Recruiting for Aptitude
Employers wat to hire people with a demonstrated ability to learn.
Rapidly Changing Environments
Jobseekers need to be aware of the changing profile of the ideal candidate, with learning aptitude – or the ability to learn – the next battleground in the war for talent.
Employers are starting to prioritise learning aptitude, in some cases over the technical skills and experience required in suitable candidates.It’s not just about finding the right skills and experience and matching cultural fit anymore. Today the ideal candidate also has a desire to learn and the aptitude to do so.
The world is changing rapidly. Globalisation, the shift towards a knowledge economy and the sheer pace of technological changes are among the factors radically shifting how organisations operate. This places a premium on an employee’s ability to learn and respond to their employer’s and the market’s changing demands.
Learning New Skills
With this in mind, a traditional and rigid skills-based approach to assessment and recruitment is no longer good enough.
Aptitude testing has a long history in HR and recruitment, but while tests have a part to play in many recruitment processes, they are not enough to target an aptitude for learning.
Advice for Employers
Recruitment strategies targeting learning aptitude will need to evolve incrementally for most businesses, and will likely begin with existing roles. As businesses adapt to the changing demands of the market, it will become increasingly clear which parts of the organisation will need a greater affinity for acquiring new skills, and which will remain consistent.
Recruiting for learning aptitude also demands a well managed commitment to learning and development, with systematic opportunities for employees to develop themselves.
This is a tough requirement in less hierarchical organisations, and presents a challenge around attrition, as employees hired for their desire to grow and adapt expect continual growth opportunities, and become increasingly desirable to competitors. HR will need to be on hand to guide the recruitment strategy
