People are analog, not digital

Most individuals in IT get a sense of comfort from the predictability of IT applications and systems.   They know that even if there are configuration problems or defects in applications, these will also be predictable.   Once finding that an event occurs, it is just a matter of following a methodical process to identify the root cause.   While root causes can be obscure, they are ultimately logical outcomes.  

People on the other hand, do not deliver discrete predictable outcomes.   At times they can disappoint, but at other times, they can deliver ingenuity, innovation, unexpected effort, passion, love and impact far beyond the expected.   This ability of people to deliver results and surprises is the wonder of who we are.   Most executives and leaders recognize this about people.   The surprising thing is that these days, in the hiring process, we seem to be operating in a way that assumes that people are as predictable and limited as IT applications and systems.  Today, when there are job openings, those that are looking for talent seem to be consumed with

1. Finding the candidate that matches the job description regardless if an individual matching all components of the job description has ever been seen in the wild
2. Assuming that individual capabilities are as discrete as the functions built into applications

Part of the reason for this new behavior in hiring is that technology has ensured that a mountain of resumes can now be delivered for every advertised opening.   Our ability to convey information about the opening is as rapid and expansive as a pandemic.   The fallacy in the current situation is that building the mountain will not necessarily ensure that a resume exists in the stack that matches the stated requirements or that an individual who has applied has accurately conveyed what they can deliver.   We will find that there will be a number of changes in the future.

1. We will deploy more technology to identify meaning and content in the mountain of resumes (like semantic search)
2. Some who are looking for talent will stop trying to advertise as widely to avoid the effort and cost of consuming the mountain
3. There will be more emphasis on leveraging technogy, like LinkedIn that exposes relationships to allow us to identify the analog target (a person) with a technologically enabled analog process. 

Why do people choose IT as a career?

I believe that most people who choose IT as a career want to achieve order and balance. While the most complex issues in life revolve around people, early entrants to the career think that it is about the machine or the system and how it can always be made predictable and regular. Ironically, IT people eventually learn that IT is about enabling people and one cannot escape the people part. Many never really understand the complexity of the systems and begin to believe the system cannot be made predictable. Those that get it all in balance eventually understand the meaning of the word system and also understand that people are part of the system.