Affirmative Action does not require employers to hire less qualified applicants. Rather, it involves ensuring that employers take steps to offer equal opportunities to all applicants, according to attributes associated with the recruitment pool available in their area. Affirmative Action is only required for employers who have demonstrated evidence of discriminatory hiring practices that are not based upon merit – and is generally only enforced for a limited period of time. More sophisticated employers are often proactive to include fair hiring practices, such as affirmative action, voluntarily.
Job specifications are generally based upon KSAs (knowledge, skills, and abilities) that are applicable to each respective position within an organization. In some situations, they can also involve specific certification or licensing, as appropriate to the position.
Most job specifications cannot validate a college degree as a basis for selection – even though many employers list a degree as a general requirement for certain positions. Nonetheless, a degree can be used as a preference in recruitment and hiring, because a degree provides evidence of discipline, research skills, information evaluation and processing, analytical skills, problem-solving skills, etc.
Similarly, military experience can be used as a preference, because it provides experience demonstrating discipline, reliability, task-assessment, task-completion, working within situations involving group dynamics, team leadership, delegation, time management, decision-making, communication skills, etc.
