Should I Hire For Traditional SEO Skills Or AI-Focused Skills?

In this week’s Ask An SEO, a marketing manager asks which SEO skills are most valuable to look for in candidates today, especially with AI in the mix:

“I’m a marketing manager who’s been tasked with hiring our first in-house SEO specialist.

With AI tools becoming more prevalent, what skills should I prioritize when interviewing candidates in 2025? Are traditional SEO skills still as valuable, or should I focus more on candidates who can work alongside AI tools?”

This is a great question, and one I imagine a lot of hiring managers in the…