I also see this as a huge problem. Without the "credential crutch", identifying talent and true ability is nearly impossible for a hiring manager who isn't deep

I also see this as a huge problem. Without the "credential crutch", identifying talent and true ability is nearly impossible for a hiring manager who isn't deeply involved in the business on a day-to-day level. The problem is, the managers who ARE deeply involved are usually too busy to spend time searching for and hiring new employees (GREAT managers though, will always find time for this). Hiring is especially a problem in tech, because there's an even bigger disconnect between the hiring managers' understanding of the actual position.