Thanks for writing this Aline. As a recruiter for almost 20 years, I wish I had access to all my data and then the time to compile it, and anecdotally I'd expect the finding about MOOCs would be similar. The most selective of my hiring clients over the years tended to stress intellectual curiosity as a leading criterion and factor in their hiring decisions, as they felt that trait had led to better outcomes (good hir…
Outside of research and for fields outside of compsci, how else can applicants demonstrate "intellectual curiosity", and can you just expand a bit on what that means? Thank you, and thanks Aline!
Often the research may be tangentially related to their work, but it doesn't have to be in order to be 'credited' as intellectual curiosity.
Outside of CS, demonstrating curiosity can be almost anything. A non-CS person learning a technical topic is actually a decent example. Non-programmers that buy Arduino and do some home automation project.
It can be almost anything I'd think. Many people don't dedicate much personal time to learning. Demonstrating that learning can be challenging.
I have clients that require interviewees to do a presentation on anything at all during the hiring process (both non-tech and tech employees). Some have demonstrated game strategies they've studied.