WAITING ON THE PERFECT RESUME? YOU MIGHT BE MISSING THE BEST HIRE
The Hire That Didn’t Make Sense on Paper
Last week I placed a Land Surveyor with one of my clients.
On paper?
He wasn’t the obvious choice.
He spent the first 7 to 8 years of his career in surveying. Solid foundation. Then he left the industry entirely for about five years.
And what he did during that time was… not exactly traditional.
- Marketing
- Event promotions
- IT work
- Time in the crypto space
If you’re a hiring manager scanning resumes quickly, that kind of path can raise eyebrows.
The Easy Decision Most Firms Make
Most firms would look at that and think:
“Too much risk.”
“Too disconnected from the field.”
“Let’s find someone more linear.”
And they’d move on.
Which is exactly how high-upside candidates get missed.
What This Client Saw Instead
This client looked at the same resume and saw something completely different.
Yes, he had prior surveying experience.
But that wasn’t the most interesting part.
They saw:
- Someone who had already learned multiple industries
- Someone comfortable with new technology
- Someone who could adapt quickly
- Someone who wasn’t afraid to step into the unknown
In other words, they saw potential.
The Real Signal Most People Miss
During those five years outside the industry, he wasn’t sitting still.
He was learning.
- New technologies
- Crypto markets
- AI tools
- How different industries operate
That kind of exposure changes how someone thinks.
It broadens perspective.
And when that person comes back into a technical field like surveying, they don’t just bring experience.
They bring a different lens.
The Client’s Perspective Was Simple
Were there technical gaps?
Of course.
That’s expected after time away.
But the client’s mindset was straightforward:
“If he figured all that other stuff out, we’re pretty confident he can figure this out too.”
That is a very different way of evaluating talent.
Where Firms Limit Themselves
A lot of hiring processes are built around minimizing risk.
Which makes sense.
But sometimes, in trying to eliminate risk, firms eliminate upside.
Because the “perfect” resume often gives you:
- Predictability
- Stability
- Proven experience
But not always:
- Adaptability
- Curiosity
- Growth potential
- New ways of thinking
And those are the traits that often drive long-term value.
Experience vs Potential
This is the real question underneath all of this.
What matters more?
Experience or potential?
The honest answer is you need both.
But too many firms overweight experience and underweight potential.
And that can lead to safe hires.
Not great ones.
The Bottom Line
Experience matters.
There is no question about that.
But sometimes, the best hire is not the one who checks every box.
It’s the one who has already proven they can learn, adapt, and grow.
Because in an industry that is constantly evolving, that ability becomes more valuable over time.
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