Skills-Based Hiring: What Employers Really Want from New Grads

The job market is changing. Increasingly, employers are looking beyond traditional hiring practices like GPAs or job titles and focusing instead on skills-based recruitment—evaluating what candidates can do, not just where they’ve been.

At a recent employer panel hosted by Career Services, Dr. Christopher Thompson and Taylor Sandifer led a discussion at the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning’s Faculty Institute with four industry professionals who shared insights into how their organizations are adopting this approach, and what students can do to stand out.

Panelists included:

What is skills-based hiring?

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), skills-based hiring means assessing candidates based on their demonstrated competencies. It’s already widely adopted:

• 80% of employers use behavior-based interviews
• 70% use competency-driven job descriptions
• 60% scan resumes for specific skills

This shift opens up new opportunities for students—especially those with strong capabilities but limited formal experience.

What skills are employers prioritizing?

Across the panel, a few themes consistently emerged:

• Ownership and Work Ethic: Wasson said he looks at whether students take initiative—through clubs, projects, or personal goals.
• Teamwork and Purpose: Gilfillan stressed the value of collaboration and service-mindedness, even in non-academic contexts.
• Clear Vision and Drive: May wants to see candidates who understand their own goals and are motivated to contribute.
• Communication and Adaptability: Coleman highlighted the need for clear written and verbal communication, especially when working with different audiences.

How are skills being evaluated?

Importantly, panelists noted that students often forget to tailor their resumes to specific roles or fail to list transferable skills clearly. That oversight can make the difference between getting an interview or not.

Real-world experience isn’t just jobs

Employers made it clear: meaningful experience doesn’t always come from a paycheck.

• Volunteering, tutoring, and mentoring matter (Coleman)
• Certifications show initiative (Wasson)
• Club leadership and extracurriculars reflect collaboration and time management (May)
• Competence and clear objective shows vested interest in the work (Gilfillan)

The key is being able to communicate what you learned from those experiences and how they apply to the job or internship to which you are applying.

What skills should students build for the future?

Looking ahead, employers highlighted several areas where students should focus their growth:

• Data analysis (Coleman)
• Emotional intelligence and people skills (Gilfillan)
• AI literacy—using tools, not fearing them (May and Wasson)
• Virtual collaboration and communication (May)

These aren’t just “nice to haves”—they’re quickly becoming core expectations in every industry.

Classical academic skills still matter

Even in this skills-driven world, classroom experiences still teach valuable habits:

• Group projects build accountability and conflict resolution
• Reading for comprehension helps with problem-solving
• Self-motivation and time management are essential in professional settings

Employers are less interested in grades and more interested in what you did with your time in school. Furthermore, time management and working towards a deadline (rather than completing a project on the day that it is due) is essential.

Final thoughts: Confidence and preparation go a long way

When asked how students can overcome interview anxiety, all panelists gave the same advice: practice, connect, and be human.

Go to events. Use Career Services. Customize your materials. And remember—you know yourself better than anyone. Confidence comes from preparation, not perfection.

Bottom line: Your skills are your story. Learn them, show them, and talk about them. That is how you will stand out and set yourself apart.