The Clash of the Hiring Titans: Experience vs. Culture Fit 

Talent acquisition has changed dramatically over the last decade or so. Yes a lot of the change has to do with the meteoric rise of social media and technology but also a shift in thinking has occurred. A shift that has moved the needle from experience based hiring only to culture hiring. Companies have taken notice that finding candidates with aligned ethics, values and overall mindset can be critically important.

Sure experience and skills are still important, they always will be. No one wants to hire a candidate who is totally unqualified, with little to no chance for success. However, there is move afoot to stop worrying about ‘checking every box’ on the skills and experience inventory and start checking the boxes for culture alignment. Some organizations have already been doing this for a long time, and they get recognized for it (and often get the best talent too). Think Zappos, Google and many other up and coming organizations. Finding candidates who have similar values and mindset can be a critical advantage in the war for talent. Not only for acquiring talent but retaining it. If your culture values creativity and independence, then finding candidates who value the same things gives you an instant common bond. Even if that candidate doesn’t have every box checked or come from the exact desired background. Remember, you can always train for skills but it’s extremely difficult to change a person’s core values. The organizations that shift their thinking away from the ‘check the box’ mentality and focus more on finding cultural fit, may find themselves quickly winning the war. At Westport, we understand the value add of hiring the right HR leader. We have the expertise to assess your needs and to find the right leader for your organization. Westport Intl’s Human Resources Practice places human resources executives in publicly-traded and privatelyowned organizations across all industries, ranging in size from mid-cap’s to the Fortune 200. We understand the changing dynamics of the human resources function and the talent needed to keep pace with the new environments. We continually develop relationships with human resources talent across many industries and within many of the core functional disciplines

Managing Director, Human Resources- Terri Campbell- Brown

terri@westportintl.com

864.993.7987