The Value Of Experience

I read an interesting internet exchange this morning that lamented the challenges that many senior level job seekers are facing today. For many of us who have spent decades in the business world, one of the resounding objections that we hear is: “you are overqualified for this position”. Sound familiar?

The common thread among the comments was why is experience being minimized or denigrated? In life and death situations wouldn’t we want a surgeon that has performed hundreds of the same procedure we are now being prepped for? Did you ever look into the cockpit of the aircraft you are boarding and wondered if the pilot had too many hours flying this plane? I’m sure the passengers that only got their feet wet in the Hudson River were glad that their flight crew knew their stuff.

The problem might lay with our modern society that has embraced instant gratification, 24 hour live news and the philosophy of faster is better. We forget that the definition of experience is the involvement in something or knowledge/skills acquired over time. Why do we allow ourselves to be seduced by radical “get rich quick schemes” whether it is in business, politics or our personal lives? Experience takes dedication, hard work, open mindedness and a willingness to concede that “I may not know everything, but I’m willing to learn”.

Many people believe, except for science, there are very few new ideas. We just repackage old ideas - and yes - experiences, and apply them to new problems. That is because most of us are not capable of re-inventing the wheel. The experienced person possesses a wealth of data, a portfolio of solutions and a dumpster full of failure to help guide and formulate the next winning action. If the experienced person learns from their mistakes, an inexperienced person has been deprived of this valuable learning tool.

An objection that I have also heard is that at a certain level “we like to promote from within”. Outside experience means little unless you understand our culture, procedures etc. So why bother having me come to the interview? Do these folks think that they have found the secret to success and never think that there is any valuable information that is not contained within their 4 walls or do they think they are the best they can be without any outside help? BIG EGOS either way.

Where is this all going? America decided that experience didn’t matter in our last election. What where some of the results? 9.4% unemployment, trillions of dollars in unnecessary debt that will take generation to erase, the nationalization of our banking and automobile manufacturing systems, hidden tax increases that will only need to be expanded, the loss of our leadership position on the international stage and a general move toward socialism. By the way, notice the price of gas lately? Experience tells most (experienced) people that these ideas did not work before and never will work. Remember what I said about most of us not being capable of re-inventing the wheel!

If corporate America follows the lead of the general electorate, we are in deep trouble. If a newly hired executive was approaching their first 6 month review with the aforementioned non-accomplishments would they be around much longer?

Hire the experienced person; I don’t care if it is for the home office, corner office or oval office. We (the experienced)have learned from our mistakes and we do not fail to remember history.

Bye for now.