[ozim]

For me it would be nepotism if CTO would hire a family friend that was totally unqualified or somewhat unqalified and would cover his ass to keep him in company.

Story in here is not nepotism, it is just that guy had more opportunities than others but that is just the way life is. That is why for example going to university is important - not for knowledge or lectures - but for getting to know people who will most likely be working in the same field.

[quickthrower2]

This so nepotism it could be the dictionary definition.

[loa_in_]

No, nepotism is covering someone who's _failing_ at their duties, yet retaining them due to familial connections.

Otherwise, what are you really mitigating by refusing to hire your CTO's nephew? If he's a strong candidate, it's not pathological and calling it nepotism is pointless at best. Otherwise if CTO's nephew turns out to be a weak candidate and is let go then again, it's completely normal. If CTO's nephew is a bad hire, yet he's retained, then it's nepotism.

[philipswood]

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nepotism

>nepotism

>noun

>nep· o· tism ˈne-pə-ˌti-zəm

>: favoritism (as in appointment to a job) based on kinship

>>accused the company of fostering nepotism in promotions

[StevenWaterman]

There's a difference between

    (is kin) -> (preferred for job)

and

    (is kin) -> (insider knowledge that they're better than expected) -> (preferred for job)

Specifically,

    (insider knowledge that they're better than expected) -> (preferred for job)

would make complete sense and would not be looked down upon. The source of that knowledge is problematic on a societal scale, but not on an individual level.

[quickthrower2]

Still nepotism.

Person A and B are equally great for the role but cannot do a triple summersault to land on a beam, so neither can get past the interview stage

But… A’s uncle who went to Harvard with a high-up says “that boy is good” so they hire him on that. B posts on HN about getting no feedback and submitting their CV to 100 firms.

Nepotism has happened.

Later A may/may not succeed, turns out he does in this N=1 case.

[hgomersall]

This debate about definition is sort of irrelevant to the broader question. Should knowledge that someone is good be ignored if the knowledge was gained through prior personal knowledge of a candidate? Even if that was possible, it would seem to me an absurd a route to take. Surely the better question is how those without prior connections can be allowed to sufficiently demonstrate their competence.

[mikrl]

(is some race) -> (won’t fit in on team) -> (don’t hire)

Is transitive racism okay in your worldview?

[watwut]

This is what nepotism is. It does not have to be that the person benefiting from it is incapable. Most of them are normal capable, some better then average some worst.

[bhickey]

> it is just that guy had more opportunities than others

Due to nepotism.

[loa_in_]

It's like saying that grocery store's owner's daughter shouldn't be hired at their grocery store. Of course she's having an opportunity others won't!

[lapcat]

> It's like saying that grocery store's owner's daughter shouldn't be hired at their grocery store.

We're all here trying to tell you that the grocery store's owner hiring his own daughter is literally, indisputably, paradigmatically nepotism, but somehow you don't seem to get it.

[commonlisp94]

I don't think anyone is arguing the owner (as an individual) is immoral. Denying the daughter that won't change anything, and teaching his daughter life skills is an even higher responsibility.

Rather, we are lamenting the inherent unfairness that is often overlooked or not acknowledged.