Is the traditional “Bachelor’s degree required” job posting quietly becoming extinct? In Charlotte’s competitive talent market, forward-thinking companies are discovering what savvy recruiters have known all along: the best Finance, Accounting, and Corporate Support professionals aren’t always the ones with the most impressive credentials on paper.
The Skills Revolution Has Arrived
With 83% of senior leaders reporting an accounting talent shortage – up from 70% in 2022 (according to a recent American University piece) – it’s clear the old playbook isn’t working. Companies clinging to rigid degree requirements and cookie-cutter experience checklists may be overlooking exceptional talent hiding in plain sight.
The shift is already underway. According to LinkedIn, nearly two-thirds of employers now use skills-based hiring practices, prioritizing what candidates can do over where they went to school or the titles on their résumé.
What Skills-Based Hiring Really Means
Instead of asking:
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“Do you have a CPA and Big 4 experience?”
Forward-thinking employers are asking:
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“Can you build a financial model and explain variance analysis to non-finance stakeholders?”
Scott Pullen, Sherpa Managing Director, explains:
“This approach focuses on competencies and tangible abilities rather than credentials and pedigree. It’s the difference between hiring someone who looks good on paper and hiring someone who can deliver results from day one.”
The Charlotte Advantage – A Highly Skilled Talent Pool
Local employers embracing skills-based hiring are already gaining ground in three key areas:
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Faster Time-to-Hire – Evaluating actual capabilities accelerates decision-making.
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Better Quality Matches – Skills assessments highlight how candidates think and solve problems, improving retention.
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Expanded Talent Pools – Removing degree requirements opens doors for career-changers, veterans, and professionals with non-traditional backgrounds.
Real-World Applications Across Specialties
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Accounting (Traditional): “Must have public accounting experience, CPA preferred.”
Skills-Based: “Demonstrated month-end close expertise, variance analysis, and stakeholder communication skills.” -
Business Transformation (Traditional): “MBA required, consulting background.”
Skills-Based: “Proven record leading cross-functional teams through measurable process improvements.” -
Corporate Support (Traditional): “Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.”
Skills-Based: “Experience optimizing workflows and implementing tech solutions that improve efficiency.”
The Results Speak for Themselves
Companies applying skills-based hiring report improved performance, adaptability, and workforce diversity. By removing barriers that exclude qualified candidates, employers uncover hidden talent with the potential to thrive long-term.
Alissa Farrow, Director of Delivery Excellence at Sherpa, notes:
“Moving forward, finance and accounting professionals will need more than technical skills. They’ll need digital fluency, data analysis capabilities, and strategic thinking. Skills-based hiring helps identify candidates who possess this future-ready combination.”
The Bottom Line
The question isn’t if skills-based hiring will reshape recruiting, but whether your organization will adapt—balancing cultural fit with new ways of identifying talent.
In Charlotte’s competitive market, the winners will be the companies willing to recognize exceptional capabilities wherever they’re found.
Are you ready to uncover exceptional talent in Charlotte’s market?
At Sherpa, we pair proven recruiting expertise with a keen eye for transferable skills. Our deep specialization in Accounting, Finance, HR, Marketing, Business Transformation, Corporate Support and Supply Chain Services helps employers hire candidates who not only meet requirements but bring unexpected value to their organizations.
