“Experience is more important to us than cultural fit.”

I heard this recently while recruiting for a Bid Manager role.

I had presented candidates with a blend of relevant skills, personality traits and recent industry experience. After the interviews, the feedback was that they were ‘perfect cultural fits’ – they’d gel with the team, bring positive energy, and align with the company’s values.

But they were up against candidates with even more industry experience (including specific framework knowledge) who weren’t a great cultural fit.

Ultimately, the company chose experience over fit.
 
My personal view is that you can teach the industry skills (particularly as they already had a grounding in it) and its intricacies but it’s much harder for someone to adapt to your culture.

So I thought I’d put this out to the community. Hiring managers, what is more important to you when hiring? Would you hire someone with less experience but the right fit? Or do you need proven results?

And on the flip side, have any candidates experienced this situation recently? Have you missed out on opportunities despite having industry experience and being a good cultural fit?

Let me know your thoughts and contribute to the conversation here.

Written by Ben Hannon