Hiring for Potential: A Smarter Approach in a Changing Workforce

In this episode, Dr. Leslie Sukup explores the growing conversation around hiring for potential versus hiring strictly for skill. With labor shortages and shifting workforce dynamics, organizations may need to rethink their approach. Tune in to hear how taking a chance on motivated, growth-oriented candidates—especially students and career changers—can lead to long-term success, loyalty, and agility in today's evolving job market. 

Transcript

Welcome to the Business Administration podcast.

Hello, I'm Dr. Leslie Sukup and in this episode I want to discuss hiring for potential versus skill.

And I know this may be an uncomfortable topic for some,

especially you know, when we're, we have that mindset where we want someone to work in our company that meets the requirements of the position.

They have the skill set, they have the required education and that's.

That's it. That's the baseline.

However, I can tell you that over the years I have seen quite a few posts on social media and had conversations with students,

other people out in the community.

And I'm starting to see a trend where we have highly motivated individuals who have so much potential to give to an organization.

However,

they can't get a job because they're missing the required education,

they're missing the required knowledge or skill required for the position.

And I realized that hiring for potential does not work for all positions in all jobs.

However, there are some positions within organizations where hiring for potential may be a smart move.

And you think about the benefits of this.

Yes,

you have an individual who is highly motivated and if you take a chance on them,

they may be one of your most loyal and motivated employees that you have in your workforce.

However, you do have the downside of when you hire for potential that there is a training deficit. It may take a little bit longer to get this person up to speed and be operating at the same level as someone who's been there for, for a short time period.

But I think there is something here in regards to hiring for potential.

One,

that person is able and willing to learn.

Two,

depending upon the position that knowledge and skill maybe something that they can acquire while they are in the position.

For example,

maybe they're already taking classes at a college or university similar to my students.

They are learning the skills yet they don't have that completed degree yet,

but they're able to apply what they are learning into your organization in that specific job.

So there may be something where you have almost like a co op experience happening where you have someone working in your organization and they are working on acquiring those skills by attending classes with a college or a university.

So they're able to readily put these skills that they are learning right to work in your organization, which is awesome thing.

I think hiring for potential is another thing that may be beneficial to organizations, especially in our current environment.

One of the headlines that you hear in the news almost on a daily basis is the shortage of workers where you organizations are having a hard time getting people in the door to do the job that they they need done.

And this says has meant that there are delays, there may be empty shelves and this might be one of those fixes that helps address this problem.

Just a thought,

but I challenge you think about hiring for potential versus skill for hiring managers. I know this is going to be uncomfortable even for the leaders of the organization. This may be uncomfortable,

but it may just be something that makes your organization stronger and able to be agile and adapt to the problems that we are experiencing in the world today with the worker and employee shortage.

Until the next time,

be safe and be well.

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