Hiring – Results over Experience?

When looking for the best candidate is it best to look at experience or results?

So many managers say that they are looking for the “right fit” or the old “hire for attitude and train for skills.”  Truth is – NOT True, most of the time.

Let me ask you this.  When you are looking at a resume or interviewing a candidate what is the FIRST thing you want to know?  What is your experience, right?  I can’t help but think that is a mistake.

If someone has a history of success, wouldn’t they continue to have success regardless of what they were doing or who they were working for?

If someone has all the experience you required but ran an average operation wouldn’t they continue to run an average operation regardless of who they were working for or what they were doing?

I just believe that if you hire someone who has been successful, they will be successful for you – if you let them do their job.

If you hire someone who has the right experience but has not experienced the success, will they bring success to your establishment?

Hire people who know how to be successful and let them be successful!

1. Garry Blashyn says:

   January 21, 2011 at 9:31 am

   Corey,

   I couldn’t agree more! Success breeds success and previous accomplishments are a strong indicator for future achievements. I also belive that, while attitude should not be a primary hiring factor, it is is also a strong indicator for success as well.

   That being said, a successful professional background and a high-energy, positive attitude does not necessarily lead to a plethora of job offers. I have worked hard and enjoyed success at each of the positions I have held, yet since I do not necessarily have the specific experience posted (ie. 3-5 years industry experience), I am excluded from the hiring process.

   For example, I had no flooring experience prior to working at Kensington Carpet One, yet I immersed myself into understanding it and produced results that were case studied by CCA Global (our parent company) at their North American Convention.

   Attitude and a history of success are just two legs of the chair.

   Cheers,

   Garry

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2. Kim Bechtel says:

   January 24, 2011 at 7:54 pm

   Corey, I have enjoyed your posts during the past year and I enthusiastically encourage you to continue with this valuable resource in 2011. This post, as with all your previous ones, hits the nail right on the head. Owners and managers continue to use outdated HR practices that never did work, were never really researched properly and added to ineffective management practices. We wouldn’t buy a car or a house just because it had ‘experience’. Instead, we look for features that ‘fit’ with our lifestyle (read culture) and values. We will hire an $80,000 per year employee with none of the commitment we would use to buy an oven for the kitchen in the restaurant. Keep up the great work!

   Reply