04 Jun The 80% Fit May Be the Better Civil Engineering Hire
“We need someone who has already done this exact job.”
Same title. Same responsibilities. Same type of projects. Same market. Same client base. Same everything.
In other words, a lateral move.
On paper, that request makes sense. If a civil engineering firm needs a Project Manager, Department Manager, Practice Leader, or Regional Leader, the safest answer appears to be finding someone who is already doing that exact job somewhere else. Less risk. Less ramp-up. Less training. Less uncertainty.
But let me ask the obvious question.
Why would a strong civil engineer make that move?
Good People Need a Reason to Move
If someone is already doing the job successfully, working in a stable environment, surrounded by a solid team, and reasonably well-compensated, what is the real incentive to leave for the same role somewhere else? Usually, there is not much of one.
That is why so many of these searches drag on for months. The hiring team keeps looking for the perfect lateral hire, but the people who match the profile exactly often have the least motivation to move. They already have the title. They already have the responsibilities. They already know the clients, the systems, the people, and the expectations.
If they are going to leave, there usually needs to be a clear reason. Better growth. Better leadership. Better compensation. Better resources. A better path to ownership. A broader platform. A larger team. More meaningful responsibility.
Without that, the opportunity may just look like a change of scenery. And change of scenery is rarely enough to pull a strong civil engineering professional out of a stable situation.
The 80% Fit Is Often the Better Hire
I keep coming back to a simple idea: find the 80% fit.
That means finding someone who checks most of the important boxes but still has room to grow into the full scope of the role. They may not be a perfect match on paper, but they have the technical foundation, professional maturity, motivation, and upside to become exactly what you need.
That is where things can get interesting. Maybe they have led projects but have not fully owned client relationships yet. Maybe they are strong technically but have not been given the opportunity to mentor a team. Maybe they have been exposed to business development but have not been trusted to run with it. Maybe they are managing a 100-person region and would be motivated by the chance to lead a 300-person division.
That gap is not always a weakness.
Sometimes that gap is the opportunity.
Growth Is What Makes the Move Compelling
A strong candidate is much more likely to lean in when the opportunity represents a real step forward. They want to see a reason to move beyond just a different logo on the paycheck. They want to understand how the move improves their career, expands their influence, strengthens their leadership path, or gives them access to something they do not currently have.
That is especially true in civil engineering, where good people are busy, valued, and often not actively looking. If you are trying to recruit someone who is already successful, you have to give them a reason to listen.
A lateral move does not always do that. A growth opportunity does.
When a candidate can see that the role gives them more responsibility, better mentorship, larger projects, a stronger team, a clearer path to leadership, or a chance to do something they have not been allowed to do yet, the conversation changes. Now it is not just about leaving. It is about moving forward.
That is the difference.
Yes, the 80% Fit Takes More Effort
Hiring the 80% fit requires more work on the front end. There may be a learning curve. The hiring manager may need to spend more time coaching, guiding, and clarifying expectations. The firm may need to be realistic about the first 6 to 12 months.
But that is not necessarily a bad thing.
If you hire someone with the right foundation, the right attitude, and the right upside, that investment can pay off quickly. Give the right person strong leadership, clear expectations, and a little runway, and they may be running full speed within a year.
That person may also be more loyal and more motivated because the opportunity actually meant something. It was not just another version of what they were already doing. It was a chance to grow.
People tend to work hard for opportunities that expand their future.
The Perfect Candidate May Not Stay Perfect
There is another risk in chasing the exact-match lateral hire. Even if you find that person, they may not stay long if nothing really changes.
If someone leaves one firm to take the same title, same responsibilities, same challenges, and same ceiling somewhere else, the excitement can wear off quickly. The newness fades. The work looks familiar. The frustrations start to feel familiar. Then you are right back to wondering why the hire is not as engaged as you hoped.
A perfect resume does not always equal a perfect fit.
Sometimes the candidate who is slightly under the full spec but hungry for the opportunity becomes the better long-term hire. They have something to prove. They have room to grow. They see the role as a meaningful step forward.
That energy can be powerful.
Why Searches Drag On
Many civil engineering searches get stuck because the firm is waiting for someone who checks every box and has a strong reason to make a purely lateral move. That is a very narrow target.
The candidate must already have the exact experience. They must be interested. They must be available. They must be willing to move. They must like your firm. They must like the compensation. They must like the location. They must like the leadership. They must be willing to leave their current team, clients, projects, and comfort zone.
That is a lot to line up.
Meanwhile, the role stays open. Existing staff remain stretched. Project Managers keep carrying too much. Leaders keep wondering why the market is so difficult. The team waits for the perfect person while good 80% candidates pass by.
That can get expensive.
Hiring for Growth Can Be a Competitive Advantage
The firms that are winning right now are not just filling roles. They are giving people a reason to grow into them.
That does not mean lowering standards. It does not mean hiring someone unqualified. It does not mean ignoring technical requirements or hoping for the best. It means understanding which requirements are truly essential on day one and which ones can be developed with the right person.
There is a big difference between compromising and hiring for upside.
A good 80% fit should still have the core skills, judgment, professionalism, and potential to succeed. They should still understand the work. They should still be credible. They should still be someone the firm can trust in front of clients, staff, and leadership.
But they may not have done every single piece of the job yet.
That is okay.
That may be exactly why the opportunity is attractive.
Final Thought
If your hiring strategy depends on finding someone who has already done the exact same job, at the exact same level, with the exact same responsibilities, you may be making the search harder than it needs to be.
Strong civil engineers do not usually leave good situations for identical ones. They leave for growth. They leave for opportunity. They leave for a path they cannot see where they are.
The exact-match lateral hire may sound safe, but the 80% fit may be the person who actually leans in, grows into the role, and stays. Give the right person 6 to 12 months with strong leadership, and they may become exactly what you were looking for.
Maybe better.
Because the firms that win talent are not just asking, “Who has already done this?”
They are asking, “Who has the ability and motivation to grow into this?”
That is where the better hires often come from.
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