My husband has been interviewing for a job in Santa Barbara, CA and we have been on pins and needles waiting to hear something. This whole process got me thinking about why it is that companies hire who they hire.
I remember after I was hired as the Academic Coordinator for the Department of Cultural and Social Anthropology at Stanford University, one of my new colleagues told me the reason I was hired wasn’t necessarily because of my experience, but more so because of the person I am. I had experience in higher education administration, but I didn’t have direct experience with the position I was being interviewed for. They knew they could train me to do the technical stuff, but they couldn’t change who I was as a person so they knew they had to hire the right personality from the beginning.
I think about all of the companies that hire solely based on experience or level of education, but don’t spend enough time trying to learning about the individual being considered. There are so many great people out there who may not have the experience or education you’re looking for, but have more personality, intelligence and heart to put into their work than any experienced or educated person.
When it comes to the wine industry, of course you want someone with wine knowledge and business savvy, or sales experience. However, in many cases you can teach people the technical aspects. What you cannot do is train them to be the person you want them to be. I think it’s more important to find the right person to train, than to find the trained person who isn’t going to treat your customers they way you want them to, or be an ambassador for your product because they really don’t care.
My husband doesn’t have the direct experience for the position he’s being considered for, and it would be a level up for him, but he’s still being considered and is up against people who have much more experience than he does. I believe what’s keeping him in the running is the hiring team is not only considering his education and experience, but also who he is as a person – his abilities, is intelligence, his dedication.
I think more companies should do this. I think they would have less work on their hands, have happier, more loyal employees, and as such, happier and more loyal customers.
So next time you receive a resume from someone who doesn’t have the experience or education you’re asking for, think about giving them a chance anyway – they may be willing to give you their all, but you won’t know unless you consider them.
