One thing I have noticed throughout my career is how specific some job descriptions become. Companies will ask for five years of experience, experience with a particular system, experience in their exact industry, knowledge of a certain reporting tool, and several other requirements. By the time you finish reading it, it almost sounds like they are trying to hire the person who already has the job. Chapter 6 of How to Hire A-Players made me think about the difference between things a company can teach and qualities that are much harder to develop after someone is hired.
In finance, for example, I can teach someone how a forecast file works. Someone can learn Oracle, PBCS, Power BI, or a company’s specific reporting process. There is obviously a learning curve, but none of those things would automatically keep me from hiring a strong candidate. It is much harder to teach curiosity. If someone sees a number that clearly does not make sense and just moves on because the spreadsheet technically worked, that is a much bigger problem to me. The same goes for accountability, judgment, communication, and willingness to learn.
There seems to be a broader move toward this type of thinking in hiring. SHRM’s research on skills-first hiring found that relevant work experience and demonstrated skills are now among the most important factors employers consider, ahead of things like educational background. That does not mean experience and education are worthless. It means companies are becoming more interested in whether someone can actually do the work.
I used a similar approach in my Mindful Money hiring plan. A Financial Coach needs financial knowledge, but I would care just as much about whether that person can explain money to someone who is intimidated by it. A Content Specialist needs writing and marketing ability, but I would want to see actual work rather than make the decision based entirely on a résumé. There are obviously jobs where credentials and technical expertise are non-negotiable. I am not suggesting otherwise. I just think companies sometimes reject potentially great employees because they are screening for things that could realistically be taught in a few months while paying less attention to qualities that are much harder to change.
References
Herrenkohl, E. (2010). How to Hire A-Players. John Wiley & Sons.
Society for Human Resource Management. (2026). The Skills-First Movement: Redefining How Organizations Hire and Grow.