How to Evaluate Talent Beyond Industry Experience

In last week’s post, I shared some perspectives being described as “industry agnostic,” and the question it raised:

When does industry experience really matter, and when might the ability to learn matter more?

A few conversations since then pushed the discussion in a more practical direction.

Not whether learning ability matters, but something more specific:

How do you actually evaluate it when you’re hiring?

It’s a question I’ve struggled with over time. Especially when looking at two strong candidates, one with deep industry experience, and another who has operated in different environments and seems to learn quickly.

There’s rarely a clean answer. But there are a few things that can bring more clarity to the decision.

How to Evaluate It

Most hiring discussions eventually come back to a simple question:

Can this person step in, get up to speed quickly, and make an impact?

The challenge is that learning ability is harder to see than experience.

There’s no perfect way to measure it, but a few simple approaches, used together, tend to make it more visible.

A Few Practical Tools That Can Be Used Together:

1. Behavioral Interviewing - Focused on Entry, Not Just Outcomes

A small shift in questions can provide some valuable insight.

Instead of focusing only on results, ask how someone entered a situation they didn’t fully understand:

• “What did you focus on first?”

• “What did you get wrong early?”

• “How did your approach change over time?”

You start to get a sense for how they learn, not just what they’ve done.

2. How They Make Sense of a New Environment

One question I’ve found useful:

• “If you joined us, what would you try to understand first?”

There’s no right answer, but you can hear how they think:

• Do they start with systems or surface-level observations?

• Do they ask clarifying questions?

• Do they take time to understand before offering solutions?

3. Real-World Scenario (Keep It Simple)

I’ve found it helpful to bring in something real about our business, not a case study, just a current challenge.

• “Here’s something we’re working through…”

• “How would you approach the first 90 days?”

What matters really isn’t the answer it’s how they:

• work through ambiguity

• balance listening and acting

• resist the urge to jump to conclusions

4. How They’ve Handled Stepping into Something New

This is often the clearest signal, but it’s easy to overlook.

Look for where someone has had to step into something new, and ask:

• “What carried over for you?”

• “What did you have to relearn?”

Over time, you start to see whether they have a repeatable way of adapting, or whether success has been more situational.

What You’re Really Looking For

Individually, none of these tell you much. But together, they start to answer a more useful question:

Do they consistently step in, learn how things work, and make them better?

That’s typically what separates someone who can operate across industries… from someone who depends on familiarity.