Nearly all leaders agree on the importance of hiring the right people. When assessing candidates, it’s natural to gravitate toward those with prior experience in similar roles. After all, training takes time, and experience is often seen as a reliable indicator of a candidate’s ability to perform well. However, placing too much emphasis on past experience can cause you to overlook other crucial qualities that may make someone an even better fit for the role—and sometimes, a better fit than a more experienced candidate.

As a consultant, I strongly believe that cultural fit should take precedence over past experience. That’s not to say experience isn’t important, but compromising culture for skill rarely works out in the long run. Time and again, I’ve seen experienced hires negatively impact organizational culture due to a lack of values alignment. On the other hand, leaders who prioritize cultural fit – even at the expense of technical skills – seldom regret their hiring decision.

I was recently reminded of this while supporting a client in the hiring process for a Sales Manager position. The new manager would be leading a large team in a company with ambitious growth goals. Many seasoned professionals applied, confidently outlining how their experience made them the best fit for the role. One candidate, who was recommended by a current employee, didn’t appear to “measure up” to other candidates based on his resume.

To my surprise, within the first few minutes of our initial interview, I was humbled by how well this candidate aligned with the organization’s values and mission. Although he lacked some of the desired experience, he embodied the qualities needed to lead in that environment. He also possessed many transferrable skills that created confidence in his ability to quickly learn a new industry. Fortunately, the client agreed, and this individual is now thriving in the Sales Manager role.

This experience reinforced that resumes aren’t always the best measure of a candidate’s potential fit. It’s essential to engage with candidates who possess transferable skills and learn their stories. Be open to creative ways to train a new hire with the right characteristics, even if they lack the ideal past experience. Ultimately, this approach can help you avoid missing out on a fantastic employee.