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The hiring process in general is outdated, if not broken. It is exactly the same (Resume to Interview) regardless of the type of job in question (Banker vs Dev
by brett1211 18y ago
The hiring process in general is outdated, if not broken. It is exactly the same (Resume to Interview) regardless of the type of job in question (Banker vs Developer vs Babysitter). Where is the customization?
As more and more work becomes digitally distributable thought-work, why aren’t we judging people based on relevant examples of their work? Why is an entry level hedgefund analyst judged by a 30 minute "tell me about yourself" interview as opposed to the performance of her personal account (and the verbalization of the rationale behind it)?
I think it is interesting that we just assume that "talking to someone" is the ultimate tool for determining intelligence, competence, and fit. Ultimately, talking to someone measures how well they can talk, not how well they perform. Are there more pertinent tools for assessment or will hiring always come down to how we "feel" about someone after a 30 minute interview?
(Good related post on interviewing by Eric Ries: http://startuplessonslearned.blogspot.com/2008/11/abcdefs-of-conducting-technical.html http://startuplessonslearned.blogspot.com/2008/11/abcdefs-of...)
Also, a provocative essay on "elite education" that is a good foil to Paul’s point about how elite education makes people feel about themselves. From this author’s perspective, it is a disadvantage. Get past the first four paragraphs and some ridiculous ivy-towerishness and I think he makes some good points):
http://www.theamericanscholar.org/su08/elite-deresiewicz.html http://www.theamericanscholar.org/su08/elite-deresiewicz.htm...
Postscript: This is a tangential point related to measurement. I just spent a scholarship year interviewing entrepreneurs and venture capitalists to understand how they evaluate or measure the progress of early stage ventures before the standard financial metrics become available. Paul, would love to hear your thoughts given your unique position. Thanks.