To Name Drop or Not

I read Christopher Kunz’s comments about name dropping in interviews with more than a passing interest this morning, as I am about to be engaged in another round of interviewing developers at the moment.

Whilst I agree that knowing how Rasmus’s mother’s cat’s brother was named is utterly irrelevant, I do often ask interviewees whose blogs they read or whose technical manuals they read.

I feel that if you read around the subject of your working week, particularly one that is changing all the time, then you are making a valid effort to keep up and keep informed - and there’s nothing wrong with that.

For me it is a case of keeping relevant and up to date for your own sake, and not to impress others. Of course, importance should be placed on the quality and relevance of what you read, not the volume. You know what everybody likes to say… “Rubbish in, rubbish out”

Happy (quality) reading, and if you’re going to drop names - do it only when you are asked.