Dive Brief:

• Hiring managers say the pandemic has changed what they look for in job candidates, according to the April 6 results of a PeopleScout survey.
• Specifically, the vast majority of respondents (94%) identified the "ability to work independently" as an essential characteristic. 
• Rounding out the top five most desired characteristics were ability to handle stress; flexibility; communication and being self-guided.

Dive Insight:

Hiring managers began to prioritize skills over degrees in recent years, research such as a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation report has shown, and PeopleScout's findings may signal a further shift.

Success amid the coronavirus pandemic "has required more than just weathering the pandemic; employees needed to become self-reliant to keep pace," Tammy Perkins, chief people officer of PMI Worldwide, wrote in an opinion piece for HR Dive. "They've been operating in survival mode, making decisions and defining priorities on a new scale."

This demand for self-reliance may remain as some employers consider permanent hybrid models and others eschew the office entirely. And while those involved in talent acquisition can prioritize hiring workers with such abilities, employers also can train for soft skills; employees can be taught characteristics such as resilience, experts previously told HR Dive, which can both drive retention and create a competitive advantage for the company.