- Professional Villain Era
- Posts
- Issue 57
In partnership with
Table of Contents
Opening Salvo
Job postings have become wish lists. Organizations load them with advanced degrees, niche certifications, and years of experience that outstrip what the role truly requires.
This is skills inflation. It narrows candidate pools, creates longer vacancies, and discourages qualified applicants from even trying. Inside organizations, it sends another message: growth and mobility are reserved for those who check every box, not for those who can learn and adapt.
I’ve seen roles stall for months because the requirements were inflated beyond what the team actually needed. The work still had to be done, so employees absorbed the extra load. By the time hiring finally happened, the best candidates had already gone elsewhere.
Skills inflation does not raise standards. It locks organizations out of the talent they need.
Practical Personas (with a tinge of hyperbole)
The Checklist Builder: Writes postings with an endless list of requirements. Strong candidates self-select out, and the search drags on.
The Prestige Seeker: Adds credentials that signal status more than capability. The team gains image points but loses agility.
The Smart Calibrator: Defines what is truly required, identifies what can be learned, and recruits for adaptability and growth potential.
Ask Yourself:
Do your job postings reflect what is essential or what sounds impressive?
How many candidates have walked away because the list of requirements was unrealistic?
Are you leaving growth potential untapped by hiring only for what people already know?
Every extra bullet in a posting carries a cost. Leaders who calibrate requirements to reality fill roles faster and retain stronger talent.
Did You See This?
Why Ignoring Age Bias Costs Companies Twice
Nine in 10 workers over 50 say they’ve experienced age discrimination. That level of bias makes an already strained labor market even tighter, with employers losing experience and credibility as older workers exit.
WorkLife cites AARP research showing age bias is widespread, with stereotypes about tech ability and adaptability persisting. Experts warn this discourages qualified candidates, drives early retirements, and undermines diversity goals. Demographics make the risk sharper, by 2030, one in four U.S. workers will be over 55. Organizations that ignore bias will feel both talent shortages and reputational damage.
Leaders can blunt the damage with deliberate moves:
Audit hiring and promotion patterns. Compare outcomes by age bracket to catch bias.
Refresh job design. Focus on outcomes, not years of experience or assumptions about “culture fit.”
Reskill inclusively. Provide tech and AI upskilling that welcomes all employees, not just younger cohorts.
Elevate representation. Put older employees in visible leadership, mentorship, and client-facing roles.
If workforces are aging, then bias against age is bias against the future itself.
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Talent Management 101 (TM101)
The Skills Inflation Problem
Skills inflation describes the trend of job postings requiring more qualifications than necessary. While it may seem like a way to raise standards, it creates barriers to both hiring and retention.
Why It Matters:
Discourages qualified candidates who do not meet every line of a posting
Extends time-to-fill as the pool of applicants shrinks
Contributes to underemployment when internal talent is overlooked
Damages employer brand when expectations are disconnected from reality
What to Change and How:
Separate must-have skills from nice-to-have preferences
Focus on core capabilities that drive business outcomes
Create pathways for learning inside the role instead of requiring pre-loaded expertise
Audit postings against the actual daily work performed
Organizations that resist skills inflation fill roles faster, broaden candidate pools, and signal that growth is possible inside their walls.
The Plug
Professional development shouldn’t depend on your job title or whether your company invests in you.
Many founders build businesses without ever having the chance to learn how to manage and lead people.
That’s why I created The AstutEdge Blueprint community, a space where anyone can build the skills that accelerate careers.
Inside, members get:
Asynchronous courses you can take on your own schedule
Practical templates to put learning into action
Coaching options in small groups or one-on-one
The Founding Member rate is $25/month until October 22, then it becomes $45/month.
Here’s a launch offer to help us grow together: join at the founding rate, refer two people who also join, and your monthly subscription is free for life.
This community was built to close access gaps. If you know someone who has not had access to professional development, this is the chance to invite them in. The link to join is below!
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