If we look at the typical process of searching for a candidate in the IT industry, it becomes clear that it is based on the candidate’s experience, education, and tags that they should possess.
This approach is standard and, until recently, seemed to be the only option, although it has a significant drawback. So let’s take a closer look at it.
Tags-based scenario
Say you are looking for a Senior Data Engineer with a minimum of five years of experience in Apache Spark. Additionally, the candidate should have at least three years of experience in Scala and two years of experience working with AWS.
On a regular tags-based job search website, the recruiter specifies the total years of experience and the tags the candidate should have. In our case, those would be Spark, Scala, and AWS. The system finds candidates but provides no information about what exactly those five years of experience mean for them and how well they possess individual skills.
Later, an interview takes place, and it becomes clear that the candidate does have five years of the overall experience, four of them spent working as an administrator in a computer club, and only the last year — in IT, on a project where Spark, Scala, and AWS were used —by other developers. The candidate listed those tags in their resume simply because they were present in the project. In reality, the candidate is a beginner.
Well, it happens, you might say. The person exaggerated their competencies a bit, and that’s what the interview is for, to clarify the details.
But we have wasted time, both for the employer and the candidate. Now multiply this time by the number of unsuitable candidates due to the imperfect tags-based search system, and you will understand the main drawback of such a system.
Skills-based approach is a new standard in IT recruitment
Unlike traditional job search websites, the DecisionWanted platform offers a truly skills-based search. This means that you receive detailed information about each skill of a candidate, including:
- Proficiency level (subjectively rated by the candidate and other users of the system).
- Experience (the duration of directly using the skill).
These characteristics differentiate ordinary tags from skills.
When creating a job vacancy on the DecisionWanted platform, recruiters can provide detailed information about each required skill.
Let’s look into the same example of a Senior Data Engineer with minimum five years of experience in Apache Spark, three years of Scala knowledge, and two years of experience with AWS. By choosing such skill sets, the recruiter will receive candidates who will fully meet these criteria. Of course, there will be fewer recommendations than with tag-based, but they will all be perfectly relevant.
It is important to note that the same skill can have different weights in different vacancies. DecisionWanted takes this into account and considers it when recommending candidates.
For instance, in one vacancy, AWS knowledge may be a mandatory requirement, while in another, it may be an important but not mandatory bonus skill.
A candidate with AWS knowledge will be ranked higher in the list of recommended candidates compared to someone who doesn’t possess that skill.
The skills-based search system on DecisionWanted guarantees that every job or candidate recommendation you receive fully meets the minimum requirements.
Instead of spending hours talking only to realize that the candidate or a job is not a good fit, on DecisionWanted, you immediately receive a detailed compatibility report. You can quickly understand whether it’s worth continuing the conversation or time to explore other options.
Take a look at an example of such a report.
For instance, upon receiving such a report, you will have detailed information about how each skill of the candidate matches the requirements of the job. You will see the proficiency level of each skill, and the experience in its application, and will be able to compare it with your requirements.
With this information, you can quickly decide whether to invite the candidate for an interview. And if the candidate’s skills align perfectly with your requirements, you just need to confirm those skills during the interview and, if successful, offer them the desired job.
Try the alternative job search and talent acquisition approach on the DecisionWanted platform, and embrace the skills-based method that guarantees a more effective and precise candidate selection.