Seeking a fresh perspective?
Godwin Ekoriko
CIM ACIM, Communications Specialist at NIHR with expertise in Marketing
Seeking a different perspective
I was reading an article the other day Which highlighted the importance of having someone without industry experience in a role.
Whilst reading it, something struck me, reminding me of my time in my previous role. I want for the interview without having industry experience having moved from the publishing industry. the change from Publishing to Pharmaceutical was a huge leap and a challenge at the start. I started the role feeling lost in industry jargon as I was not accustomed to it to me, some abbreviations meant something else. After getting over the initial hurdle, I realised that I was offering a lot of insights into different solutions as I was not accustomed to the industry and the confines get by the regulatory body. I remember in lots of meetings, people would say it can't be done Au to the ABPI code of conduct. My task was to find creative solutions which were compliant and Impactful.
The advantage I had in the room was that I was open to exploring solutions rather than shutting them down on the spot. This brings me to a story (well a couple of them): Lord of the rings, Gladiator and Harry Potter. The things these three stories have in common is the solution to their problems was someone without industry experience. Someone with a different sense of self belief. A wise man once said “only a foolish person will do something repeatedly expecting different results". You cannot find fresh perspective hiring the same people over and over again.
Quite often, people who have gotten to a certain position or level of security in Their jobs, etc. are afraid to push the boundaries. One could argue that their positions have become tainted so their hands are tied. This is my despite being able to offer support to fight the system, They themselves are unwilling to get Their hands dirty. The new person Outside of the system comes with a new dive. unaccustomed to how things are done, they are able to fight each hurdle positively without worrying about their position or the past failures they have encountered. They aren't burnt out or afraid to ask the hard questions.
This is the ultimate reason why hiring someone without industry experience but transferrable skills could prove a masterstroke in your organisation.