How Important is Years of Experience?

By Nicole Lipari

Years of experience should be a benchmark, not a make-or-break.

ESPECIALLY in property management.

Take it from me: I only spent 2 years at a property management company, and during those 2 years, I can confidently say I learned more there than I did at a company where I spent 5 years. Why? Because the number of years someone has been in a role doesn’t always tell you how much they've accomplished in that period of time.

Two people can have 2 years of experience on their resumes and have completely different levels of knowledge, ownership, and capability.

I’m not saying years of experience don’t matter. They absolutely can - depending on the role and the level of responsibility - but I don’t think they should automatically disqualify someone who is a year or two short of the requirement.

Some of the strongest candidates I’ve come across don’t always look like a fit on paper.

They’re the people who were willing to get involved with everything. The ones who raised their hands and always said yes to taking on more.

The ones who became the “go-to” person because they were curious, resourceful, and hungry to learn.

Those are the employees who fast-track their careers.

And honestly, those the employees companies should want!

A resume can tell you how long someone has been doing something.

An interview can tell you how much they've learned along the way.

Don’t let an arbitrary number of years be the reason you overlook someone who has the drive, adaptability, and potential to become your next great hire.