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To find a candidate’s skills gaps, first define what the role requires, then ask every candidate for comparable evidence of those skills. Treat a questionnaire as a starting point—not proof of competence—and use a consistent follow-up assessment where the job calls for one. A gap means the candidate has not yet demonstrated the required level; it does not automatically mean they cannot do the work.
Define the role’s required skills before writing questions
Start with the work the person must do, rather than a generic list of desirable traits. Agree with the hiring manager on the specific skills needed at entry, the expected proficiency for each, and what evidence would demonstrate it. That discussion can also reveal whether recruiting is the right response, or whether the need could be met by developing skills internally or adjusting the work. The OECD describes this kind of conversation as part of an example hiring process, based on stakeholder interviews rather than a universal rule.
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Use observable, plain-language descriptions. For example, define whether someone must perform a task with guidance, complete it independently, or coach others. These are practical anchors, not a universally validated proficiency scale. The OECD calls for “clear and straightforward language about skills” rather than relying on proxies such as qualifications or previous job titles.
Ask for relevant examples, not just self-ratings
Keep the questionnaire short and tied to the role’s defined requirements. Ask candidates to describe what they did, the context, their level of responsibility, and the result or other evidence. Invite them to identify skills they have used recently and skills they would want to develop for this role. Where appropriate, ask for a relevant work sample or a description of how they would approach a realistic task.
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A useful prompt might be: “Describe a recent task that required [skill]. What was the situation, what did you do yourself, and what was the outcome?” Replace the bracketed phrase with the role-specific skill; do not treat the example as a validated questionnaire. The OECD describes a hiring example that begins with a questionnaire about skills and eligibility, followed by recruiter and manager screens and skills-oriented behavioral interviews. It is an illustrative process, not a mandated sequence.
A candidate’s confidence rating can help identify topics for follow-up, but it does not verify competence. Avoid making a hiring decision from unsupported self-ratings alone.
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Compare candidates against the same requirements
Record evidence skill by skill so that a gap means the same thing for each applicant. A simple assessment matrix can include these fields:
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- Required skill and level: the entry requirement agreed for the role.
- Candidate evidence: examples, outcomes, or work shown by the candidate.
- Assessment result: how the evidence compares with the requirement.
- Confidence: how clearly the evidence supports that finding.
- Follow-up: the next question or assessment needed to resolve uncertainty.
Distinguish “not demonstrated yet” from “does not have the skill.” A sparse questionnaire response may reflect a need to probe, not a confirmed lack of ability. In an OECD example, a short online assessment established a baseline and helped tailor later questions to areas where an applicant did not meet the standard. The report also notes that the online scores did not strongly correlate with performance in other recruitment stages. Use an assessment score as one evidence source, not a complete verdict.
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Choose a follow-up that fits the skill
Match the next step to the actual work. A structured behavioral question can test how a candidate has handled a relevant situation; a practical task can show how they perform a job-related activity. The OECD describes technical challenges in manager screens and an on-site exercise for roles requiring specific equipment, in which the candidate solves a problem with that equipment within a defined period.
Whichever method you choose, apply the same core questions, task conditions, and scoring criteria to candidates for the same role. Keep the exercise proportionate, accessible, and relevant to real duties. Make the result interpretable: assessors should be able to explain what the evidence shows and how it relates to the requirement. The OECD’s examples use short turnaround times to help maintain candidate engagement, but they do not establish a universal ideal duration. Consult appropriate HR or legal advisers about implementation and accommodations in your jurisdiction; the sources cited here do not establish jurisdiction-specific legal requirements.
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Decide whether a gap matters at hiring
Classify each identified gap according to the role and the strength of the evidence:
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- Needs another assessment: the current evidence is inconclusive, so use a consistent, job-related follow-up before deciding.
- Developable after hiring: the skill can reasonably be learned through onboarding or training without compromising the role.
Keep the hiring bar tied to actual work requirements. If an essential requirement appears to rule out many otherwise suitable candidates, revisit whether that proficiency is truly needed at entry or could be developed. The OECD describes employers considering internal skills development and adjustments to skills demands when hiring barriers arise.
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After the process, seek feedback from candidates and the hiring team. The OECD’s example includes feedback as a process feature; it can help clarify whether questions and assessments were understandable and relevant, but it does not make a questionnaire a predictor of job performance.
Candidate findings are not workforce skills-gap statistics
In recruitment, a candidate-level gap is the difference between the role’s requirement and the evidence collected about one applicant. Workforce surveys use different definitions and populations. For example, the UK Employer Skills Survey defines an internal skills gap in terms of an existing employee judged by their employer not to be fully proficient in their role. It distinguishes this from a skill-shortage vacancy, which is hard to fill because applicants lack required skills, qualifications, or experience. Neither measure tells you what share of candidates for a particular vacancy lacks a skill.
The UK Department for Education’s Employer Skills Survey 2024, published in 2025, found that 12% of UK employers had at least one employee judged not fully proficient, and that 4.0% of the UK workforce was judged to have a skills gap. The survey included 22,712 employers across the UK; covered sites had at least two staff on payroll, and the stated UK-level sampling error for all sites was ±0.65%. These are incumbent-employee findings, not candidate assessment results.
Employment and Social Development Canada’s summary of its 2021 Survey of Employers on Workers’ Skills reported that surveyed businesses identified technical or job-specific gaps most often (57%), followed by problem-solving (49%), critical thinking (36%), and customer service (35%). The survey asked more than 9,300 private-sector businesses across Canada. These are business-reported workforce findings from that survey, not current global prevalence or candidate-specific rates.
Skills-based hiring is also reported in employer surveys, but the figures describe respondents rather than every employer. In NACE’s Job Outlook 2026 survey, 70% of participants reported using skills-based hiring, up from 65% in the prior year. NACE collected responses from August 7 through September 22, 2025: 183 respondents in total, including 170 NACE employer members. Participants reported using skills-based hiring in interviewing (87%), screening (65%), job descriptions (81%), and interview rubrics (58%). These findings describe the survey participants and period, not a census of employers.
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