The above quote is referring to a management philosophy in IT that software developers are a readily transferrable asset – they can be seamlessly transitioned from project to project. There are some corollaries. First, that cancelling a project or product is no big deal from a personnel perspective, since everybody can be transferred to another effort. Second, that hiring for things like “core competencies” and “culture fit” are a sound strategy in that they facilitate the ease with which new teams can be composed and expected to gel.
The technology specialist and niche consultant in me immediately recognize a few cases where this approach to human resource management can be risky. First, specialists in some areas – operating system boot loaders, say – are unlikely to be of any use in the vast majority of projects unless they’re willing to walk away from their specialty. And, even for really good people, there is always ramp-up time that management should take into consideration, especially given the speed with which the competitive software market moves. From the perspective of the employee, though, this cuts both ways: if you’re going to specialize in OS boot loaders, you have to realize that you’re taking a risk in betting your career on something that only a few projects are going to require.
Another risk is that your best people – including those that can most quickly ramp up and provide leadership in new problem domains – are likely to be the least tolerant of being treated as an abstract, interchangeable resource.
Nevertheless, I generally agree that hiring managers can and should concentrate on the un-trainable skills: problem solving, customer focus, drive, etc. With those in place, and with support for ongoing training – and not to mention an engaging work environment – software developers can quickly respond to new challenges, and companies can stay competitive.
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