There are nearly 200,000 job openings across the federal government. Within those openings, a large percentage are in the areas of Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Building the workforce in these relatively new disciplines is forcing a new look at traditional requirements for careers in government.

The practice of skills-based hiring is gaining traction in government as a way to fill these important vacancies with a more diverse set of talent. Skill-based hiring involves looking beyond degrees and certifications and identifying candidates' skills that are applicable to the role. For example, a person may not have a computer science degree, but they have worked extensively with a key programming language or system in previous roles.

Uncovering Skills Not Experience

A candidate could have great experience. A four-year degree from a prestigious school. Past work with brand-name companies. But if you really dig in, you may find they don't actually possess the skills needed to get the job done. Continue reading →