Redefining skills: Why behavioral traits belong in skills-based hiring

In today’s labor market, one thing is clear: The traditional résumé is losing dominance. Employers are increasingly moving toward skills-based hiring, a more flexible, forward-thinking approach that prioritizes capabilities over credentials. But as this trend gains traction, an important question emerges: What do we actually mean by “skills”?

For many, skills still represent technical proficiency— coding, data analysis, or fluency in a foreign language. These hard skills, the can-do capabilities that appear in training programs and certifications, are essential. Yet our experience working with organizations that are rethinking hiring and development shows a critical missing piece: Behavioral traits and personality characteristics (i.e., the soft skills) should be treated as skills too.

This distinction matters for today’s leaders. Without a shared definition of what constitutes a skill, talent strategies remain fragmented. A unified view of hard and soft skills enables smarter hiring decisions, clearer development plans, and ultimately, stronger performance across the organization.

The rise of skills-based hiring

We’re in the midst of a major shift in the hiring landscape. Increasingly, companies are recognizing that degrees and past job titles don’t guarantee success. What matters more is whether a person has the specific skills (both technical and behavioral) a role demands.

Some organizations are going even further and shifting away from rigid roles and toward capability-based models. Job architecture is being rebuilt around what people can do, rather than the boxes they fit into. While this opens exciting opportunities to tap into broader, more diverse talent pools, it also introduces new challenges. If we don’t get specific about what skills mean, we risk building frameworks that are incomplete or biased from the start.

Technical skills are only half the story

Consider this scenario: An employee with a master’s degree in data science and past field experience is hired into a cross-functional team. On paper, they check every box. But in practice, they struggle with collaboration, avoid stakeholder meetings, and resist feedback. The technical boxes are ticked, but the behavioral side (i.e., the “will do”) is lacking; thus, this employee is unlikely to thrive in their role.

This disconnect is more common than you’d think. It stems from overemphasizing what people can do (the technical side) and underestimating how they’ll actually show up in the role (the behavioral side). Define skills too narrowly, and the same mistake repeats.

The case for behavioral skills

This is where behavioral science adds real value. We define behavioral traits as measurable patterns in how people think, interact, and approach work. These traits aren’t just nice to have; they’re often the difference between success and misalignment on the job.

At Infor™ Talent Science, we routinely assess traits related to work style, collaboration, problem-solving, and needs and motivation. These are observable, coachable, and highly predictive of success in a wide range of roles. Studies consistently show that behavioral alignment leads to better quality of hire, longer tenure, and better performance.

So why not treat these characteristics like any other skill? If they drive outcomes, they deserve the same weight in hiring, development, and performance management.

Building an expanded skills framework

The solution isn’t to downplay technical skills but to broaden the lens.

• Hard skills are what someone is capable of doing.
• Soft skills are what someone will do, and how they approach challenges, teams, and change.

When organizations measure both, they create a fuller picture of each candidate or employee. This helps not only in hiring the right people but also in developing and retaining them.

Behavioral assessments offer a powerful way to bring this into practice. By quantifying behavioral traits, employers can map them to role requirements, uncover potential gaps, and build targeted coaching strategies that accelerate growth.

From insight to action

Treating behavioral traits as skills means shifting how we define, evaluate, and grow talent. Here's a practical guide for where to start:

• Define soft skills by role: Different roles require different technical expertise and behavioral strengths
• Use behavioral assessments in hiring and development: Bring objectivity and consistency to how soft skills are measured
• Incorporate both hard and soft skills into job descriptions and performance reviews: This reinforces their importance and ensures alignment across the talent lifecycle
• Coach soft skills like any other competency: With the right feedback and support, behavioral traits can be developed just like technical ones

The future of work will demand more than technical know-how. It will require adaptability, initiative, and collaboration. These are skills that live in how people behave, not just what they know. By elevating behavioral traits to their rightful place in the skills conversation, leaders can unlock deeper talent insights, make smarter decisions, and build teams that thrive in a changing world.