Only 12% of companies validate candidate skills.
Let that sink in.
That means the other 88%?
They’re hiring based on assumptions, not evidence. Resumes, referrals, gut feel—and hoping for the best.
We’ve all seen the disconnect: Candidates who look perfect on paper but fizzle out fast. Or hidden gems that never made it past the first screen.
On the latest #thePOZcast, I sat down with Madeline Laurano—founder of Aptitude Research—LIVE from Unleash 2025, to dig deep into how we break this cycle with skills-based hiring.
What we unpacked:
✅ Why companies are struggling to validate skills (and what to do about it)
✅ How AI can infer and verify real-world capabilities—not just LinkedIn buzzwords
✅ The role of structured interviews in building consistent, high-quality hiring outcomes
Madeline doesn’t sugarcoat it: The resume-first era is over.
To build teams that actually deliver, we have to rethink how we assess, measure, and prioritize skills.
It’s not just theory—it’s actionable. And it’s already reshaping how top orgs hire.
If you’re in HR, TA, or building a team from scratch—this one’s a must-listen:
LISTEN UP: https://www.thepozcast.com/454
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