One of the toughest hurdles that job hunters face on their search is proving they’ve got relevant experience for the roles they’re applying for, especially when they’re first starting out. For any business, previous experience is important for understanding what a candidate is capable of and what they can bring to your organisation, but just because someone has no industry experience (or perhaps very little experience at all), it doesn’t mean you should rule them out for the job. There are a whole host of benefits that can come from an inexperienced hire, and they’ll likely have a range of soft, transferable skills that they can apply. Still not convinced? I explain in more detail below.
Passion
Though it may seem like a big investment to take on someone with no experience, they’ll likely be extremely dedicated and passionate about their new role. They know you’ve taken a chance on them and as a result are more likely to give 100% of their effort and attention to the job. As they will be training and learning new skills, they’ll be eager to please and aim to prove you made the right decision by hiring them. And just because they’re in training, doesn’t mean they don’t already have a handful of transferable skills that you can rely on.
Innovation
Fresh ways of thinking and innovative ideas are the key to the success of any business. If you hire someone with a long list of roles in the sector, chances are they’ll have seen and done it all before. Someone with little or no experience can bring interesting new approaches to the table, things that others may not have even considered, as they aren’t bound by the same industry expectations as those who have been working in the sector for years.
Adaptability
When you’ve been in the industry a while it’s all too easy to become comfortable with a certain way of doing things, and you can sometimes fall into some bad habits. Having no experience in the industry means your new recruit is a clean slate and will be adaptable and open to new ways of doing things. This can in turn lead to creative and innovative new ideas.
Fitting the culture
Part of the recruitment process is getting a feel for someone’s personality and whether they’ll be a good new addition to the team. And while experience and education are important, it’s vital to remember that they aren’t everything when it comes to finding the perfect team member. Though they may be inexperienced, you may find that your new recruit is actually a better fit for your business and your company culture than someone who has been in the sector for years.
The next generation
~Business Game Changer Special Promotion~
It’s easy to choose the obvious hire, the one who ticks all the boxes, but it’s not progressive. The next generation of workers need to be given a chance to get on the career ladder and to begin training. In order to create this great new workforce, businesses need to take a chance on passionate but inexperienced candidates – after all, everybody’s got to start somewhere!
Financial benefits
And finally, from a business perspective, hiring someone with no experience makes great financial sense. Once you have trained up your new recruit they’ll likely be very appreciative of the opportunity you gave them, and stay with the business for longer. Not only this, but they may not require as high a wage as someone who has been in the industry for some time.
Though it may feel like a risk, by understanding that experience isn’t everything you might actually find your perfect candidate. With time and training an inexperienced recruit can become a strong and talented member of the team and they’ll be more loyal to the company that took a chance on them. Your business will be rewarded with diversity and creative new ideas and in turn you’ll help to nurture the next generation of workers.
