Hiring Wars: Work Experience Vs. In-Demand Skills—The Answer Will Change How You Recruit Forever

Let’s get one thing straight in hiring: resume flexing is out, and real skills are in. 

For years, hiring felt like speed dating, complete with degrees and job titles. Recruiters would skim through “5+ years experience,” nod approvingly at fancy job titles, and call it quits.

However, somewhere between the great resignation and the rise of social media tutorials on how to code, the script has changed. 

Suddenly, a college dropout who built three profitable apps in their basement is a more appealing hire than someone with two framed degrees and a LinkedIn bio longer than the CVS receipt. 

So, what’s happening? And, more importantly, what should you do about it?

Let’s get into this hiring debate: Experience versus Skills. Who wins? Who flops? And what does this mean for how we build teams going forward?

Old School Vs. New Rules

Previously (i.e., before 2020), recruiters were focused on

 • How long has someone worked at a company?

 • Which university are they going to?

 • Job titles that seemed immersive

The issue is that time served does not necessarily equate to acquired talent. 

“A person who uses Photoshop every day for 6 months probably knows than someone who used it once a year for 5 years.”

— Cory Stahle, Economist At Indeed

According to a new Indeed study, only 30% of job postings now include required years of experience, down from 40% in 2022. 

For high-paying roles, the percentage requiring years of experience has decreased even more, from 66% to 44% in just two years, underscoring a significant shift away from the previous emphasis on bachelor's degrees. 

That’s not a trend. That’s revolution. 

Why The Shift? Let’s Talk Real 

1. Experience doesn’t guarantee results.

Two candidates can both state that they “led a team of developers.” One means two interns. The other? A team of 20 is scaling a product to 1 million users. Who would you rather hire? 

2. Skills are (and cheaper) to build now.

From online course certificates to 8-week boot camps to that one obsessed YouTuber who teaches JavaScript for free, today’s job seekers don’t have to wait four years to demonstrate their abilities. 

3. Resume keywords can lie. Skill tests don’t.

Anyone can write the phrase “proficient in Excel.” But let’s see how you can create dynamic dashboards on the fly. 

4. Software doesn’t care about your past.

Recruiters use tools that filter based on skills rather than job titles. If you don’t meet the requirements, you are out. Even if you were a “marketing wizard’ in your previous position.

Case Study—The Bank That Ditched Experience Requirements: Pioneer Capital Bank

A mid-sized financial firm in Atlanta, called Pioneer Capital Bank, removed the “minimum 3 years of experience” requirement from its job postings for analysts. What was the result? 

• Applications triples.
   

• 15% greater diversity in hires.
   

• New employees from non-traditional backgrounds like coding boot camps, online certifications, outperformed traditional hires by 23% on problem-soling assessments.
   

They are not saved money on salaries, but they also gained new perspectives that helped to modernize outdated systems.  

But Wait—Is Experience Useless Now?

Not at all. 

Experience remains important in fields such as healthcare, aviation, and law, where lives and situations are at stake. You would not want your surgeon to say, “Don’t worry, I just watched a MasterClass.”

However, for the majority of knowledge jobs, the equation is changing. 

Here’s where experience still wins:

• Leadership roles

• Client-facing roles

• Crisis management scenarios
  
  

Slowly evolving fields (government, traditional law firms, etc.)

But here’s where skills dominate:

• Technology and design

• Content creation

• Product development 

• Marketing, Analytics, and Automation

So, What Should Recruiters Do Now?

Here’s your playbook for staying ahead of the curve:

1. Rewrite Job Descriptions 

Remove vague language like “must have 5+ years.” Instead, be specific. 

• “Comfortable at building applications from scratch.” 

• “Can run A//B tests and interpret results using Google Analytics

2. Implement Skill Assessments

Instead of asking. “Tell me about a time….” Try these:

• Test assessments. 

• Personality test. 

• Problem-solving skills.

3. Embrace Untraditional Talent 

That barista with an Excel side gig? They might be your next operation superstar.

Pro Tip: Stop assuming that talent comes with a degree. 

Predictions: Past, Present, Future

Past:

The experience was king. Degrees ruled. People stayed in the same job for years.

Present:

Skills are rapidly increasing. Degrees are not as important. Candidates learn new skills, change jobs, and industries, and invest in new tools, and even careers to diversify their portfolio. This helps them grow financially. 

Future:

Work will be project-based. Skills will be updated, just like iPhone software. Teams will be formed based on agility, not tenure. 

Key Takeaways

• Experience differs from expertise.

• Skills can be assessed, validated, and taught.

• Hiring for potential outperforms hiring for the past. 

• Job advertisements should focus on capabilities rather than years of experience. 

• Recruitment must evolve, or it will become irrelevant. 

Your Curious Quests Addressed Here

Should I still list experience requirements on job ads?

Only if the experience has a direct impact on job performance. Otherwise, concentrate on the required outcomes or tasks.

How can I assess a candidate's skills quickly?

Use Swissmote to streamline your hiring process. Their expert team will take care of everything. 

What about senior roles?

Combine both. Experience helps, but don’t dismiss an underdog with enormous potential. 

Isn’t this risky?

So, hiring someone with ten years of experience who does nothing?

How do I future-proof my hiring strategy?

Maintain your ability to adapt. Prioritize learning ability. Create teams that will grow alongside you, not just those who have been there and done that. 

Bottom Line—Last But Not Least!

If you are still hiring as if it’s 2015, you are not just falling behind; you are invisible to top candidates. 

The smartest recruiters in 2025 will not ask, “Where have you worked?”

They will ask, “What can you do right now?”

That’s the difference between filling a role and discovering a rockstar. 

Looking to create teams that aren’t just experienced but extraordinary?

Begin by asking the appropriate questions: Can they do it, not have they done it?

So, if you are looking to hire candidates and want to streamline your process, remove barriers, and save time, Swissmote is your one-stop solution.

Let’s talk!