Rewiring HR & Job Tech Platforms for a Skills-First Future

HR & Job tech platforms are central to hiring — but the way they work is holding back millions of skilled workers

Most job platforms were built around a simple idea: help employers find the best candidates, fast. But the way platforms rank, filter, and surface job seekers today still relies heavily on outdated proxies like degree attainment and job titles. And that’s a problem.

The challenge started when job search went online, it was exacerbated when companies looked to HR and Job Tech to automate their processes, it was compounded when hiring tools began to rely on algorithms to filter candidates.

Now – in the age of AI – we have the opportunity to create the future we want. However, in order to get there we must avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

"You know, it’s so funny, I haven’t brought it up with my hiring managers. It’s almost assumed that they would prefer someone with a bachelor’s."

Associate Director, Talent Acquisition — Healthcare Company

“I feel like nowadays it’s not necessarily a requirement anymore. There’s a lot of other avenues and pathways people can take, but just going the traditional four-year degree [route] doesn’t necessarily mean that person would be a great fit for the role.”

HR Generalist — Verseris

“It would be helpful to have something that’s more tangible, more of an objective assessment instead of this interference that a lot of times we have. That can be a bit of a harder sell to departments that this person is really good even though their resume isn’t what you were expecting.”

HR Director — Healthcare Company

James, STAR

Danielle and Paige, STARs

Shanel, STAR

STARs Hold Millions of Skills. Your Platform Can Surface Them.

STARs are the more than 70 million U.S. workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes — such as community college, military service, workforce training programs, or most commonly, learning on the job.

Although STARs make up half of the U.S. workforce, they’re often screened out or ranked lower by automated systems that prioritize degrees over skills. As a result, STARs have lost access to the jobs that offered them mobility over the last 20 years. And yet:

STARs are a vast talent pool — employers' talent pipelines have deteriorated as a result of STARs' loss of upward mobility.
STARs represent the full diversity of the U.S. workforce, including the majority of Black, Hispanic, rural, and veteran workers that many platforms aim to elevate.
STARs have valuable, credible skills — 32 million STARs already have the skills for higher-wage work today.

If platforms can recognize STARs, elevate their skills, and connect them to higher-wage opportunities, they can drive inclusion at a scale — and win in a shifting market.

What "Skills-First" for STARs Looks Like

HR and Job Tech Tools that are built to be inclusive of STARs skills hold to three practices:

The system is Anchored in Skills

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Users are enabled by simplifying skills inputs and improving usability

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Make it work for everyone by advancing STARs' mobility through skills data

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Elevate the prominence, and use, of skills in your system
Add context to skills data to increase its practical value

So skills and experience power HR and Job tech tools

Lower barriers for workers/worker-representing orgs to input their skills
Equip employers to effectively map skills to roles
Use common data structures to ensure portability and interoperability of worker profile and skill data

So that the skills data is high quality and practical for key users ‍

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Create ways to measure the success of candidates hired through skills-first features
Actively use skills data to counteract system and human bias
Translate skills data for managers to leverage in hiring & advancement decisions

So that the skills data is high quality and practical for key users

Utilize HR and Job Tech to unlock STARs skills by building for STARs with STARs:

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‍For STARs: The STAR Barriers and Breakthroughs Framework offers a way to understand the STAR experience and expand opportunities for STAR mobility. It reflects the lived experiences of the hundreds of STARs who have shared their stories with Opportunity@Work.

By STARs: STARs represent 70M are a vast, talented, and diverse pool of talent. They are a critical user group whose voices skills-first HR and Job Tech tools should seek for user feedback. Understanding their unique experiences and needs can lead to more inclusive and effective product development.

By understanding the barriers and breakthroughs encountered by STARs, product managers can design solutions that address real-world challenges and better serve a broader user base, ultimately driving greater product success.

Additionally, incorporating STARs' perspectives can uncover untapped market opportunities and foster a more equitable user experience.

Case Studies

BCR Cyber

A statewide initiative uses hands-on training and public-private partnerships to build STAR-friendly cyber talent pipelines

Trane Technologies

In just 90 days, Trane stood up a U.S. DOL-registered program to build a new talent pipeline for high-demand roles.

City of Philadelphia

Learnings from the City of Philadelphia’s City College of Municipal Employment

Louisiana State Civil Service

Learnings from a decade-long talent transformation at Louisiana's State Civil Service

HII

A multi-horizon talent strategy opens up critical defense technology roles to a broader workforce.

Microsoft

A dedicated sales academy opens doors for STARs while meeting key business needs.

Let's Build Smarter Job Platforms — Together

STARs represent the largest overlooked talent pool in America. Your platform can be the one that unlocks their potential — and helps employers find the workers they’ve been missing.

A skills-first future is already on the horizon. Now’s the time to build for it.

Ready to activate STARs inclusion mode? Reach out to Opportunity@Work to explore partnership opportunities or get support updating your platform’s design for STARs.