Talent Over Tenure

How Embracing Skill-Based Hiring Can Boost Innovation and Success

Are you letting automated filters hire your team for you?

The traditional metrics of evaluating candidates through the lens of their career history, focusing on the "where" and "what" rather than the "how" of their experiences, often overshadow the underlying competencies that truly matter. We tend to cling to the tangible milestones in a person's professional journey as a safety net, erroneously assuming that someone seeking the same role they have mastered before will ensure success. However, this reliance on categorical experience can blind us to the actual skill sets presumed to accompany such experiences.

Skills over Experience

In the realm of product leadership, "B2B experience" is frequently listed as a prerequisite. On the surface, this makes sense, as this categorization (business to business, business to business to consumer, and business to consumer) defines the company’s customer, and the Product Leader is the voice of that customer. The fallacy lies in equating experience with expertise without recognizing the variability of each business's unique ecosystem, encompassing its industry-specific challenges and internal dynamics. Knowledge is by definition, specific, and thus, very fragile. Overly narrow hiring criteria can blind your business to vital strategic pivots and adaptation paths for success.

During my tenure at Google X (the moonshot factory), I learned to focus on a mission rather than a customer profile. How do you reduce the cost/impact of global shipping? How do you provide people in tumultuous countries financial stability? B2B and B2C are all just different delivery mechanisms serving the same goal.

I explored several business for each mission, some that were B2B and some that were B2C. I learned that every business or organization I worked with, from Fortune 500 companies to governments, had its own unique characteristics. But the thread that tied them together, was that companies and organizations are run by people too. You are always selling to and solving problems for people, whether that’s a consumer, or a VP at a company, or the director of a governmental agency. The pivotal skill I honed was the ability to decipher the environment, motivations, and needs of individuals and the organizations they represent and to utilize this understanding to forge products that deliver tangible value.

The application of this skill extends beyond the eclectic ventures of Google X to more traditional corporate environments. My experience across various Google product segments, including forging partnerships with industry giants like Walmart, Disney, and Lego, reinforced the importance of understanding each entity's unique culture. Learning how each company worked and what it valued was critical in developing products with them, just as understanding end-users is critical for consumer products.

User Empathy is the key skill that drives success in all these industries.

Skills are demonstrated through Traits and Actions

Many resumes (and LinkedIn) have a “Skills” section. It’s a great first step if someone states that they have “User Empathy” but how can you do to confirm that? I look for Traits and Actions.

A product manager adept at grasping diverse customer requirements must possess an authentic sense of curiosity and a profound capacity for empathy. While specific knowledge gained from past experience with certain customers can be beneficial, it's the innate curiosity and compassionate concern for people that fuels a relentless pursuit to understand the customer's unique needs and the dedication to develop solutions that genuinely assist them.

This trait manifests in tangible behaviors, particularly through the act of inquiry. My passion for international travel stems from the rich learning derived from immersing myself in varied cultures. But I don’t learn from the confines of a manicured resort. I expand my perspectives through conversations with Uber/Grab drivers, tour guides, and individuals I meet in eateries. It's the simple, yet profound art of asking questions that unlocks this wealth of understanding.

Cultivating a Diverse Range of Perspectives

By taking the focus off recognizable names on a resume, you broaden your search. This shift doesn't equate to compromising standards; rather, it signifies a readiness to discover exceptional talent from sectors beyond your immediate purview. You become capable of attracting top-tier professionals from a vast array of fields.

Such an approach enriches your team with distinct viewpoints, not merely due to their ethnic diversity but owing to their varied experiential tapestry and the pertinent skills they can adapt to meet your organization's unique demands.

Building a Great Product starts with Building a Great Team

During interviews, it's essential to look beyond the candidates' past roles, the prestige of their former workplaces, or their job titles. Even the skills they list aren't definitive proof of their capability. Instead, focus intently on their personal attributes and the evidence of these in their behavior. For instance, a candidate who is inquisitive and engaged with people and processes likely possesses a strong capacity for user empathy. Likewise, an individual who consistently propels conversations forward and communicates succinctly may excel at advancing projects. In assembling your standout team, prioritize a broader range of qualities—consider the skills vital to your objectives look for the underlying traits and actions that reinforce them.

Use these core qualities as your guide throughout the recruitment process, and you will form a team that is impressive not just on paper, but also intrinsically motivated to realize your vision.