The cult is a business so want business minded people. Which in normal company circumstances would be seen as fine, however the secretive nature of a "church" makes things stand out for the wrong reason. Regardless of types of previous jobs, even just a simple thing of looking at places where the "church" operates, membership numbers (even if fake) and average languages spoken, etc puts all the Q12 and Q70 at disproportionate levels. If numbers were that 1 in 3 Spanish per se, where all the Spanish speakers?
It just seems that the church just wants to be run as much as possible by European Americans with the odd token few foreigners, which even then is too many for some. And the world being 50/50 men and women but higher % in church circles makes it seem even less demographic representation.
The way I have always seen it is that to be a high ranking member from Stake Pres or Mission Pres upwards is to be all or as much as possible from the list of:
1) Be generally the right colour - or as near as possible
2) High tithe payer within stake and region
3) Be a "yes" man and be easily controlled or follow generals orders in a good way.
4) Be from right family, especially in Area and General Authority levels
5) Have done an action of merit, such as medical work on a GA, saved a GA's family member, or something to get noticed.
6) Have some information on a GA that shouldn't come to light, and given position to hush them.
7) Have a bit personality that makes you sound spiritual when speaking, or cheesy jokes that makes that typical Mormon semi-laugh action.
8) Remembering it's not always what you know, but who you blow! And Slurping a GA's ass in lower authoritive levels can help boost your ratings, especially with those who love the hero worship. Looking at you Susan's Husband.