Why Character Can Outweigh Experience in Early-Career Hiring

In a recent LinkedIn post, Tobi Oluwole argues that employers should look beyond a candidate’s lack of experience when they show strong work habits, curiosity and a willingness to learn. His point is that potential can make training a worthwhile investment, especially early in a career.

“If you meet someone that:

1. Has great work ethic
2. Is curious and takes initiative
3. Is coachable and learns quickly
4. Has intrinsic motivation to be successful
5. Comes extremely prepared with great questions

You should be finding a way to hire them.”

Hiring for potential, not only a résumé

Oluwole’s list centers on behaviors that can signal how a person may contribute and develop on the job. Work ethic, initiative and preparation are visible in how candidates approach an opportunity, while coachability and quick learning suggest capacity to grow into new responsibilities. In his view, those qualities can help employers identify promising candidates whose résumés do not yet reflect extensive experience.

That argument challenges a familiar hiring filter: using prior experience as a proxy for readiness. Oluwole does not dismiss skills; instead, he emphasizes the importance of character when assessing people at an early stage of their careers.

Training as an investment

“The investment you make in training them will pay off big time.”

According to Oluwole, hiring for potential carries an obligation to develop that potential. Training takes time and resources, but he argues that the investment can pay off when a candidate is motivated, prepared to learn and able to respond to coaching. The post frames development as part of the hiring decision rather than an afterthought.

That perspective also puts responsibility on employers to create conditions where new hires can make progress. A candidate’s curiosity and initiative may be promising signals, but structured guidance gives those qualities room to translate into stronger performance.

Rethinking the experience requirement

“Stop passing up on great talent because due to a ‘lack of experience’”

Oluwole’s appeal is directed at employers who may reject candidates before considering what they could become. His post suggests that an experience requirement can screen out capable people when it is applied without weighing preparation, motivation and learning ability.

He summarizes that emphasis with a final principle: “Character is often more important than skill early on.” The claim is deliberately focused on early-career hiring, where a candidate’s record may be limited. Oluwole’s broader message is that employers should assess not only what applicants have already done, but also how they approach learning and whether they are ready to grow.