I am not the average employee. I know this because:
- I take on more work than what is generally expected.
- On top of being employed, I’ve started multiple side hustles.
- I kept going back to school.
- I sought professional improvement opportunities.
- Ownership confided in me and sought my perspective/opinions.
And I fully recognize that some of these initiatives have been to my own sacrifice (and success). Doing more work at the same rate of pay, attending networking events or fundraisers on nights and weekends, and quickly outgrowing roles for which I was hired. This is why I seek opportunities that will challenge me. I want to put forth a stretch goal. I want a position I can grow into. If I was looking for the same work in the same position, then there would be no reason to seek new employment.
I once applied for a more entry-level produce sales position. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, this was definitely a step or two down. But I had always been sales adjacent. To be more well-rounded in my industry knowledge, I was willing to start at the bottom to work my way back up. Now, I recognize there were some other factors at play here, but the position wanted 1-3 years of sales-specific experience. I was not hired for the position. I wasn’t even considered. And this got me thinking, what is more important? Capability or experience?
Historically, companies choose experience over capability. However, research has shown that prior experience does not translate into better performance or longer tenured employment. Even more interesting is that companies who are experiencing high growth tend to want to hire people with experience, thinking they can more quickly step in and achieve success. But it is not considered how many years it took that person to gain their experience. Their personal growth may might not align with the high rate of growth of the new company they are stepping into. High performers, on the other hand, want to prove their worth and will rise to the challenge even if given additional responsibility.
It is also worth considering that there is a difference in expertise and knowing it all. Someone who has expert knowledge, who is humble, adaptable, open-minded, and still eager to learn is going to be far more successful in the position than someone with experience who thinks they know everything. In the former, you get experience and capability – a powerful combination.
Additionally, hiring for potential or people who make big career moves hasn’t been worn down by a specific role or a specific industry. They will come to the table with fresh and innovative ideas. They bring a new perspective and can apply skills or experience from other fields into your business.
Academic studies have shown that promotions are typically a reward for past performance, and organizations tend to assume that attributes that made someone successful in the past will continue to make them successful in the future. However, Laurence J. Peters’ theory postulates that once these leaders are promoted to a level beyond their skill level, they stop growing. (For more on this, see Being a Middle Manager and Navigating the Switch and What Exactly is Leadership?) Stacy Pollack expertly summarizes:
Researchers, academics, and business experts agree that hiring for potential is more important than hiring based on experience. In many cases, experience is the first metric you might look at since it’s a shortcut to gauge if someone can do the job. However, it’s far from the only criteria, and experts overwhelmingly assert that it’s not what you should be focusing on.