Skills-Based Hiring: Diploma or Skills in Modern Recruitment? - FChain

I have seen thousands of candidates during job interviews over the years. And I have always noticed one thing: candidates with impressive diplomas come in, but once they start the actual job, they cannot solve a simple problem. On the other hand, we also come across people who did not graduate from any prestigious university but can solve a task you give them almost effortlessly and creatively.

There is a term that is currently gaining popularity around the world: “Skills-Based Hiring” — hiring based on skills. But let’s put complicated terminology aside and talk about it in simple terms.

What is a diploma, really? Diploma is certainly a valuable indicator. It shows that a candidate has been able to commit to a structured system for four years, take responsibility, and acquire a solid foundation of knowledge. But a diploma can never guarantee how well that person will actually perform the job.

After working for 12 years in a fast-paced and highly competitive FMCG market, I learned one thing for sure: The market does not wait for diplomas; the market demands results. In sales, logistics, or IT, you cannot hide behind your diploma in a crisis. You need someone who can make decisions on the spot, adapt, and solve problems.

Why should we place more emphasis on skills in recruitment?

1. We don’t narrow the candidate pool ourselves: When we require a candidate to have graduated from a specific university, we may reject dozens of talented people without ever giving them a chance to demonstrate what they can do.
2. We reduce the risk of making the wrong hire: Speaking well in an interview is a skill, but actually doing the job is something completely different. When you give a candidate a small practical task or a real-life case, you immediately see how they think and act.
3. Team fit: Experience shows that a skilled person who is eager to learn can pick up the technical side of a job within a relatively short period of time. But a person who cannot adapt or communicate effectively cannot be changed simply because they have a diploma.

So, should we forget about diplomas altogether? Of course not. When it comes to doctors, lawyers, or engineers, foundational academic education is essential. But the rules of business, marketing, sales, and many other modern fields are changing every day. University programs cannot always keep pace with this speed. That is why a diploma is simply a “starting point,” not the final indicator.

What is my approach as an HR professional? As an HR professional working in international consulting, I always tell business owners: Do you need a CV full of diplomas and certificates, or do you need someone who can actually do the job?

If we want to build a modern and competitive team, there are three key things to focus on:

• Remove unnecessary diploma requirements from job descriptions.
• Conduct interviews not only through theoretical questions, but also through real-life work situations and cases.
• Assess whether the candidate is open to learning.

To sum it up, as an HR professional, my message is simple and clear: A diploma shows where a candidate comes from; their skills show where they can go with you.

A diploma is one indicator of a candidate’s potential, but it is not a substitute for real-world job skills.

The choice is always up to the business. What would you choose?

 

Written by Aynur Sadigova

 FChain HR Department Manager

 

Reskilling and Upskilling: Investing in Human Capital, Preparing for the Future

 

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