WHY EXPERIENCE ISN’T EVERYTHING
When you’re looking to fill a new role, the first thing you probably think about is what experience they need – and for many roles, this makes sense.
But what if I told you that on the grand scheme of things, experience doesn’t actually mean much? And when you look at the longevity of an employee, and the value you place on them as an individual, you realise experience doesn’t play much of a role?
EXPERIENCE DOESN’T EQUAL PERFORMANCE
It’s a common misconception that experienced candidates have put in extraordinary dedication to get to where they are now. But not always.
Whilst a candidate could have years of experience, those years may not have been filled with as much progression or results as you assume. Not every senior employee is hungry to climb the career ladder and develop as a person. They may even be bored…
Being in the same job or career path may cause some people to become stagnant or even lose passion for what they’re doing. This can cause motivation levels to be low, resulting in minimal results when results was probably the reason you were hiring them in the first place.
On the flip side, hiring someone with no experience can mean hiring someone with a fresh passion for the industry and a willingness to learn.
Sometimes it’s not about what you know, but about how you’ll apply what you learn.
SKILLS CAN BE TAUGHT, ATTITUDE CAN’T
Making a new hire isn’t just about making sure they have the right skills, it’s about making sure they’re willing to learn new ones and be of value to your company.
Similar to experience not equating to performance, candidates that supposedly tick every box with their skillset, may not tick every box with their approach to work.
Say you hire your “perfect” candidate that’s:
Got the right experience
In the right industry
At the right salary
They come into the office, and they immediately show signs of entitlement due to their position, and animosity towards the team. They don’t fit into the culture, nor do they want to. They have their own way of doing things, won’t tolerate criticism, and aren’t open to try new ideas. Your company isn’t a priority to them and as long as they get their paycheck at the end of the month, they’re not too fussed. But don’t fret because they can still do the work!
Still sound like an ideal candidate?
Contrary to popular belief, it’s more possible to teach an employee how to work a new system or liaise professionally with clients, than to teach them how to get on with their employees and be motivated to succeed.
A study from Leadership IQ showed that 46% of employees fail within 18 months, 89% of them being due to their attitude. They stated that “poor interpersonal skills” is the main reason, a flaw “which many managers admit they overlooked during the job interview process”.
Perfect does not exist, and perfect shouldn’t be defined by experience.
REDEFINE YOUR BUSINESS GOALS
Is your goal to bring in robots so they can do the job, or bring in dedicated people that go above and beyond for your company?
There’s more to an employee than their job responsibilities. Hire a person that will have a desire to develop themselves and support your company in the process – not a worker that will do the bare minimum. This isn’t to say experienced people aren’t passionate, but it’s innate character that proves someone to be dedicated, not the number of years you’ve worked.
Inexperienced people won’t be inexperienced for long. If they have potential, they fit in with the culture, they have ambition with a willingness to learn – those soft skills hold far more weight.
- Written by Shannon Matthews
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