If this is about the sort of elite jobs I'm thinking of, isn't the point to tell people what they want to hear so they have an excuse to do what they already wa

If this is about the sort of elite jobs I'm thinking of, isn't the point to tell people what they want to hear so they have an excuse to do what they already wanted to do? That would mean they have to be people worth listening to, and that this has to be for reasons other than scientific competence. So I'm thinking that having the "right" social background probably would be an important factor in job performance (as would being highly paid). But only if it's not made explicit, since political incorrectness is also important for image. . Also, focusing on the very few "best" jobs seems a bit silly. Why not look at what's in the top quarter or third, and how to make those more accessible?