Unlocking Hiring Excellence: Turning Knowledge into Skills

I wanted to share something that’s been on my mind recently – a thought inspired by a quote I saw that fundamentally gets at how we think about learning and development at SocialTalent.

“When knowledge is applied, it becomes a skill.”

It really struck a chord with me. Because in our work, particularly in the hiring space, we’ve spent years teaching people how to recruit, how to interview, and how to manage hiring processes. But knowing isn’t the same as doing.

The truth is, knowledge alone doesn’t get you the results. It’s a fundamental aspect, of course, but it’s only when you repeatedly apply that knowledge, receive feedback, and refine your approach that you develop true expertise. This concept is rooted in something called deliberate practice – a methodology that has transformed everything from sports to music to business.

Take David Beckham, for example. He didn’t become one of the best free-kick takers in football by simply knowing how to hit the ball into the top corner. It was years of deliberate, focused practice – again and again, often in high-pressure scenarios. The same with Serena Williams. It was constant repetition and application behind-the-scenes that allowed her to perform at her peak in championship situations.

And this is where hiring often falls short.

The Hiring Challenge: Knowledge Without Practice

So, how do we apply this process to L&D within the hiring space?

I often think about my time as a bartender to illustrate this point. I remember walking into The Pod (Dublin’s celebrity nightclub from the 90s!) with all the “knowledge” I needed from a friend who worked there – how to pour a pint, mix a drink, and keep things moving. But when 600 people flooded the bar on my first night, I realized quickly that knowledge was not the same as skill! Only by working under pressure, getting things wrong, and receiving real-time feedback from colleagues and customers did I truly develop the skills to excel behind the bar!

Hiring works the same way. Watching a training video or reading a guide gives you knowledge, but you only gain skill by conducting real interviews, working through challenges, and learning from feedback.

Seasoned recruiters often get this opportunity because they’re in the trenches day in, day out. But what about hiring managers? They might only conduct interviews once or twice a year. That’s not enough to build expertise. Or fledgling recruiters, or those moving from different disciplines – where’s their environment to practice and learn?

This challenge is what led us to reimagine how we approach skills development on the SocialTalent platform.

Scaling Skills With AI

We’ve been thinking hard about how to bridge this gap. How do we move beyond knowledge transfer and help people develop skills? Enter AI.

We saw an opportunity to combine the depth of our world-class training content with the scalability of AI coaching. So we’ve just launched our new AI-Powered Activities – over 100 coaching scenarios designed to help recruiters, hiring managers, and interviewers turn knowledge into skill.

These activities provide users with a chance to practice real-world tasks like building Boolean search strings, conducting different forms of interviews, or drafting outreach emails. They receive immediate, tailored feedback based on the best practices from our experts.

And the secret sauce in all of this? It’s not just generic AI.

These scenarios are meticulously designed by our instructional team and hiring experts to mimic real-world situations. For example, when you practice an interview on the platform, the “candidate” in question isn’t perfect – they’re challenging. You’ll encounter vague answers, dig into follow-up questions, and evaluate responses with rubrics. It’s not a box-ticking exercise; it’s about developing the muscle memory you need in real interviews.

It’s deliberate practice at scale – focused, tailored, and repeatable.

Why Feedback is Non-Negotiable

This blended approach bridges a critical gap. For years, we’ve seen organizations try to scale interview training with mock interviews, classroom sessions, or live coaching. These efforts are fantastic, but they rarely scale. They’re resource-intensive, and organizations often abandon them when budgets or bandwidth shift.

AI allows us to break that barrier. It provides a consistent, scalable way to deliver feedback and deliberate practice. For recruiters, that might mean mastering debrief sessions or refining Boolean strings. For hiring managers, it’s practicing interview techniques in a safe, repeatable environment.

And the feedback isn’t just automated. It’s deeply aligned with our proven methodologies, ensuring users build habits and skills that align with their organization’s hiring goals.

Why This Matters

Knowledge transfer alone isn’t enough, particularly given how difficult it is becoming to hire top talent.

We need to ensure that hiring managers, recruiters, and interviewers are equipped with the skills to identify and secure the best. With these AI-Powered Activities, we’re making it possible for anyone, anywhere, to access world-class coaching, refine their abilities, and genuinely excel at hiring.

This isn’t about replacing humans – it’s about empowering them. It’s about blending the best of human expertise with cutting-edge technology to create something uniquely impactful.

We’ve already rolled out these AI activities to a select group of customers, and the feedback has been phenomenal. If you’re looking to take your hiring to the next level – whether you’re a recruiter, a hiring manager, or a talent leader – this is the way forward.

Let’s make 2025 the year we move beyond just knowing and start doing!