Finding skilled candidates remains a significant challenge for businesses, with 93% of managers struggling to find the talent they need, according to Robert Half research. But there’s a solution managers often overlook: adjacent skills.
When faced with a limited talent pool, broadening your perspective to consider candidates with related skills but not the exact ones you’re looking for could open up new possibilities. By recognizing the value of adjacent skills, you might find talented individuals who can quickly learn and grow into a role.
Skill Adjacencies: The Key to Smart Hiring and Development
What are adjacent skills?
Adjacent skills include both soft skills and industry-specific knowledge that are not an employee’s primary area of expertise but are closely related to them. This similarity means that a worker can likely learn a new skill relatively easily, given the opportunity. Examples of pairs of adjacent skills include:
Communication skills and customer relations
Product management and project management
Graphic design and illustration
Why are adjacent skills important for organizations?
Identifying skill adjacencies in your current employees and potential hires opens up new possibilities for your talent strategy. For example, when hiring for roles involving AI marketing tools, don’t limit your candidate pool to those who already have experience in AI; also consider candidates from traditional marketing backgrounds. A content writer or social media manager might not have direct experience with AI platforms, but their understanding of marketing principles, audience engagement and content planning makes them strong candidates. These adjacent skills mean they can quickly adapt to using AI tools for marketing campaigns, often bringing fresh perspectives to how these technologies can serve your audience.
But it’s not all about recruiting and hiring. This approach is equally powerful for developing your current team. Robert Half research shows that 52% of companies plan to use upskilling to address skills gaps in 2025. Identifying adjacent skills in your employees can help uncover hidden potential—allowing you to train them to help with projects you don’t have the in-house expertise to handle. And it’s a two-way street: When your team members build on their knowledge to master new skills, it expands their career options overall. And there’s more: As they develop their capabilities, they tend to show higher levels of engagement and job satisfaction. For your organization, this often translates into stronger employee retention and a more adaptable workforce.
Tips for identifying and using skill adjacencies for hiring and upskilling
Candidate search
Be flexible when reviewing applications
Pay attention to complementary skills candidates list on their resume that go beyond the core job requirements. Someone’s track record of learning new systems quickly or managing complex projects could matter more than specific technical certifications, for example.
Dig deep during interviews
Incorporating situational or hypothetical questions is a particularly effective way to uncover adjacent skills during an interview. Ask candidates to describe scenarios where they applied skills not directly tied to their main role. For example, “Describe a situation where you had to solve a problem outside of your usual responsibilities,” or “Can you share an experience where you had to learn a new skill quickly for a project?” or “Tell me about a time when you used a skill you already have but not one you’d normally use on a project.” These questions can reveal a candidate’s adaptability and hidden talents relevant to the role.
Upskilling your team
Involve employees in the process
Engage with your team about their interests and career goals and use this information to encourage the development of adjacent skills. For instance, a technical writer interested in coding or an engineer keen on project management can be nudged toward these growth areas. Pay attention to their strengths and inform them about projects that could help them further develop these competencies.
Focus on skills that add value
When planning skill development, focus on knowledge that creates real value for both your business and your employees. In other words, choose practical abilities that fill current skills gaps in your organization.
Once you’ve identified areas where you need more expertise, encourage your team to gain new certifications and provide company-paid programs if possible. Paving the way for your employees to add an accreditation after their name can enhance their perceived value when introducing them to your clients. It also supports your staff’s career advancement within the organization.
Embrace cross-departmental collaboration
Promote opportunities for employees to contribute to select projects of other departments. This exposes workers to different perspectives and skill sets, giving them a deeper understanding of various business functions and the challenges other colleagues face each day. It’s a practical way for team members to develop adjacent skills naturally while contributing to broader company goals.
For example, a marketing team member could collaborate on a digital transformation project with the IT department, such as a mobile application or tailoring a department’s page on the company website or intranet. This experience would not only help out the IT team but also provide the marketing professional with insights into the technological aspects of the business.
Create a structured approach where employees can learn gradually—perhaps dedicating a few hours each week to shadowing colleagues or working on small projects in their target department.
Promote diverse career paths
Support employees who want to explore different career paths within your organization. A customer service representative could transition into sales, for example, using their deep product knowledge and communication skills in a new way.
By focusing on skill adjacencies does more than fill immediate talent gaps—it creates a more versatile workforce capable of adapting to changing business needs.
