Help Wanted: Ignorance a Plus

If your company maintains the noble policy of "promoting from inside" you might consider the breeding ground this is for sacred cows and status quo thinking.

Openings on your team should be viewed as opportunities to introduce new ideas; folks who have been around long enough to earn a promotion might be too eager to show they know how to do things "the company way."

In fact, you may even give bonus points to a candidate who is nonetheless competent yet carries a healthy helping of ignorance about your company or industry. Qualified people with experience in areas not normally associated with your industry can bring excitingly foolish perspectives to the table.

Let's hear it for the applicant who lists "ignorance" as one of his or her core competencies.