Current US hiring practices don't help. Job descriptions are well specified and exactly followed. That can be good, but it means you get what you ask for instead of something great but unknown.
Over here in the UK I see a little more flexibility in hiring good people and (finding somewhere to put them|letting them work out what to do).
Like everything it has good and bad points, not the least of which is that you really only need so many people who can do everything.
