Is a Lack of Experience Really Such a Bad Thing?
Young entrepreneurs don’t have a lot of experience. That’s a given. And in many cases this is rarely brought up as an issue. But in certain industries (especially in “older industries” or B2B-related industries) that lack of experience will be a sticking point. At least for many people inside the industry.
It’s certainly been a point of discussion around Standout Jobs. We’ve received a fair amount of good press, but one of the sticking points we see consistently is our lack of experience in recruiting. None of the founders are recruiters. We haven’t lived the last 15 years of our lives in HR.
Experience is valuable. There’s no question about it. But it’s not a guarantee of success. If that was the case, very few startups would ever succeed. And there are ways of getting around a lack of experience.
- Do Your Homework. Before diving into an industry that you’re not intimately familiar with, you better do some research. Luckily, it’s not hard. You can find a ton of information online - be it from analysts, industry trends, blogs, etc. Research and understand the problems in an industry. Talk to people. Get a feel for the space so you can form intelligent opinions based on more than just whimsy.
- Find Great Advisers. You can never have all the answers. No one can (I don’t care how much experience they have!) Surround yourself with great advisers that fill in the gaps in experience you have. In the case of Standout Jobs we’ve been working with a number of veteran recruiting experts for many months, it’s just not something we’ve announced publicly (yet).
- Solicit Lots of Feedback. You can’t be afraid of feedback. One of the advantages of being green is that you have fewer strong opinions than the grizzled veterans of your industry, and are more apt to listen. Speak to the experts. Speak to other entrepreneurs. Collect lots of feedback. Ask for it. Engage people for it. Just don’t get bogged down in it.
- Find Believers. Unless you’re completely wrong and your idea is absolutely brutal you will find believers out there. Go get ‘em! Believers turn into evangelists. Evangelists turn into customers. Evangelists turn others into customers. That’s all good. Of course, if all you look for is positive feedback you’re doing yourself a disservice. You need a more balanced view of things, but believers are great for providing support, pointing you in the right direction and buoying your spirits.
- Go Faster. Be Flexible. Test More Often. One of the downfalls of experience is getting locked into one way of thinking. It happens all the time. How often have you said to someone (or thought it), “I’ve been doing it this way for years, and that’s the way it’s supposed to be done. End of story.” That rigidity can kill you. For young entrepreneurs it’s much less of an issue, and you can turn that lack of experience and “stuck thinking” into an advantage. Do things faster. Be flexible and adjust quickly. And always test & validate your theories and practices.
- Admit What You Don’t Know. There’s no shame in admitting that you don’t know the answer. Go find it.
- But Stand Up For What You Believe In. At the same time, don’t be afraid to express your opinion. You’ve done your homework, brought on great advisers, collected positive and negative feedback and are actively experimenting with your ideas to see what works. Don’t be ashamed of your opinions and beliefs. Whether you’ve been in an industry for 10+ years or not doesn’t mean you’re incapable of understanding it, the problems it faces and coming up with solutions.
No matter what I do, I can’t turn back the clock, get a job in Human Resources, spend decades in the industry and then rush back to the present to start Standout Jobs. Neither can you. But don’t be disheartened by a lack of experience. If you’ve got enough brains in your head to look at problems analytically, surround yourself with people smarter than yourself, work insanely hard and accept the bumps and bruises of failure you’ve got as a good a chance as anyone else. Even the grizzled veterans of your industry.
It’s not at all. Most businesses begin with an idea and without the business owners knowing all the elements to running a successful business. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try.
i think its not because from the what ive read, most of the successful businessman, entrepreneur and people there are start grown up from their mistake which me no experience during that time
Sure, a clever mind can easily “get” the rules and uses of a specific sector in far less than 15 years. But I can’t understand how a company would take the risk of investing it’s assets without securing at least one founder with a target-specific background. Each sector has it’s “dirty bag of tricks” that can be very expensive to learn. Secured knowledge is good capital.
I think the question is answered depending on which field you are in. For example, if you were in a fast paced industry like IT, i would think experience doesn’t matter because some of the best people would come necessarily from the younger ones with no experience (as a general proposition). But if you were in the legal field (like I am, sort of..) then experience would be a big factor. Very few clients would go to a law firm which is made up of newbie lawyers with maybe just a few years of experience, unless they are really exceptional lawyers.
So the answer is, it depends. ^_^
Great point. Everyone has to start somewhere and work up. No one is born with business know-how. Your tips are perfect for any new entrepreneur.
This is a key topic. A lack of experience should not stop you from doing something, but it definitely helps. I’ve been doing VC-backed startups for 9 years. when I started, I was pretty fresh. I still did a lot. But I know if I was able to go back in time with the knowledge that I have now, I’d have created WAY more value.
Experience isn’t a defining factor in success. Readers here will want to checkout this post on the notion that judgment actually trumps experience in leadership. See Credentials? Nah. Judgment is what counts.
The question first caught our eye at Found|READ after a new book by Warren Bennis and Noel Tichy, Judgment: How Winning Leaders Make Great Calls, was reviewed in the Wall Street Journal. Check it out as well.
It also depends on the amount of technical knowledge necessary to be successful in the industry of choice.
The other point is that you are not fighting a lack of resume content, but rather the perception that that perceived lack of specific experience causes doubt in the minds of potential clients. Educate them on the value you bring that others can’t and create a plan of attack that strategically answers those question(s) of perception in their minds and you could win in the end.
I find the starting is the easiest part. I am really good at getting started at stuff. I start stuff all the time. I think that the hard part is becoming successful at something so that you can turn a profit. It is the support system that you have behind you, and simply asking for help that makes a difference. There are a lot of people who are willing to help you out. Sometimes you just have to ask.
Inexperience can lead to mistake which could have been avoided. That is really all it worth. Howeve experience can lead to myopia and miss opportunity. That why we always need to get outside our comfort zone and do and learn thing we of which we have little experience.
For a young entrepreneur, there are tons of advantages. First, you have more flexibility. You don’t have a family or many responsibilities. Failure is something that impacts just you.
Secondly, as Neerav, a young entrepreneur explains,you can only win. Either you fail and learn a valuable lesson, increasing your chances of getting a normal job, or you succeed and make good $.
All good. Finally, you have a better understanding of the technology and current trends than many older people might.
I am a consultant to a start up with similar problems. They came looking for me when they realized that somethings that they could not do, needed to be handed over to a professional. At no great additional fixed cost, they have solved the problem. Both of us understand that I need to train them, and my association with them,is only temporary.
You may wish to do something like this.
Those are some really great points! I also find that developing the mentor relationships is very important — people who are successful love to help out new people to the industry. Everyone wants to be appreciated for something that they do well and it’s a great way to get those invaluable tips that might not be so intuitive to the newcomer.
Thank you all for the great comments and ensuing discussion - much appreciated.
The lack of experience may be replaced by implication and proactive way of working and it is a great replacement sometimes.
I wish I’d taken your advice when younger! Listening to some negatives is a good thing. Because the entrepreneurial adrenaline can often cloud your judgement. But picking them is key.
You don’t want know-it-alls telling you what to do if they haven’t themselves taken a risk. There has to be some risk or it’s not worth doing and everyone else would be.
I failed spectacularly. I’ve since found success. And mentors are the key. It is incredibly astute what you’re doing by bringing in the experience as and when you need it.
I totally agree that “experience is important…But it’s not a guarantee of success”.
The more important thing is that we have to TAKE ACTION.
Most of us live within our comfort zone and we are afraid to take our next steps to build our business. Also, persistence is very important too. If we don’t persist, it’s hard to success!
@Ian: Thanks for the comment. Seems you’ve gone through many classic entrepreneurial experiences and lived to tell the tale!
@Yetti: Agreed. Action is key. If you’re just sitting around -thinking- about what you want to do, you won’t be very successful.
Experiences is not the top priority for a successful business. I personally thinks what makes a great business is the idea and the team we select to make the idea work.
To learn from others mistake is one of the key to success. Even when someone got no experience, try to look around you, make research, and learn from it.
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