The popular narrative on Linkedin is to only hire for passion – that any and all skills can be taught along the way. I think it’s true passion matters, but as the sole factor? Probably only in junior or entry-level jobs.
You’re not hiring someone with zero sales experience to be your next VP of enterprise sales. Organizations already know this, but it’s a prettier picture to think all companies should hire on passion alone.
If you’re a candidate, recognize that passion only takes you so far. I’ve interviewed people with all the passion in the world, but no experience in the job I was hiring for. If I was looking for someone completely new and moldable, they’d be a great fit. But if the role clearly requires some prior experience, don’t be surprised if passion alone doesn’t cut it.
If you recognize this early, find ways to relate your seemingly irrelevant experience to the job at hand. If you work in financial analysis, but want to get into marketing, explain how that background will help you bring a new perspective to the table. It’s not enough to say you’re simply interested in it. You’ve got to show how you can apply yourself as a unique resource.