HIRING FOR POTENTIAL VERSUS EXPERIENCE

Matt Love-Smith • Sep 20, 2021
The interviewing process can be perilous, which is why all too many employers rely heavily on the past experience of candidates for their ultimate guidance. And while past success is definitely a plus, it’s certainly no cast iron guarantee of future performance. There are better ways to determine whether a candidate is going to be a good long term fit for your business. Remember: it’s where people are going that’s most important, not necessarily where they’ve been.

As the employer in waiting, it’s your role to see beyond the glossy resume to seek out candidates that have the right skills, characteristics and abilities to thrive within your team and organisation. There might be a dazzling success heading up the candidates CV, but does that guarantee they’re going to be able to replicate that success in your business?

Don’t be shy of delving deeper for candidates that may not have that stand out accomplishment to their name, but do carry with them a boatload of demonstrated and sometimes hidden capability. A steady performer who’s shown tenacity and the ability to adapt and learn could well go on to help you accomplish a lot more.

Someone with a standout ‘resume accomplishment’ can be impressive, but always dig deeper to find out exactly what role they played in this accomplishment, and what other skills they have to offer. If their accomplishment plays nicely into the role you’re hiring for, it’s worth finding out as much detail as you can, but this one success shouldn’t blind you to the perhaps more sustainable positives of other candidates.

Turning Japanese

Heard of kaizen? It’s a key part of Japanese business culture and describes the practice of continuous improvement. Employees strive to make professional improvements every day, taking responsibility to continually enhance their own performance as well as the company’s.

For employers in Japan, a key part of the assessment process lies in evaluating where candidates are going – their goals and future career trajectory, how fast they’re accomplishing it, as well as where they are at present.

Growth is expected, and employees who have a history of expanding their skills sets and improving in their roles are far more appealing to employers – even when these candidates might not necessarily tick all of the ‘experience’ boxes for the role.

Do They Have Skills You Just Can’t Teach?

Remember that practical processes and technical skills can all be learned. What’s much harder to teach to new employees are innate characteristics, like curiosity, resilience and empathy. Delve deeper into the character of your candidates and see what innate qualities they possess that can’t be taught on a training course.

Look for the Right Kind of Experience

Someone who’s done the same job for 25 years might offer you a wealth of experience – or they could just have one year’s worth of experience, multiplied by 25. Could too much in the way of similar experience have left this candidate a little one dimensional?

Sometimes it pays to give a chance to a fresh perspective, or someone who has a far more broad resume. Someone with many different types of experience on their CV, even when it doesn’t all tally directly with the role you’re hiring for, can still be a great fit. This kind of progressive experience shows adaptability, determination and sometimes pure passion – all valuable assets.

The kind of experience your candidate needs depends entirely on the role and the support this person will have access to. If they need to be an expert pair of hands then the depth of experience can be non negotiable – but if you’re looking for a fresh voice, perspective, ideas or innovation, don’t rely too heavily on a person’s past experience as your guide.



Matt is a Director of The Talent Hive and leads the Engineering recruitment practice within the business. Originally from the UK he’s been living in New Zealand for 13 years. Matt is a retired ‘amateur’ athlete who has given up chasing great marathon times for chasing his young children around the park, a far more worthy (if not exhausting) pursuit.

At The Talent Hive we specialise in connecting IT & Engineering professionals with the right career opportunities. We encourage collaboration, socialising your success and sharing industry insight and expertise. Start the journey, connect with The Talent Hive today

Temp & Contract Recent Trends

01 May, 2024
The economic conditions are influencing the contract employment landscape in several ways. Here are some of the trends Talent Hive has seen recently.  Demand Shifts NZ firms facing economic headwinds are hesitant to commit to FTE hires but with projects and deadlines still to deliver on, there is likely to be more reliance on temporary and contract solutions to manage workloads in the coming months. Available Talent Although not widespread, layoffs and restructures in the Tech sector could lead to a larger pool of candidates available for temporary and contract work, and Talent Hive has seen an increase in enquiries from people looking to understand how they might set themselves up for contract engagements. This has the potential to increase competition but could also provide businesses with access to qualified talent on a flexible basis. Tech Sector Specifics We are seeing an increase in demand for contract staff recently, particularly Software Developers, Integration and Solution Architects, and Business Analysts. This upswing in demand is reflected in the recent Seek job listings data. There are 207 Contract IT/Tech roles advertised on Seek today and 23% of those contract roles have been listed in the last 7 days. 52 of the 207 contract roles advertised are for Software Eng/Developers with 30 listed ads for Contract BA’s. Wage Control In Stats NZ’s latest update, New Zealand's salary rates actually increased by 4.1 percent in the year to March. That labour cost growth slightly outstripped inflation, which was sitting at 4 percent. Contract hourly rates in the Technology sector have stabilised in recent months as hiring demand has decreased and we may even see hourly rates come back a little, particularly for role types where there is an oversupply of contract talent. Hybrid Work Trend One trend we are certainly seeing in the contract market are fewer remote work opportunities. Increasingly there is a requirement for contractors to have the ability to work some of the week at a designated office and this is restricting the opportunities contractors are able to go for. Full remote work options aren’t completely gone but they are significantly reduced. Contract candidates must be open to in-office work for at least some portion of their engagement. Overall, the current climate creates a complex landscape for both businesses seeking talent and professionals exploring temporary and contract opportunities. Success for Contractors will depend on adaptability, flexibility around rates, and contract length. Talent Hive's Value Talent Hive's understanding of the current market dynamics, along with our strong network of skilled professionals, positions us uniquely to support both clients and candidates Addressing Uncertainty: For businesses navigating hiring uncertainty, Talent Hive offers flexible staffing solutions. We have access to contract talent that are ready to fill immediate skill gaps and help organisations manage fluctuating workloads. Beyond Just Tech Skills: We understand that finding the right technical expertise is only half the battle. Talent Hive's strong connections within the contractor talent pool allow us to identify professionals who are not only technically capable but also a strong cultural and organisational fit for our clients. This approach ensures smoother onboarding and a positive impact for both the contractor and the employer. We would like to share some of the contractors we’re working with at the moment. Click below to view some of the great IT talent we're working with to find roles at the moment.

We won at the SEEK awards!

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We're extremely proud to say that we won at the SEEK awards: Small Recruitment Agency of the Year!

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