Most employers in Singapore looked beyond qualifications when hiring

Some 71.5% of employers in Singapore looked beyond academic qualifications as a means of hiring candidates in 2020, according to a report by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). 

The majority of employers highlighted that relevant work experience and skills matter more as this allows the candidate to perform the job almost immediately, and while qualifications help a candidate secure an interview, the candidate with the right skills and attitude gets the job.

Of these, employers were also more likely to indicate that qualifications were not the main consideration for non-Professional, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMET) roles (87.9%), as compared to PMET jobs (59.5%). 

Fewer employers cited reasons such as having a lack of candidates with the required qualifications, or that few academic qualifications can equip candidates with the niche skills required for the role. 

This therefore “confirms that employers are consciously looking beyond academic qualifications when hiring for the right candidate”, the report stated, noting that however, “while qualifications are not the main consideration, employers continue to use it as a filter for selecting candidates for interviews”.

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Almost half, or 45% of job vacancies in 2020 were newly created roles, driven by job restructuring and redesign, and the need for new functions. Government initiatives aimed at supporting business transformation could also have contributed to the rise in new roles, the report highlighted.