Comments on: experience vs. confidence http://www.cheezhead.com/2008/10/06/experience-vs-confidence/ Insight and opinion from the world of employment. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:01:22 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Richard http://www.cheezhead.com/2008/10/06/experience-vs-confidence/comment-page-1/#comment-115090 Richard Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:33:22 +0000 http://www.cheezhead.com/?p=1790#comment-115090 This question could be asked many different ways. Hard skills vs. soft skills; experience/competence vs. character/personality? The answer is that it always depends on the job. Would you want to hire a brain surgeon who had minimal experience but tremendous soft skills? On the flip side, soft-skills are a lot harder to acquire/learn than hard-skills. So if you have the luxury of training someone and giving them time to develop without risking your product or service, then go for it (assuming they have the aptitude)! In the end, it's situational. This question could be asked many different ways. Hard skills vs. soft skills; experience/competence vs. character/personality? The answer is that it always depends on the job. Would you want to hire a brain surgeon who had minimal experience but tremendous soft skills? On the flip side, soft-skills are a lot harder to acquire/learn than hard-skills. So if you have the luxury of training someone and giving them time to develop without risking your product or service, then go for it (assuming they have the aptitude)! In the end, it’s situational.

]]> By: Ed http://www.cheezhead.com/2008/10/06/experience-vs-confidence/comment-page-1/#comment-115067 Ed Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:33:41 +0000 http://www.cheezhead.com/?p=1790#comment-115067 Gut is important, as are hard skills and experience. However, when recruiting software developers we've always had more success hiring individuals with strong soft skills, even if their experience or aptitude in specific technologies was lacking. The soft skills that I've found are important for technology hires are: exceptional communication, willingness to experiment, and ability to persevere. Candidates with gifts in these areas, and a C.S. degree or equivalent experience have provided value to our team with a very low turnover rate. Some of our most successful employees have had very little experience in the niche practice areas we recruit for, namely <a href="http://www.ltech.com/google-apps-solutions/migration" rel="nofollow">Google Apps migration technicians</a> or <a href="http://www.ltech.com/enterprise-search-quickstart" rel="nofollow">enterprise search</a> developers. With a good training program, a culture of success, and the willingness and patience to translate those soft skills into expertise in specific practice areas, technology companies can build a successful recruiting strategy. Gut is important, as are hard skills and experience. However, when recruiting software developers we’ve always had more success hiring individuals with strong soft skills, even if their experience or aptitude in specific technologies was lacking.

The soft skills that I’ve found are important for technology hires are: exceptional communication, willingness to experiment, and ability to persevere. Candidates with gifts in these areas, and a C.S. degree or equivalent experience have provided value to our team with a very low turnover rate.

Some of our most successful employees have had very little experience in the niche practice areas we recruit for, namely Google Apps migration technicians or enterprise search developers.

With a good training program, a culture of success, and the willingness and patience to translate those soft skills into expertise in specific practice areas, technology companies can build a successful recruiting strategy.

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