategies should be balanced and whilst there is without doubt, a place for graduates, there is also a place for people that didn't have the opportunity or inclination to study but can offer a wide range of other skills and experiences to the business and role. Any further thoughts and experiences on this subject would be helpful. Thanks.