While it certainly makes sense to hire for experience at mid and senior-level roles, as a young professional, I’d like to take a moment to highlight the advantages of hiring junior professionals that may not have a lot of experience yet.
Beyond its fiscal advantages, hiring a candidate with less experience can bring about a highly motivated, extremely adaptable, loyal employee that can offer unique perspectives.
Since I am about to graduate, I can say that there may be some bias in my perspective! After all, I want a company to take a chance on me even though I may not have as much experience as competitors in the candidate pool. I want them to see that my drive and determination are going to propel me to success in any entry-level role. Most entry-level roles require basically the same things: strong written and oral communication skills, dedicated work-ethic, strong digital skills, desire to grow within the company, an endless well of energy, and a flexible mindset. You don’t determine most of those things from a resume, you determine them by talking to candidates.
But beyond my conscious bias, there are several key reasons why hiring a candidate like me can result in a gain for a company.
- Junior candidates are not entrenched in long-term habits that they have grown accustomed to. These candidates are usually open to new methodologies and are highly adaptable. They may not be tethered to a process that they have spent decades operating under. In this regard, it can be easier to mold them to a company’s processes. Sometimes, less qualified candidates are even excited to learn new methods.
- Junior candidates can be extremely motivated and hardworking. Knowing that you have to work hard to prove yourself is reason enough to work hard. Sometimes more qualified candidates become comfortable in their roles and don’t end up working as hard.
- Junior candidates can offer fresh perspectives. Though they may not have been working in the field as long as other candidates, this gives them the unique opportunity to offer a fresh perspective. Whether that is from studies in school, personal life experience, or different industry practice, less qualified candidates undoubtedly have different outlooks.
- Junior candidates give a company the opportunity to build loyalty between the business and the new hire. By investing time, training, and resources into a new hire, you can really help boost employee morale and satisfaction. They will feel cared for, comfortable, and valued, and this will hopefully parlay into a loyal relationship.
Speaking from experience, I know the above to be true. Between speaking to friends and colleagues and learning from my own personal experiences, hiring the junior candidates can be the right route for many companies. Candidates like me are adaptable, willing to work hard, offer unique takes, and give companies a chance to establish and build a loyal relationship.
Sometimes a candidate with years of relevant experience is the right path to take for, but taking a chance on the less experienced candidate can yield great results too. Don’t forget about us recent graduates!
Need help finding an amazing junior-level candidate? Ask us about Full-Service Recruiting. We meet all of our candidates face-to-face because we believe the key to entry-level success is attitude, determination, drive, and commitment. These qualities are determined from meeting, not a resume. Reach out if we can help you.
