We say we want agility. So why do we hire for perfection?

You’ve seen the postings: a PhD for a mid-level role. Ten years of experience for a field that’s barely existed for five. So many degrees, credentials, and certifications that the posting reads more like a fantasy novel than anything grounded in actual reality.

These job descriptions don’t just strain credibility and induce heavy eye-rolling. They also betray a deeper contradiction: leadership says they want adaptability for tomorrow, but the hiring systems in place still filter for perfection today.

In a world defined by constant change, the most valuable people in an organization aren’t the ones who already know everything. They’re the ones who are ready to learn anything and, even more importantly, apply that learning in real and meaningful ways.

Of course, not every role can prioritize adaptability over expertise. Some positions demand specialized knowledge from day one. But in the vast majority of roles — particularly those shaped by rapid change — the real differentiator isn’t what someone knows. It’s how they learn.

Eventually, the knowledge a company hires for will become stale. That’s not a failure. It’s inevitable. The smarter bet is to hire the learner.

This is someone who doesn’t just absorb information but synthesizes it, makes sense of ambiguity, and translates it into action others can follow.

That’s the kind of teammate who thrives when the roadmap isn’t fully drawn. Who listens to what’s not working, explores unfamiliar tools or methods, and says, “Let’s try something.”

If there’s one consistent thread across every role I’ve had, it’s this: the most meaningful work I’ve done was never listed in the job description.

It was discovered. It came from curiosity. From paying attention. From noticing pain points or possibilities and saying, “I wonder if we can do better?”

Most of the tools I rely on today didn’t come from formal education. They came from hobbies, side projects, pilots, and a willingness to be curious even before I had all the instructions. I explore early, pitch ideas honestly, set clear expectations, and bring others along.

And it’s not just me. I’ve seen this with designers who adapt to shifting user needs, analysts who pick up new tools on the fly, and facilitators who build better systems from the inside out. These learners push teams forward, often before anyone realizes what’s changing.

I don’t aim to get it right the first time. I aim to create something testable. I run safe-to-fail experiments that help us learn quickly and adjust our course with intention. I believe in prototyping ideas, learning in public, and making each iteration more valuable than the last.

In technical interviews, engineers are often given unsolvable problems. The goal isn’t to get it right. The point is to see how someone thinks. What questions they ask. How they navigate uncertainty.

But this mindset shouldn’t be reserved for engineers. It applies to every role. Especially now.

Thanks to Google, YouTube, and AI, raw information is a commodity. But turning that information into shared understanding, team momentum, and meaningful results? That’s the skill worth hiring for.

That all sounds good in theory. But what does it look like in practice? How do you identify someone who leads with curiosity, learns in motion, and adapts publicly?

Whether you’re hiring or applying, here’s the shift:

If you’re a candidate:
• Show your work. Don’t just say you’re a fast learner. Demonstrate it.
• Use your portfolio to highlight experiments, lessons, and iterations.
• Share stories of navigating discomfort and translating learning into action.

If you’re a hiring manager:
• Ask questions that reveal process, not perfection.
• For example: “Tell me about a time you had to learn a new tool quickly. How did you approach it?”
• Or: “What’s something you’ve learned recently, and how have you applied it?”
• Look for curiosity, adaptability, and thoughtful risk-taking.
• Don’t just ask what they know. Ask how they learned it. Then ask what they did when that knowledge no longer applied.

This isn’t about blame. Most of us — hiring managers, recruiters, even candidates — have internalized outdated notions of what makes a strong hire. But as work continues to evolve, so should our assumptions.

We need to rethink how we tell the story of a good candidate and whether the hiring process can even see them at all.

Because in a world of constant change, the most valuable hire isn’t the one who knows everything. It’s the one who leverages learning to drive progress, even when the path isn’t clear.

These are the individuals who reduce retraining costs, future-proof your team, and champion change from the inside. They spot inefficiencies, adapt systems, and help organizations stay nimble when the market shifts.

The greatest threat to your organization might not be your product or your service. It might be how you work and who you work with. Hire the people closest to that reality. Hire the learners.