Are You Interviewing for Skills or Hiring for Success?

When a hire doesn’t work out, the explanation is often surprisingly similar.

“Their CV looked great.”

“They interviewed really well.”

“They had exactly the experience we were looking for.”

On paper, the decision seemed straightforward. The candidate ticked every box and appeared to be the safest choice.

Yet six months later, they have either left the business or failed to have the impact everyone expected.

The reality is that many hiring processes are designed to assess whether someone can do the job. Far fewer are designed to determine whether they are likely to be successful in the role long-term.

Those are not always the same thing.

Technical Competence Matters, But It Is Only One Piece of the Puzzle

For obvious reasons, most interviews focus heavily on skills and experience.

In legal practice, firms may assess technical knowledge, case experience, billing performance and sector expertise. Also everyone is sooooo obsessed with PQE but one candidates experience in 3 years PQE could easily beat anothers 5 years PQE depending on the firm and experience they have.

In accountancy practice, discussions often focus on qualifications, client portfolios, technical knowledge and experience managing assignments.

These are all important considerations.

After all, a candidate must possess the skills necessary to perform the role.

The challenge arises when technical competency becomes the sole focus of the hiring process.

A candidate may be fully capable of doing the job whilst still being the wrong person for the opportunity.

The Question Many Employers Miss

Most interviews aim to answer:

“Can this person do the job?”

A better question is often:

“Can this person succeed in our business?”

Success is influenced by much more than technical ability.

Factors such as management style, career aspirations, team dynamics, culture, flexibility, progression opportunities and working environment can all have a significant impact on long-term performance and retention.

A highly successful individual in one organisation may struggle in another, despite having the same responsibilities.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the hiring decision was wrong.

It simply means the fit was.

Why the Strongest CV Is Not Always the Best Hire

One of the biggest misconceptions in recruitment is that hiring the most experienced candidate automatically reduces risk.

In reality, many of the best hires are not always the most technically impressive on paper.

The strongest hire is often the candidate whose motivations align with what the business can genuinely offer.

For example:

• A candidate seeking partnership may thrive in a growing independent firm but become frustrated within a highly structured organisation.
• A candidate who values autonomy may struggle in a business with multiple layers of approval and management.
• A candidate motivated by learning and progression may quickly disengage if opportunities for development are limited.

None of these issues would necessarily be identified by reviewing a CV alone.

What Successful Hiring Processes Assess

Whilst every organisation will have its own approach, the most effective hiring processes typically assess five key areas:

1. Technical Competence

Can the individual perform the role to the required standard?

2. Cultural Alignment

Will they enjoy working within the business and contribute positively to the team?

3. Motivation

Why are they considering a move and what are they looking to achieve?

4. Long-Term Potential

What could this individual become in the next three to five years?

5. Expectations

Does the opportunity genuinely align with what the candidate wants from their career?

When employers assess all five areas rather than focusing solely on technical ability, they significantly improve the likelihood of making a successful long-term hire.

The Cost of Getting It Wrong

A poor hire rarely fails because a candidate suddenly loses their technical knowledge.

More often, issues stem from misaligned expectations, cultural challenges, lack of progression, management style differences or a misunderstanding of what the role truly involves.

The cost can be substantial:

• Recruitment fees
• Management time
• Lost productivity
• Team disruption
• Delayed business growth
• Damage to employee morale

This makes it even more important to evaluate whether a candidate is likely to succeed within the wider context of the business, rather than simply determining whether they can perform the technical aspects of the role.

Final Thought

Technical skills may secure someone an interview.

Technical skills may even secure someone the job.

However, long-term success is usually influenced by factors that are much harder to spot on a CV.

The most successful hiring decisions are often made when employers look beyond qualifications and experience and take the time to understand what motivates an individual, how they work best and what they ultimately want from their career.

The next time you’re interviewing, ask yourself a simple question:

Are you interviewing for skills, or are you hiring for success?

The answer could make all the difference to the quality of your next hire.