By Carlo Coumoutsos, Managing Partner at Landing Point
When it comes to hiring, companies often face a familiar question: Should we prioritize experience or potential?
Hard skills. Technical skills. Soft skills. Transferable skills. Years of experience. Industry experience. That’s a lot to consider, and when it comes to hiring, companies often face the challenge of deciding whether to prioritize experience or potential. In a competitive environment for talent, our point of view is that placing an emphasis on potential—rather than solely on past experience can be a game-changing strategy for building a dynamic and resilient team.
Why Hiring for Potential Matters
Hiring for potential means evaluating candidates not only for what they’ve done, but for what they can do. These individuals may not have every technical qualification, but they demonstrate the curiosity, motivation, and agility to grow quickly within your organization.
The Benefits of Prioritizing Potential
- Versatility: High-potential employees are adaptable and eager to take on new challenges as your company evolves.
- Thought Diversity: Different backgrounds and perspectives lead to more innovative solutions and creative problem-solving.
- Skill Set Expansion: Candidates who bring complementary skills can fill capability gaps and strengthen your team’s collective expertise.
- Rapid Learning: People with strong potential are quick to absorb new information and apply it effectively—essential in fast-changing industries.
- Resilience: These hires tend to be self-motivated, growth-oriented, and comfortable navigating ambiguity or change.
Must-Have Skills vs. Teachable Skills
A key part of hiring potential is distinguishing between the absolute must-haves for a role and the skills that can be taught. This distinction helps widen your talent pool while ensuring you’re still hiring candidates who can succeed in the long term.
Must-Haves: These are the non-negotiable skills, experience, or qualifications that are essential for the role. They often include core competencies or specific knowledge that cannot be easily acquired on the job.
Teachable Skills: These are the skills that can be developed with time and training. By identifying which skills fall into this category, companies can be more flexible in their hiring criteria, focusing instead on candidates who show strong potential for growth.
The Learning Curve Is an Investment, Not a Risk
Yes, hiring for potential can mean a slightly longer onboarding curve—but think of it as short-term training for long-term gain. High-potential hires often bring new perspectives and a hunger to prove themselves, which translates into innovation and loyalty down the line.
[Carlo Coumoutsos, Managing Partner at Landing Point, reminds hiring leaders that the learning curve isn’t something to fear—it’s an investment.]
Don’t Fall Into the “Perfect Resume” Trap
Many hiring managers lose valuable time searching for the “perfect” resume—someone who checks every single box. This approach can often be counterproductive. Instead, consider hiring the strongest overall candidate, even if they’re missing a few specific experiences. High-potential individuals can quickly bridge those gaps and begin contributing meaningfully to your team. By the time the “perfect” candidate is found, a high-potential hire could already be onboarded—and making an impact.
When Hiring for Potential Works Best
This approach is especially powerful when your organization is in a growth or transformation phase. It works well in:
- High-Growth Periods: You need adaptable people who can evolve with the company.
- Innovation-Driven Industries: When technology and trends shift quickly, learning ability matters more than tenure.
- Leadership Development Pipelines: Investing in potential builds a future bench of adaptable, forward-thinking leaders.
How to Identify High-Potential Candidates
When focusing on potential, it’s important to assess candidates based on core competencies and attributes that go beyond specific job requirements. Look for candidates who demonstrate:
- Problem-Solving Skills: They can navigate ambiguity and think creatively.
- Growth Mindset: They’re curious, coachable, and open to feedback.
- Cultural Alignment: They embody your company’s values and collaborate well across teams.
- Drive and Ambition: They show consistent motivation and ownership of results.
Finding the Right Balance Between Potential and Experience
Experience still matters—it provides depth, mentorship, and institutional knowledge. The most successful hiring strategies combine experience and potential, bringing together both stability and fresh thinking.
By distinguishing between must-have and teachable skills, you’ll open your hiring process to more diverse and dynamic candidates who can grow with your organization.
Final Takeaway
Hiring for potential isn’t just a talent strategy—it’s a long-term investment in your company’s growth. When you prioritize candidates with curiosity, resilience, and the ability to learn, you build a team that can meet today’s challenges and thrive in tomorrow’s environment.
Avoid the “perfect resume” mindset. Hire for growth, adaptability, and cultural fit—and you’ll unlock innovation, diversity, and long-term success.
Landing Point partners with clients to identify candidates who bring both skill and a growth mindset. Contact us to learn how our search experts can help you build a future-ready team.
About Carlo Coumoutsos
Carlo Coumoutsos is Managing Partner at Landing Point, where he oversees the firm’s Accounting & Finance, Capital Formation & Investment Support, and Tax & Family Office practices. He partners with clients across the Tri-State area and beyond on executive search and finance leadership hiring for asset management, private equity, and family office platforms.
With a background as a CPA and former PwC auditor, Carlo brings precision, credibility, and deep financial acumen to every search. Notable searches include CFOs and broader financial leadership roles across diverse investment entities and multi-family offices.
A hands-on mentor and an integral part of Landing Point’s growth, Carlo leads Landing Point’s training programs, continuing education, and partnerships with academic and community organizations that support career readiness. He is known for a balanced approach that combines technical expertise with relationship depth and long-term client partnership.
Carlo holds both a BS and MS in Accounting from Fordham University and lives in New York with his wife and four sons.