This is a pretty good breakdown of the dynamics of software engineering hiring, even if I don't follow to her conclusions.

It seems like "abstraction" is a recurring theme. The hiring manager is abstracted from the job description by the recruiter. Whether by institutional affiliation or passing a quiz, candidates are abstracted into punch cards that can be fed through the system.

Furthermore there's a seemingly overwhelming institutional bias for companies to congratulate themselves on making the right hire, and for their employees for being the right hires, that the whole thing becomes kind of circular.