The Secrets of Successful Hiring, Part 5: The Best Hires Are Built – Not Just Found
Hiring isn’t just about discovering the perfect candidate. It’s about recognizing potential – and then actively nurturing it.
The myth of the “ready-made hire” is outdated. The best people rarely check every box on day one. But they’re coachable, mission-driven, and eager to grow. That’s what matters.
Why potential beats perfection
A McKinsey study showed that companies that focus on developing internal talent outperform peers in productivity and retention. Yet, most hiring processes still emphasize past achievements over future capacity.
In fact, according to LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends report, 92% of talent professionals say soft skills and potential are equally or more important than hard skills – but only 41% say their hiring process actually assesses for them.
Here’s what top companies do differently:
They prioritize learning agility over years of experience.
They design onboarding as a strategic ramp-up, not a formality.
They view hiring as the start of development – not the end.
And it pays off.
In DreamIt’s client projects, we’ve seen:
🩷 Specialists grow into team leads within 12 months
🩷 Junior hires outperform senior ones when given the right context
🩷 Retention improve by up to 30% when the first 90 days are intentional
What to look for when hiring for growth
💥 Evidence of self-directed learning
💥 Enthusiasm for feedback and iteration
💥 Values alignment and mission motivation
💥 Curiosity, not just confidence
When you hire for potential, you open the door to:
🩷 Diverse backgrounds that strengthen innovation
🩷 Future leaders who build loyalty from day one
🩷 A culture of growth, not complacency
Rethinking the job description
Instead of asking:
"What have they done before?"
Ask:
What could they do next – with the right support?"
Include statements like:
"We’re looking for someone eager to grow into this role – not someone who’s already done it all."
This small shift attracts a different kind of applicant: committed, humble, and ready to build with you.
Don’t just hire – develop.
Great hiring doesn’t stop at contract signing. It continues with onboarding, mentoring, feedback, and real growth opportunities.
According to Gallup, only 12% of employees strongly agree that their organization does a great job onboarding new employees. Yet onboarding is one of the strongest levers for engagement, productivity, and retention.
Hiring for potential means:
Building internal career paths
Encouraging cross-functional learning
Allowing space for trial, error, and evolution
In today’s fast-moving world, adaptability is more valuable than static expertise.
The best teams aren’t found. They’re forged.
This concludes our five-part series: The Secrets of Successful Hiring.
We're not done yet – our next blog series will dive deep into one of the most overlooked parts of hiring: exceptional onboarding. How you support your new hires in their first 90 days can make or break their long-term success. Stay tuned!
👉 Read Part 1: Start with Clarity – Not a Job Ad
👉 Read Part 2: Timing Is Everything – Why Urgency Kills Quality
👉 Read Part 3: Culture Fit – Or Is There a Better Term?
👉 Read Part 4: Candidate Experience Is a Competitive Advantage
Looking to build a team that grows with you? Let’s talk about how DreamIt can help.
