Skillfishing: When the Hire Looks Perfect — Until the Work Begins

Skillfishing: When the Hire Looks Perfect — Until the Work Begins

Every HR leader has experienced it. A candidate interviews well. Their resume looks impressive. Their credentials check out. The hire feels like a win. Then the work starts — and the capabilities aren’t there. This growing workplace challenge — often referred to as skillfishing — happens when organizations hire based on perceived expertise that turns out to be overstated or incomplete once the employee is on the job. While the dynamic isn’t new, today’s hiring environment is making it easier for it to happen. AI-generated resumes, sophisticated personal branding, rapid credential programs, and interview coaching can all make candidates appear highly qualified, even when their underlying capabilities haven’t caught up. For employers, the consequences of a bad hire are manifold. Skillfishing can slow teams down, erode trust, increase turnover, and create significant financial and operational costs. Join Alex Alonso, SHRM’s chief knowledge officer, AJ Faraj, founder of SorsX, and Nicole Belyna, host of SHRM's Honest HR podcast, for a clear-eyed look at how skillfishing actually happens — and what organizations can do about it. You’ll learn: How skillfishing shows up in modern hiring processes. Why traditional screening methods often fail to catch it. The real organizational costs when capability doesn’t match expectations. Practical ways to strengthen skill validation and reduce hiring risk. If you’re responsible for hiring, talent strategy, or workforce planning, this session will help you spot the warning signs and build hiring processes that uncover real capability, not just convincing presentations.