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Comment by khitchdee | Hacker News Reader

Confidence:

If asked a question completely outside their domain of expertise, they wouldn't bail on it but instead start trying to find an answer.

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That's also the sign of a bs'r

You know, the person who knows nothing about a topic, but will talk for hours on it?

There should never be shame in admitting "I don't know" and then following it up with, "but if faced with that I would..."

What I have found to be interesting is that the more I learn about a technical topic, the less confident I become. Because I am now more aware of how much I don't know, or about how a small detail can make a big difference.

I used to think I was pretty knowledgeable about web security. The more I learn about it, and about how easy it is to get it wrong, or overlook something important, the less confident I feel in my ability to implement a secure web app.

It's a weird balance that people are looking for confidence and intelligence at the same time.

Some intelligent people are humble about the subjects they lack expertise in. Doesn't looking for confidence carries a risk of finding people who sound better than they are?

I agree. If I am asked a question outside of my domain of expertise, I'm not going to BS around it. I will say that I don't know and start asking questions so that I can learn the topic.

If you want someone to BS answers all day long, then you're hiring for a CEO.

Each one of your employees should fit the bill for future CEO. I see that as the point for hiring smart employees. It's someone who will pick up your stuff and run with it in directions you might not have thought about.

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