Geekiness is the frame for talent.

It used to be that geeks were lumped together amongst the nerds, dweebs, dorks and the socially inept. But no longer! Society is finally waking up to the reality of what it means to be a geek, and the potential value they can provide.

Chances are you’re already up to speed, but here’s a nifty Venn diagram that highlights where geeks sit in the scheme of things. 

Originally inspired by the Great White Snark Geeks are the intelligent obsessors. And they are the only group who do not fall into the category of socially inept. Quirky yes. Socially inept, no. 

You could consider geeks to be your passionate specialists, the ones who are naturally inclined to devote their time and effort towards a particular field of study, exploration or mastery. When you have a someone working within their chosen field of geekery, you'll see a massive return on any effort they expend. Their work will almost become autotelic – meaning that the tasks they undertake are rewards in their own right.

Geeks will also provide perspective. All good creativity and innovation comes from perturbation, and a good geek will likely take a stand on things related to their field. This may be interpreted as snobbery, but from a geek’s perspective, it’ll just be your ignorance (try getting a coffee-geek to drink that premium instant coffee you love, and watch the resulting rant unfold). In the workplace, employing a diverse range of geeks will mean that you’ll have a group of highly informed, passionate people, ready to fight things out to ensure that the work you produce is of the highest quality.

It therefore makes sense for your to recruit for the geekiness that compliments your business objectives. In fact, it’s imperative that you do.