Promising potential
The days when students of mathematics and the natural sciences were primarily seen as intelligent but odd, overly introverted, or overly cerebral must finally be over. Companies are likely to find exactly the intellectual potential among these graduates that can move them forward on their path into an increasingly digitalised future.
This is precisely where you are most likely to find people who meet the many challenges of tomorrow's business reality with logical reasoning, an analytical approach, the ability to think in abstractions, objectivity, and tolerance for complexity. There is particular demand for these people today in the booming information technology sector. The shortage of experts is no secret. Yet the hiring process still frequently sees company decision-makers make flawed assessments and decisions when dealing with IT professionals.
Missteps in dealing with IT professionals
This potential for error often stems from prejudice against IT professionals. Commonly referred to in everyday speech as a "computer nerd", the stereotype of the socially inept homebody has persisted stubbornly to this day.
In truth, people with an unusually strongly developed analytical personality can indeed often show deficits in both verbal and non-verbal communication skills, which may appear odd to an outside observer. No fish without bones, no person without weaknesses.
In a professional setting, different worlds often collide. Particularly in interviews, you frequently find two people sitting across from each other who seem anything but alike. As the counterpart to the "computer nerd" sits the extroverted, trained and experienced HR professional at the other end of the table. Their job is precisely the goal-oriented communication that our technically skilled candidate finds so difficult. A lack of eye contact, defensive body language and restless movements can quickly turn the conversation into a one-sided interrogation.
The more a role demands a hands-on mentality, the less suitable the candidate is deemed to be. In the end, both sides are left with a question mark.
Beyond the interview situation, the CV becomes an obstacle for some too. There is still a lack of understanding that a career in IT is often anything but linear. To the HR professional, the various projects strung together may appear disconnected. Candidates are often wrongly judged as unsuitable here, based on the wrong yardstick.
The "nerd" as a superstar
This illustrates well how a promising collaboration can be nipped in the bud. The candidate who is a perfect professional fit is rejected because of their personality (or their CV). This inadequate differentiation in how companies deal with these people means enormous potential is lost. But even supposed nerds have what it takes to become a superstar!
Nobody embodies this better right now than Elon Musk. The Tesla founder and self-made billionaire spent his childhood almost exclusively with his nose in books and his face in front of a computer screen. He was bullied and even beaten by his peers. Today, he embodies a spirit of innovation and vision for global progress like hardly anyone else. A shy outsider became one of the most successful entrepreneurial figures in the world.
Recognising and nurturing potential
HR decision-makers need to broaden their horizons. Few have missed the excess demand in the IT job market. IT professionals know their worth. Every missed chance to win over a genuine talent must be viewed especially critically. Being too picky here has to be considered negligent. It is a matter of developing a feel for candidates' potential rather than screening them out prematurely.
Personal development takes time, and that time needs to be granted. Companies also need to become aware of their responsibility to develop their employees' soft skills and build experts who combine technical and social competence. Companies that succeed at this will, in future, be able to boast that they employ true exceptional talents.
At SCHLAGHECK + RADTKE, we see our task as executive search consultants as conveying the right understanding of this particular type of person to our clients. We make sure that promising collaborations come about, and that diamonds and great potential are not carelessly overlooked. By using personality diagnostic methods, such as an individual assessment, we also have the ability to present development potential with outstanding transparency. That way, we can optimally support our clients in making the best possible hiring decisions.