Hiring Priorities in 2025: Experience, Skills, and Adaptability
A January 2025 survey, shared by socialbites.ca in collaboration with the Center for Future Professions and the TenChat business network, reveals what employers value most when evaluating candidates. The responses show that 64 percent regard experience and demonstrated competencies as more important than age, while 36 percent still favor younger professionals. The findings offer a practical view of how hiring managers prioritize track records, tangible results, and the ability to contribute quickly over potential alone. For job seekers in Russia, these results highlight the importance of showcasing real outcomes and relevant skills. In North American markets, similar priorities are driving hiring decisions as well.
The data also show that education matters, but practical training carries substantial weight. Thirty-seven percent of respondents consider whether a candidate has higher education, while specialists with secondary vocational education are in demand for 30 percent of employers. Twenty-one percent say that experience weighs more than a degree when making a decision. The data reveal a balanced demand for formal credentials and hands on know-how, with vocational pathways and ongoing learning opening doors to skilled roles even without a university diploma.
Learning capacity stands out as a decisive factor. Forty percent of employers say the speed and ease with which a person learns new material is a determining factor. Knowledge of a foreign language is fundamental for one-fifth of respondents. Initiative in business life is valued by 16 percent, and experience in similar projects by 14 percent. Eleven percent of employers value all of the listed traits.
Flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances is highly valued by 36 percent of respondents. Mastery of modern technologies and programs is noted by 17 percent, leadership by 14 percent, teamwork by 13 percent, and determination paired with creativity by 11 percent. The spread shows that many firms want versatile professionals who can adjust quickly while embracing digital tools.
Social skills matter as much as professional capabilities. Forty-nine percent of employers say that interpersonal skills are at least as important as technical know-how.
More than half of respondents, 57 percent, view a zigzag career as a sign of good observation and adaptability. Yet 42 percent take a negative view of abrupt changes in activity.
Forty percent of employers are comfortable with candidates managing multiple projects at once if quality stays high, while some worry that focus could suffer.
The January 2025 snapshot included participation from more than five hundred companies across industries, offering a snapshot of current employer expectations and how they may shape job seekers’ preparation.
In light of these findings, job seekers are updating resumes for 2025 by highlighting experience, leadership, teamwork, and adaptability. The evolving hiring landscape suggests a mix of credentials, hands-on learning, and soft skills will determine success, a pattern that resonates with hiring practices in Canada and the United States as well.