alan.b.pearce@stfc.ac.uk wrote:
> Those doing the hiring fail to ask for references to past projects?

That's probably part of it.  I think the bigger problem is that those that
do the hiring don't know what to look for.  Their plant makes engines,
valves, or other stuff that doesn't have much electronics in it.  They may
know how to grill a mechanical engineer or a machine operator to determine
competence, but have no idea how to tell a good embedded engineer from a ba=
d
one.

> I guess there is a lot of problems with NDAs, but surely it must be
> possible to provide previous customers names to get a reference as to
> how satisfied they were with your work.

While just about every customer wants a NDA, I really haven't had that get
in the way of references.  Most customers are happy to be a reference,
although you need to get their permission before hand.  Very few of my
customers ask for references though.  Again that is a sign that most have n=
o
idea how to tell a good engineer from a bad.


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