When you think of some of the biggest business names around the world, who immediately comes to mind? Sir Richard Branson, the UK’s titan of industry who has had a hand in creating companies in dozens of different sectors, all around the world? Or perhaps the late Steve Jobs, known for his incredible work in helping Apple Inc. and Pixar Studios become the behemoths they are today? RELATED: How Do Employers Find Their Ideal Candidate? No matter who comes to mind, it’s quite likely that some of the top people on the list can be considered “mavericks." But what exactly do I mean when talking about a maverick candidate? The term was coined after the Texas pioneer Samuel A. Maverick (1803-70), who left his calves unbranded and is thus historically associated with a somewhat rebellious person. Studies indicate that successful business people such as Steve Jobs and Sir Richard Branson are quite often high on the scale of “maverickism," and can be said to possess a number of key traits. While there is no one definition on what makes a maverick, there seems to be consensus that mavericks are individuals that tend to be independent, innovative, and goal-orientated, among other things.
