The point is nothing in her resume shows she has any experience in the field.
While I don't expect an exec to be at the same level as current researchers, they should know something about the field.
Her music degree is not completely relevant, tho it is concerning. The rest of her resume (and total lack of relevant experience) is more damning.
Look, I personally know someone who's a C level in a tech company, with a political science degree. But his resume shows 15 years of full-time employment in his current field, plus summer jobs in university, and going back to high school. So with 20 years of experience in the field, his degree doesn't matter so much.
Your counter position seems to say that execs can manage a division while knowing nothing about what the division does. There's just no way that's true. The exec must know something in order to be able to prioritize projects, set goals, mediate disagreements, etc.
Or would you say that someone who has no education in a field, and no experience in a field, is qualified to be an executive-level manager for that field?
Alice Goldfuss @alicegoldfuss
Hi, I'm a Site Reliability Engineer at a large tech company.
I have a BFA in Film.
Steaknap Sleepchew @treelzebub
Android Tech Lead here. Was a Religious Studies major, then a cook/chef for 12 years. #unqualifiedfortech
Richard Bejtlich @taosecurity
Undergrad degrees in history, pol sci, French, German. Masters in public policy. Wrote 4 #cybersecurity books, was CISO. #unqualifiedfortech
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(Bejtlich is the former chief information security officer at Mandiant, a cyber forensics firm that has investigated data breaches at many companies, including Equifax.)
Joe Uchill @JoeUchill
Peter Thiel majored in 20th centrury philosophy. Now he harvests the blood of the young.#unqualifiedfortech
About 85 percent of Duo Security's hires do not have a formal background in information security,
Wendy Nather @wendynather
I don't have a degree; if I'd gotten one, it would have been in liberal arts. But I've been in tech for 30 years, so their logic is flawed. https://twitter.com/alicegoldfuss/status/908430394529259520 …
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Derek Robson @asinine_net_nz
I know several people in infosec wth a music degree.
And a CISO is as much about risk management as CS and tech.
Do these people have any competence in the field before they're hired into an executive position?
> Steaknap Sleepchew @treelzebub Android Tech Lead here. Was a Religious Studies major, then a cook/chef for 12 years.
Not relevant.
> Richard Bejtlich @taosecurity Undergrad degrees in history, pol sci, French, German. Masters in public policy. Wrote 4 #cybersecurity books, was CISO.
Not relevant.
> Joe Uchill @JoeUchill Peter Thiel majored in 20th centrury philosophy. Now he harvests the blood of the young.
Not relevant.
> About 85 percent of Duo Security's hires do not have a formal background in information security,
Do they have experience in information security?
a) yes, therefore they have some qualifications, and the comparison is not relevant
b) no, therefore the employers are hiring people who are manifestly incompetent at their jobs
> Wendy Nather @wendynather I don't have a degree; if I'd gotten one, it would have been in liberal arts. But I've been in tech for 30 years, so their logic is flawed.
i.e. she has experience, and the comparison is not relevant.
> And a CISO is as much about risk management as CS and tech
So you're honestly saying that a widget company can hire a VP of widget manufacturing, who knows nothing about widgets or manufacturing? This is not just false, it's patently absurd.
The point isn't "OMFG she has a music degree". It's that there is no reason to believe she has any experience or competence in the field.
The idea that a management specialist can effectively lead divisions and companies in fields that they have no concrete experience in is a popular one in MBA circles (very conveniently, because it means MBAs have many more opportunities). It's also a crock.
While I don't expect an exec to be at the same level as current researchers, they should know something about the field.
Her music degree is not completely relevant, tho it is concerning. The rest of her resume (and total lack of relevant experience) is more damning.
Look, I personally know someone who's a C level in a tech company, with a political science degree. But his resume shows 15 years of full-time employment in his current field, plus summer jobs in university, and going back to high school. So with 20 years of experience in the field, his degree doesn't matter so much.
Your counter position seems to say that execs can manage a division while knowing nothing about what the division does. There's just no way that's true. The exec must know something in order to be able to prioritize projects, set goals, mediate disagreements, etc.
Or would you say that someone who has no education in a field, and no experience in a field, is qualified to be an executive-level manager for that field?
That's just hard to believe.