Don’t let restrictive job descriptions lose you candidates
“Must have 5+ years of experience in a similar role.” “Must have a degree in a related subject.”
Do job adverts at your organisation contain this type of requirement? Over the years, relying on technical skills or quantifiable measurements like this has become a standard in recruitment.
But relying too heavily on these narrow definitions of experience runs the risk of shutting the door on a large number of quality candidates.
Who gets left out by the traditional experience filter?
When you treat experience as a numbers game, you exclude people like…
Career changers who are bringing transferable skills, even if they aren’t in the same industry or a similar role
Parents or caregivers returning to the workforce
Young people who haven’t had many formal jobs yet
People whose experience has come from unpaid or community work
People who are limited by physical or mental health challenges, living with disabilities or from a minority background.
Hiring for potential, not just pedigree
The idea that someone needs to have done the exact same job before to succeed is outdated. In a world that’s constantly changing, we need people who can learn, adapt, collaborate, and bring fresh perspectives.
Hiring for potential doesn’t mean compromising on quality. It means recognising that:
Skills are transferable
Passion and purpose fuel learning
People with unconventional backgrounds often bring creative, systems-level thinking
Lived experience can be just as valuable—sometimes more—than textbook knowledge
When organisations hire this way, they often gain team members who are not only capable but deeply committed and invested in the work.
Changing your view of experience
Experience doesn’t have to be concrete and come with a job title or a pay slip. It might look like:
Volunteering at a food bank, charity or other organisation
Organising a local climate campaign
Freelancing, side hustling, or running a creative project
Navigating disability systems or advocacy
Dealing with your health, mental well-being or addiction challenges
Leading a community group or sports club
Raising a family
These experiences build critical skills like communication, leadership, planning, conflict resolution, and resilience. They also make you relatable and empathetic towards your colleagues and those you might come into contact with in the course of your role.
What can organisations do differently?
If you’re involved in hiring, here’s how to help shift the balance:
Write job ads that focus on what the role needs, not who you assume will fill it
Use inclusive language: “You might have gained experience through paid work, volunteering, community organising, or other life experiences”
Remove arbitrary years-of-experience requirements unless they’re genuinely necessary
Use skills and values based interviews
Be open to candidates who are learning or growing into the role
Read more about hiring candidates from a diverse age range and hiring for culture add not culture fit.
For-purpose and impact organisations are leading the way in this kind of hiring, with many welcoming candidates who bring lived experience, community experience or show their passion for the role. But it’s always good to regularly review your job descriptions to ensure you aren’t excluding great candidates.
