Big Think Don’t hire the smartest job candidate | Tyler Cowen
7 snips
Oct 15, 2025 
Tyler Cowen, an economics professor at George Mason University and chairman of the Mercatus Center, reveals why hiring the smartest candidate might not be the best choice. He emphasizes the importance of seeking talent in overlooked areas, like legendary talent scout John Hammond. Cowen critiques traditional hiring practices, exposing biases towards intelligence that ignore essential traits like drive and teamwork. He also encourages companies to embrace neurodiversity and learn from venture capitalists' risk-taking approach to finding exceptional talent.
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The John Hammond Example
- John Hammond found artists like Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen by focusing solely on musical quality.
- Tyler Cowen argues we need more people like Hammond scouting talent across all fields.
Smarter Isn’t Always Better
- Hiring processes often become bureaucratic rituals that reveal little about true ability.
- Intelligence above a job's minimum predicts success weakly compared with drive, energy, and interpersonal skills.
Hunt Undervalued Talent
- Seek candidates who are undervalued by the market due to prejudice or misunderstanding.
- Prioritize finding talents the market misses rather than competing for obvious top scorers.
