Microsoft announced they are working to accelerate a “skills-based labor market” and immediately I wondered what companies have been hiring for previously, if not for skills. I’m sure those of you who have applied for a job again and again, only to be rejected or ignored, have wondered the same thing. 

The New York Times reporting of the subject clarifies that in this ‘new’ way of looking at job applicants, “skills can be emphasized over traditional hiring filters like college degrees, work history and personal references.” From a recruiting perspective, I still believe in personal references because hearing first-hand from someone who has witnessed or benefited from your skills is extremely valuable when evaluating a candidate.