When you're hiring, what do you prioritize—
culture or experience?
I've been thinking about this recently. Our firm has expanded from just me in 2021 to a team of 14. And as we've grown, we're bringing on more experienced people.
When I started hiring, my first hires were fresh out of school with little to no legal experience. That was mainly because I didn't have the money to afford more experienced people. But I was also hiring based on attitude and willingness to learn.
Now, we have the ability to hire more experienced professionals. Two paralegals who joined us this year have 14 and 17 years of experience, respectively. And while their expertise allows us to move faster and handle more complex cases, the most important thing to me is that they're both awesome culture fits.
If someone has 20 years under their belt but doesn't align with our values—like a growth mindset or being a team player—it's not going to work. And on the flip side, nearly all of our early hires have been fantastic and continue learning and growing with the firm.
That's why I will continue to hire for culture over skill alone. If a person has the right attitude and gets our values, they will grow. We can teach the skills.
Experience is important, but culture needs to be first.
Have you found that to be true in your business?
Director of Client Services at Clarity Hiring
2wExciting! "As we close out 2024, it’s an exciting time for myself/us here at BITS Recruiting as we reflect on our rebrand, growth, and unwavering commitment to our customers, candidates, and partners. A heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you for trusting me, our team, Clarity Hiring and our new brand BITS Recruiting as your trusted advisor. Your confidence has made this year incredibly successful, and we are deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of your journey. We/BITS Recruiting look forward to 2025 and to continuing to share in your growth and success!!" "Happy Holidays to you and all your loved ones!"