What If Your Next Top Performer Isn’t Where You Expect Them to Be?

By Catherine Rayner 

Do you ever get stuck in the same hiring cycle, going through resumes that all look alike? You see the same job titles, steady career paths, and traditional routes. But what about candidates who took a different path? The ones who took career breaks or explored different roles? What about those who might have exactly what you're looking for but haven’t followed the usual career trajectory? 

In today’s dynamic job market, sticking solely to conventional hiring methods risks overlooking innovative and diverse talent. Embracing nontraditional career paths can enrich your workforce with fresh perspectives, creativity, and success. Are you ready to rethink the way you build your team? Let’s get started. 

Understand Nontraditional Career Paths 

What exactly defines a nontraditional career path? It’s when a candidate’s work history deviates from the norm. This might include employment gaps for personal reasons, career shifts, freelance work, or unconventional roles. Maybe they've been self-employed, worked part-time, or took on caregiving roles. 

An employment gap might raise some concerns. But what if that time off helped someone build transferable skills that are valuable for your role? More people are making these career choices for reasons like personal health, family commitments, or seeking a better work-life balance. It’s time we see the value of these experiences. 

Recognize the Benefits 

Why should we embrace nontraditional candidates? For starters, they bring a diversity of thought. Different paths lead to different perspectives, creativity, and problem-solving approaches. A candidate who has worked in a variety of roles or industries can offer fresh insights that can spark innovation in your team. 

Many nontraditional workers have developed transferable skills that might not be obvious on their resumes. Take adaptability and resilience, for example – two key traits in today’s fast-paced world. Whether they’ve managed multiple roles or switched careers, they've had to problem-solve and adjust to new situations. Or someone who’s run a household or their own business may have developed strong organizational and problem-solving abilities. Leadership, time management, and communication are other skills often gained from caregiving, freelance work, or a career change. By focusing on these skills rather than just traditional experience, you can uncover valuable assets for your team. 

Embracing nontraditional talent expands your candidate pool, giving you access to people you might have overlooked before. With fewer candidates in the traditional pipeline, you need an inclusive hiring process. This helps you stay competitive and attract top talent with fresh skills. 

Overcome Bias in the Hiring Process 

Bias is one of the biggest barriers to embracing nontraditional talent. Hiring managers tend to favor candidates with continuous employment histories or the right degrees. That means people with nontraditional backgrounds get pushed aside. But this bias can limit your company’s potential by overlooking candidates who could be a perfect fit. 

So, how do we rethink the traditional hiring process? Combating this requires shifting focus. Move from rigid resume criteria to assessing skills and potential. Use skills-based assessments. Or implement blind hiring practices, where personal details are hidden during the initial stages. These changes can help reduce bias and ensure you’re evaluating candidates on their true capabilities, not just their past roles. 

Practical Tips for Hiring Nontraditional Candidates 

Now that we’ve explored the benefits, here are four practical tips to get started: 

1. Revamp Job Descriptions: Focus on the skills and potential of candidates rather than rigid qualifications and experience. 

2. Be Open to a Variety of Experiences: Look beyond resumes and ask about the candidate’s journey. How have their experiences shaped their skills? 

3. Invest in Training and Development: Provide mentorship programs or upskilling opportunities to help nontraditional candidates thrive in their roles. 

4. Encourage a Culture of Inclusion: Create a workplace that supports all employees, regardless of their background, to feel valued and empowered. 

So, what are you waiting for? 

Embracing nontraditional career paths can be a game-changer for your hiring process. The fresh perspectives, diverse experiences, and transferable skills that these candidates bring can help drive innovation and success in your organization. By removing biases and rethinking the hiring process, you can tap into a broader talent pool and build a more inclusive, dynamic workforce. 

Start recognizing and investing in nontraditional talent today to unlock the true potential of your team! 

Need help finding nontraditional candidates? At TalentRemedy, we help companies like yours find and retain top talent faster and smarter. Our expertise makes hiring more efficient, especially when it comes to in-demand talent. If you're looking for a tailored hiring approach that delivers real results, let’s talk! Reach out to us at info@talentremedy.com or 703-362-0175 to explore how we can streamline your recruiting process and help you find the right fit without the guesswork.