[kjuhyghjk]

>4 ... have shown no ability or drive.

So you wouldn't hire a new maths PhD for your trading software group if they didn't have C++ experience?

[mikeklaas]

I've had mixed experience hiring PhDs for jobs that require mixing research and coding. Often they don't accept how little they know about software development and are less willing to do more grunt-work type tasks which are essential to actually turning research into a real product.

Of course, there are PhDs who are great coders as well. They are gems.

[drivingmenuts]

I guess I'm the odd man out. I will happily be paid to code someone else's software for six months, but I lose interest in my own stuff after six hours.