'There are actually super good people who are qualified,' says CEO
Recruiters have long been on the fence on hiring individuals who don't have a college degree, but the CEO of an HR consultation firm is telling others to give them a chance.
Connie Barrientos-Carey, CEO of Manila-based Aleph Talent Solutions, said there are good potential employees who don't get hired because they don't have a diploma.
"I also always champion the hiring of non-college graduates, regardless of position, because there are actually super good people who are qualified," Barrientos-Carey, who was recently named as one of the Best HR Leaders in Asia.
Shifting hiring preferences
Hiring jobseekers who don't have a college degree has been an emerging trend over the past years in the wake of talent shortages across the world.
In 2023, Gartner predicted that HR leaders will loosen their formal education and experience requirements in job postings as more candidates opt for "non-linear career paths."
According to Gartner, organisations will need to be "more comfortable assessing candidates solely on their ability to perform in the role, rather than their credentials and prior experience" to fill critical roles.
It also comes as recruiters gradually transition to skill-based hiring, with industry micro-credentials becoming a recruitment preference among employers.
Expanding the talent pool
Barrientos-Carey's advocacy of considering non-college graduates is just one of her efforts to expand the pool of candidates available.
Her other efforts include championing for women and other groups.
"I've always been a champion for women and I've always championed for people with certain conditions to get them hired," she told HRD.
According to the CEO, she pushes for these efforts in an attempt to "make an impact" and "do things better."
"I know what it's like to not have a mentor, I know what it's like to be overworked and underpaid. And I know what it's like to not have somebody to champion you. So that's what I've always wanted to do for people," she said.
Barrientos-Carey was recently featured in HRD's Best HR Leaders in Asia, where she also spoke about employee advancement on social media and the responsibility of lifting employees.
