Why Skill-Based Matching Software Misses the Mark—and How to Fix It
In today’s world, skill-based matching software is widely used by companies to streamline the hiring process. It works by comparing a candidate’s skills with the average skills required for a role, often using large amounts of data collected online. But here’s the problem: this data is inherently filled with bias because it comes from humans—and humans, by nature, have biases.
Why Average Skills Aren’t Enough
Your business doesn’t need “average” skills for a role. It needs specific ones. Let's look at two administration positions as an example: one in a complaints department and another in customer support. Both roles require making or answering calls, but they demand entirely different skill sets. The complaints department needs someone skilled in conflict resolution, while the customer support team requires someone with strong recall skills to explain products and solutions to customers.
Now, think about two different companies hiring for a finance leadership role. One team is made up of highly experienced people who aren’t working well together, while the other is a group of recent graduates in need of guidance and support. These two teams require vastly different leadership styles, yet traditional skill-matching software won’t account for these nuances. It relies on generalised data that doesn’t reflect the real-world specifics of your team’s needs.
The Broad Careers Difference
At Broad Careers, we believe in moving beyond generic skill sets. Our approach starts with a conversation. We sit down with your team to discuss the exact requirements for the role and identify the top 5–10 skills needed for day-to-day tasks.
Next, our candidates fill out a profile that focuses on their everyday activities. This helps us pinpoint their natural strengths—those that align with their daily life, not just their work history. And here’s why that matters: people who are naturally skilled at what they do will be happier and more productive in their roles because they aren’t forced to work against their instincts or abilities.
Why Work History Isn’t Enough
A CV can’t capture these nuances. Work history doesn’t tell you how well a person performs certain tasks. We’ve all encountered someone in a role where we’ve thought, “That person should not be doing that job.” In the age of AI-generated resumes, how can you truly tell who’s a fit for your team?
This is where our profiles differ. We don’t ask for simple yes-or-no answers that a bot could generate. We ask candidates to describe how they approach different tasks. These open-ended questions give us insight into their natural abilities, and it’s something AI can’t replicate.
At Broad Careers, we’re here to help you find candidates who not only meet your requirements but also thrive in their roles—because they’re doing what comes naturally to them. Skill-based matching software often misses the mark, but we’re here to bridge the gap.
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