As rigid hiring models fall short, cross-functional, multi-skilled professionals are emerging as the new must-haves for future-thinking organisations. Uliana Martynova explores how these adaptable employees help teams bridge gaps, drive company innovation, and build resilience—making them prime candidates not just for today’s challenges but for tomorrow’s leadership roles too.
Old-school hiring methods are increasingly falling short, especially with project-based structures and rapid market shifts now the norm. Teams assembled solely around narrow specialisations often struggle to adapt. In today’s landscape, that’s a serious risk.
These employees combine significant expertise in a particular field with strong collaboration and transferable skills
Companies aiming to thrive in shifting environments are adopting a different approach. They’re building teams with cross-functional, multi-skilled profiles, moving beyond traditional frameworks of deep, siloed expertise. These employees combine significant expertise in a particular field with strong collaboration and transferable skills, allowing them to move seamlessly between roles.
Multi-skilled, cross-functional talent matters
These professionals have mastered a core discipline, whether data analytics, product planning, or client acquisition, but also bring a broad perspective and a drive to learn that pushes them well beyond their comfort zone.
When teams need to adapt quickly, these employees act as internal bridges, navigate uncertainty with ease, and help fill unexpected gaps. In an environment where initiatives routinely cross departmental lines, this is no longer optional, it’s becoming a baseline requirement.
What employers are prioritising now
Across the SaaS and consulting space employers are looking for people who blend hard skills, commercial instincts, and industry knowledge—often in ways that aren’t immediately obvious to candidates.
There’s growing demand for:
- Sales executives who understand technical constraints and product roadmaps, feeding strategic adjustments back into engineering
- Marketers who navigate data dashboards, grasp analytics fundamentals, and brief developers with precision, driving sharper outcomes
- Consultants who merge strategic frameworks with hands-on operational experience, bringing credibility that goes beyond polished presentations
Why this change? Because employees who see multiple sides of the business spot opportunities others miss. Sales teams with a deep understanding of product capabilities make smarter promises. Marketers collaborating closely with IT accelerate experimentation.
These connections streamline learning and reduce friction, which are both critical for staying ahead in competitive markets.
Choosing the next generation of resilient leaders
The benefits go far beyond day-to-day execution. Teams built around diverse skills are inherently more adaptable. Used to managing complexity and stepping into different roles, they adjust quickly when markets or strategies shift.
Most importantly, these professionals often grow into tomorrow’s leaders. They’re already managing diverse teams, integrating different perspectives, and building trust across functions. It’s no coincidence that many of the most successful internal promotions come from employees who’ve held multiple roles.
The recruiter’s checklist
How do you find this kind of talent? It starts with knowing what to look for. In CVs and interviews, focus on:
- Breadth of experience across roles or industries
- Proof of collaboration beyond their immediate department
- Stories that reveal adaptability and a growth mindset, taking calculated risks, learning quickly, and stepping up during change
You need to ensure that your recruitment partner goes far beyond tweaking job descriptions. The need to help clients build robust hiring strategies and run executive searches that centre on multi-skilled leadership profiles. That means shaping a broader talent blueprint, identifying candidates who blend depth with versatility, and advising on how to secure them in fiercely competitive markets.
Keeping your competitive edge
Ultimately, hiring cross-functional, multi-skilled talent isn’t just about filling today’s gaps. It’s what keeps businesses innovative and resilient, ready to pivot as markets evolve. Companies investing in this kind of hiring today are already securing their advantage for tomorrow.
Uliana Martynova is a recruiter at Avomind
