Which non-IT roles or industries have produced your strongest hires?

We once hired a project manager with a passion for technical work, which is the reverse of the usual path. His organizational and stakeholder management skills were extremely valuable, and he was eager to learn technical skills. Technical knowledge can be acquired, but strong soft skills and a willingness to learn are harder to find.

I have had success with university students from a variety of backgrounds. Many are not studying IT or technical fields, but their hobbies and side interests often align with our needs. By leveraging their extracurricular skills, we can engage them in data entry, web work, and other IT-related tasks.

One of my favorite hires came from a grocery store deli counter, where she was a manager. Her customer service skills translated exceptionally well to our IT help desk. Despite initial skepticism from the team, her ability to handle a fast-paced environment and interact with a diverse clientele made her a standout employee.