The Dominic Cummings job advert might be bizarre – but it will ensure he gets the brilliant minds he is after

As someone who is used to making radical changes to their workplace, I share the senior aide to the prime minister’s distrust of conventional recruitment

‘Super-talented weirdos’ apply within (AFP)

Dominic Cummings doesn’t give a fig for appearances and the latest example of his unconventional approach has left top bods in the civil service feeling extremely disconcerted. Rather than seeking new blood to carry out his shake-up of Whitehall through traditional recruitment channels, he’s published a wacky list of requirements on his personal blog, asking applicants to contact him through a private email account.

Cummings says he wants “people who are brighter than me” and not “public school bluffers” – which might seem a bit rich since some people reckon that’s a pretty good description of his boss. Even so, I think he’s onto something, no matter how bizarre his list of requirements initially sounds. Cummings wants to hire “super-talented weirdos … an unusual set of people with different skills and backgrounds” who will work as special advisers and civil servants in his Downing Street office, tasked with carrying out plans to radically reform how the government makes decisions and puts policies into action.

He’s also looking for a personal assistant, someone straight from university or who has recently graduated. The lucky recipient would be in post for a year, will need “extreme curiosity” and be prepared to give up weekends on a regular basis. Cummings says the job (described as a mix of interesting work and trivia) will be so demanding the lucky recipient will probably not have time for a social life or a partner.