LinkedIn’s latest Future of Recruiting report reveals that a growing number of companies today are taking a skills-based approach to talent to stay competitive in a tight labor market.

“A skills-first approach to hiring will help expand the talent pool for companies globally by 9.4x, and help them meet their skill needs,” professional network LinkedIn said in a media advisory.

Driven by digitalization, employers see the need for upskilling and reskilling talents to maintain a competitive workforce. In the Philippines, LinkedIn data shows that skills to do any particular job have changed by 31% on average since 2015 and could go up by 48% in 2025. 

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In Southeast Asia (SEA), 55% of recruiting professionals say there is a significant challenge in finding candidates with the desired skills. 

With digitalization, some processes in business operations changed. Some tasks are either automated or require certain skills to complete.

Upskilling, reskilling

Globally, an overwhelming majority of recruiting professionals predict that skills-based hiring (75%) will be a priority over the next 18 months, and upskilling and reskilling their employees (81%) will be an important factor that will shape the future of recruiting over the next five years. 

“In SEA, even more recruiters are prioritizing skills-based hiring (89%) and upskilling and reskilling their employees (87%),” LinkedIn said.

Jobseekers, on the other hand, recognize this shift with LinkedIn data showing that in SEA, opportunities to learn new skills, advancement opportunities, and career growth are within the top five priorities for candidates. 

“It’s not just hard skills that are important,” LinkedIn said. “The top soft skills sought by recruiters in SEA markets include communication, relationship-building, adaptability, business acumen, and problem-solving.”