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Image: [Adobe Stock / bnenin]
If you asked me 10 years ago what my main priority was when hiring, it was talent, not skill. And this led me to hire a lot of young people. Don’t get me wrong, “young” doesn’t mean bad.
But what I learned over time is that inexperience comes with longer learning curves and a greater need for supervision. Today, I focus on hiring the most experienced person I can afford, and here are three reasons why you should be doing the same.
1. YOU MOVE FASTER
When you have people with experience, training won’t take long, as they’ve done similar work before. You have people who have experienced facing the usual problems that cause projects to get stuck and have resolved them easily or eventually. Most importantly, they have a good understanding of what high-quality work looks like. They know both the “how” and the “why.”
When your team understands the “why,” they make better decisions, take ownership, and align their work with the goals of your organisation. They don’t just depend on the checklist in front of them.
This then lets you, as their manager, focus on the bigger picture instead of small daily problems. In urgent projects, that can be the difference between finishing on time or falling behind.
2. NOT FILLING A JOB CAN BE COSTLY IN ITSELF
When you don’t have someone in a critical role in your organisation, or when it’s filled by someone incapable, the hidden costs add up quickly.
Those covering the workload are at risk of burnout, while big decisions get stalled. Opportunities pass by because no one has the expertise or confidence to move forward. These delays can often cost more than the salary of the person you’re reluctant to hire.
There’s also the cost of missed growth. When a capable, experienced person takes on a role, they drive improvement. They streamline processes, increase efficiency, and unlock new opportunities. A role left underfilled leaves all that potential value untapped.
Managers sometimes hold out for the “perfect” candidate or try to save money by hiring someone junior and training them up. On paper, this sounds practical. In practice, it’s often the most expensive option.
Every week a role stays unfilled, or filled by someone who can’t fully execute, the organisation can fall further behind.
3. ABILITY TO PICK UP IS PRICELESS
When you talk about a person with experience, you’re also talking about someone with the ability to pick up what they need to know next. They know how to quickly assess a new environment and apply themselves effectively and accordingly. At the end of the day, to learn and adapt without slowing down is more valuable than any static set of skills.
When industries, technology, and markets evolve by the day, a team that keeps learning will always outpace those who specialise in one thing. This blend of experience and adaptability helps companies stay ahead.
1. Be Specific About Outcomes, Not Just Qualifications
Instead of listing 20 requirements, describe the problems the new hire will solve in the first 90 days, six months, and one year. Experienced candidates are drawn to challenges where they can see their impact.
2. Look Where Experienced People Actually Are
People with years of experience aren’t always actively applying to jobs on every platform. Networking events, industry-specific forums, LinkedIn outreach, and personal referrals often yield better candidates than mass job postings.
3. Respect Their Time In The Process
A lengthy, repetitive hiring process signals inefficiency and will drive away the kind of candidates you want. Keep interviews focused, decisions timely, and communication clear.
4. Test For Adaptability As Well As Expertise
Give them scenarios that are slightly outside the exact role’s scope. The best experienced hires will not only have the answers, but also show how they think when faced with the unknown.
5. Be Transparent About Resources And Expectations
Experienced candidates can see through vague promises. If they know exactly what support, budget, and authority they’ll have, they can better judge if they can succeed. This process helps me avoid costly mismatches in the process, especially in my job platform, OysterLink.
FINAL THOUGHTS
When you approach hiring this way, you’re not just finding someone who’s “done it before.” You’re finding someone who can step in, adapt, and drive results from day one.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Milos Eric is the General Manager and Co-founder of OysterLink, a job platform tailored specifically for the hospitality industry. Read Milos’s Executive Profile here.