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Why do people not hire experts?
(lemmy.world)
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this post was submitted on 05 Sep 2023
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Ask a really smart person if they know a lot about a topic they know a lot about...
And they'll tell you about all the things they don't know about the subject.
Ask an idiot about a topic they know nothing about, and they'll bullshit about how they know everything.
It's why the smartest people at any company are rarely running shit. Overconfidence always sells better than being realistic about your ability.
In other words, people saying they know everything are selling something. In your example, themselves.
Yes. You have summarized the Dunning-Kruger effect.
Except it's completely normalized to teach people to "sell themselves" to be able to get a job. It's not necessarily that they think they know more than they do. They might be very aware of their limitations, but have no shame and are willing to bend the truth to "get ahead."
If you go in trying to get an expert position and start talking about all the things you don't know, you're probably not getting the job, you know?
Outside of the context of job interviews, I find when talking informally with someone who truly knows a shitload, they tend to know enough to know how much more there is to know and may make mention of that along the way. And those that don't know how much they don't know of course can't really mention that because they can't even convince of all the stuff they don't know.
I always pay attention to people who are like the former and who are comfortable with maintaining an appropriate level of uncertainty because it usually means they think more scientifically.
Or put another way, he who speaks loudest knows least.
Good answer!