Hiring candidates with industry knowledge is often a safe bet. They know the landscape and have often worked with the systems and processes you use in their previous roles. This gives them a head start to add value to your organisation. Industry terminology is already understood, and they may bring along a valuable network of trusted suppliers and industry connections that can’t be matched.
New entrants to the automotive industry will need time to familiarise themselves with their new terrain, while adapting their experience to the new environment.
That said, hiring candidates outside your industry can provide a wealth of innovative ideas and perspectives.
New approaches
Fresh, creative ideas that work in other industry settings may be adaptable to automotive. Digital skills are increasingly required in automotive and mobility, and the information technology and retail sectors may provide a source of talent, up-to-date knowledge and bring innovation to your business.
A growing business constantly reviews its processes and ways of working and optimises for better results. One way to do this is to bring new thinking into your company.
If there’s recently been a lot of change in your business, newcomers are likely to be open to new ways of working and can even act as motivators for existing colleagues struggling with change. With a fresh perspective, their mindset is receptive to change. They have chosen this move, so they are excellent potential advocates for a new structure or process. They will also ask questions an industry insider might be embarrassed to ask. If a complex new topic is hard for everyone to grasp, your new hire may have more confidence to put up their hand and ask for an explanation.
Candidates will still bring transferable skills from other business sectors, including communication, leadership, and problem-solving. You have access to a wider talent pool, so there is a good chance of finding someone with well-developed skills in these areas, comparable to or perhaps even better than you might find within our industry.
An Ennis & Co success story
One of our clients, a well-known vehicle brand, was looking for an Online Business Director to take ownership of launching, managing and growing their online products and business.
The brand knew that they needed an individual with significant commercial experience to meet their requirements. They needed to build a high-performing team, fit the global product and offer to the needs of the market and develop operational processes to achieve market leading customer satisfaction.
Individuals with experience in developing and implementing an omni-channel online business were the focus of our brief. The company considered candidates from both inside and outside automotive across a range of online and hybrid online/physical retail brands. While the shortlisted candidates from within automotive had the experience within the industry, we found that they tended to have less commercial focused experience, limited financial management and a lack of experience with omni-channel.
From an extensive initial list, the eventual candidate hired into the role came from a large retail chain. This individual had key experience in dealing with online retail during the pandemic and partnering with major international technology brands for product launches. They possessed strong experience in the bricks-and-mortar business model through to online retail and clearly understood how to develop new market opportunities.
The successful candidate is still with the company several years on and has since been internally promoted.
Don’t underestimate the value of potential when looking outside of your industry. Candidates with the right attitude and willingness to learn can develop into valuable assets. You may have an idea of the perfect candidate, but they very rarely exist. Look beyond your ideal match and consider the growth potential that an individual may bring to your business.
