Wondering if the "cover your ass" is a factor in these hiring decisions. If you're the guy/gal who hire a new engineer, who turns out not to know their stuff,

Wondering if the "cover your ass" is a factor in these hiring decisions. If you're the guy/gal who hire a new engineer, who turns out not to know their stuff, your ass is probably on the line. Making engineering candidates jump through hoops might provide them with a level of protection against future reprisals. While I don't interview for engineering jobs, we do bid on municipal contracts which are dominated by this concept (cover your ass, hire the big guy). A different animal indeed, but in a employment hierarchy where employees are held accountable for performance of new hires, it seems similar incentive would exist.