Hiring Industry VS Non-Industry Employees

I have been on a hunt for a full-time employee after letting go a full-time employee with industry experience. When I first opened the store I was on a hunt for employees with jewelry experience otherwise I was not going to hire them. The store was brand new and I knew I wouldn’t be able to start training right away. I needed strong individuals who could handle their own so that I could concentrate on getting the store up and running.

Three months passed by so quickly, it was after Christmas and I was ready to start molding my staff. I continued to watch their progress and studied their weaknesses so that I could set up an effective training program for each. I started with a few full-time and a few part-times. The full times had industry experience— a CG who worked at a higher end chain store for a number of years and another who worked at local jewelry stores for twenty years plus. It turns out the one without gemological credentials knew how to please customers and had more industry knowledge than the book-smart one. I always knew a GG or CG didn’t guarantee a good salesperson—but here it was smacking me right in the face. My payroll was enormous for a sales associate that wasn’t producing—the salesperson had loads of knowledge, knew how to project it effectively but ultimately couldn’t please customers.

I always tell my staff—I can train you with mounds of knowledge but if you don’t have enthusiasm, energy, and confidence—the education is worthless.

This time around I promised myself not to make the same mistake. As I began interviewing—I met many with industry experience who wouldn’t throw off my payroll too much but again they lacked enthusiasm. I realized, not necessarily did I have to have someone with industry experience. I met individuals with GG’s, CG’s—ones in the industry for 4years plus, etc—ultimately one’s that wouldn’t fit our store’s culture. I wanted someone who was bubbly, enthusiastic, and came with an empty slate. Some people who come from the industry—I find are harder to train. They have bad habits that need to be broken but can’t shake them loose. I have a part-time who didn’t come from the industry but instead from a pearl-stringing (bead knowledge) background and training her has been a breeze. She has increased her sales dramatically with the training program that she’s been on only since January.

So—are your employees with industry experience not book smarts bringing in more sales? Have you ever hired a full-timer without experience? Has it worked out well for you? Do your GG’s and CG’s pay their way as sales associates or are the ones with industry experience (ones lacking a gemological title) doing better?