From the Reporters
Laura Rich

Molding Employees Into Shape

 

Last night at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, mediabistro.com founder and CEO Laurel Touby talked about starting and running a business. When it comes to staffing up, she told the audience, she's never hired anyone who has had previous experience in the position. Instead, she prefers to hire those lacking experience but are eager and talented -- and then "mold them" into the position she creates for them.

That's one approach. The other approach is to hire a veteran with years of experience who brings knowledge and expertise to the table. But sometimes these people also bring ideas of how things should be done that don't gel with the pace and change of a new business. Hiring Center columnist Will Helmlinger discusses this same issue in his most recent column, Hiring Choice: Veteran or Rookie?

What's your view? Is there a general rule that can be applied, or are there just some situations, or types of companies, where it's better to go green, and others where you need those who are a bit longer in the tooth?