Opinion
Recruiting in the AI era: Less experience and degrees – more fast learning and critical thinking
"Generative AI’s automation does not make human workers redundant, it transforms and enhances unique human traits and capabilities into the new currency of business success," writes Concentrix's Einat Benjamini.
The impact of AI, and especially Generative AI, has been felt at full force over the past three years, and its shockwaves are now reaching human resources and recruitment departments. Millions of companies and organizations are grappling with fundamental questions about what makes an employee successful in the AI age, and whether the traditional recruitment model, based on academic degrees and years of experience, remains valid. At the same time, employers must ensure that both new hires and existing staff gain a deep understanding of the new world of work and know how to maximize its potential.
The business-to-business (B2B) sales sector is a prime example of these challenges. According to Gartner’s Future of Sales report, by 2030, 70% of sales-related tasks will be automated by AI systems. In parallel, McKinsey estimates that AI is already improving sales team productivity by 10–15%, while Generative AI contributes an additional $0.8–$1.2 trillion annually to global sales revenues.
Yet, adoption is still uneven. A McKinsey survey shows that only 21% of organizations have fully implemented GenAI across their operations, while 22% are still in pilot stages. A Salesforce survey reveals that 53% of sales representatives don’t know how to extract maximum value from the GenAI tools that have been added to their workflows.
So, who will be the salespeople of the future, programmers, accountants, lawyers, or business managers? And how will they be chosen? In recent years, a growing consensus has emerged that degree- and experience-based hiring is no longer optimal in the AI era. Instead, recruitment must be based on capabilities and skills that transcend the boundaries of a specific role. Automation in B2B sales and other sectors are eliminating many classic sales roles, but it is also amplifying the importance of soft skills: rapid learning, adaptability to changing conditions and new technologies, emotional intelligence, active listening and relationship-building, critical thinking, problem-solving, and more. As Generative AI takes over more touchpoints in the customer journey and beyond, the need will grow for employees with these skills, people who can navigate the most dynamic, complex, high-stakes scenarios and deliver real added value to customers and employers alike.
The ability to learn and adapt quickly is critical given the dizzying pace of technological change. For example, a World Economic Forum report predicts that by 2030, 39% of today’s required skills will disappear or undergo significant transformation. The Forum also estimates that some 92 million jobs will vanish globally, while 170 million new ones will be created, many in fields and roles that don’t yet exist.
Research by TestGorilla shows that 85% of organizations have already adopted a skills-based hiring approach, with two-thirds applying it to entry-level recruitment.
Today, businesses and organizations face a dual responsibility: first, to adopt and embed Generative AI technologies quickly while training employees to use them seamlessly as part of everyday work; and second, to embrace skills-based hiring practices suited to an era of rapid technological, business, and environmental change. Generative AI’s automation does not make human workers redundant, it transforms and enhances unique human traits and capabilities into the new currency of business success.
The author is the founder and manager of the Israeli branch of global technology services company Concentrix.
