Queensland University of Technology defends removing 'merit' from hiring policy

[EPAIII]

She is an idiot. So they put her in charge of hiring at the university.

Sounds like an excellent reason NOT to attend that university.

No students. Problem solved.

[SiliconWizard]

True, but there will always be tons of students applying. Probably just not the most capable ones.

[tggzzz]

   (Knock on wood), If I end up in emergency room, gazing up at ER people, We don't want thems people to all look the same.

If I wake up in an ER room I do want the people to all look the same. Calm. In control. Well prepared. Knowledgable, Thorough. Are there any other qualities in a person's demeanour that might matter?

Open and honest about what they don't know. I hate bullshitters, and tend to trust someone after they have told me what they do and don't know.

Fortunately medicine is so much better nowadays that there is less need for the patient to only have faith the doctor will cure them.

Its interesting visiting a doctor, being asked your profession, and replying engineer. Usually, their faces light up. Here's someone with a STEM education and an analytical mind. They can have a meaningful conversation about what's wrong, and what can be done about it. This is clearly not the kind of interaction they have with most patients, and most medical people seem to appreciate the opportunity.

By and large that's been my experience, but the converse can also be true.

Sometimes they prefer an easy docile patient that believes them implicitly, and does as they are told. Questions means they have to think/ persuade, and that takes time and mental energy. A consultant once told me during an  excellent conversation, that I knew more than the average GP about the condition. Some GPs might not like that.

[DimitriP]

   (Knock on wood), If I end up in emergency room, gazing up at ER people, We don't want thems people to all look the same.

If I wake up in an ER room I do want the people to all look the same. Calm. In control. Well prepared. Knowledgable, Thorough. Are there any other qualities in a person's demeanour that might matter?

It depends on who is doing the hiring, apparently, and stop being selfish 

[EEVblog]

Its interesting visiting a doctor, being asked your profession, and replying engineer. Usually, their faces light up. Here's someone with a STEM education and an analytical mind. They can have a meaningful conversation about what's wrong, and what can be done about it. This is clearly not the kind of interaction they have with most patients, and most medical people seem to appreciate the opportunity.

Happens to me a lot. Once you tell them you want to know every detail, and also when you ask really obscure technical questions, they really light up.
I'm the nerd that brings my thermal camera to the doctor 
In fact if a doctor or whoever it is, could be a tradie for example, doesn't light up and start talking technical when you ask, that's someone whos incompetant and should be avoided IMO.

[Circlotron]

In fact if a doctor or whoever it is, could be a tradie for example, doesn't light up and start talking technical when you ask, that's someone whos incompetant and should be avoided IMO.

Either that or they are simply not a doctor / tradie / whatever at heart. They possibly won't do as good a job as someone who eats and sleeps the subject night and day because they love it.

That is such an interesting thought.

[tggzzz]

Its interesting visiting a doctor, being asked your profession, and replying engineer. Usually, their faces light up. Here's someone with a STEM education and an analytical mind. They can have a meaningful conversation about what's wrong, and what can be done about it. This is clearly not the kind of interaction they have with most patients, and most medical people seem to appreciate the opportunity.

Happens to me a lot. Once you tell them you want to know every detail, and also when you ask really obscure technical questions, they really light up.
I'm the nerd that brings my thermal camera to the doctor 
In fact if a doctor or whoever it is, could be a tradie for example, doesn't light up and start talking technical when you ask, that's someone whos incompetant and should be avoided IMO.

They can just be pushed for time, which can be difficult to avoid for <political rant omitted>

Being able to have such conversations is part of knowing you've found someone "compatible". Other people will have different versions, e.g. my mother who wanted doctors to tell her what to do and, to a lesser extent, why.

[tggzzz]

In fact if a doctor or whoever it is, could be a tradie for example, doesn't light up and start talking technical when you ask, that's someone whos incompetant and should be avoided IMO.

Either that or they are simply not a doctor / tradie / whatever at heart. They possibly won't do as good a job as someone who eats and sleeps the subject night and day because they love it.

That is such an interesting thought.

When on interview panels, I always tried to find out what people did outside of their courses (and jobs), simply because they liked it. That is a good way of detecting (and avoiding) time servers.

And no, that doesn't mean I was looking for "passion" (ugh!)