There are a number of “how to” models for hiring the right people. They usually center around a set list of questions that you are supposed to ask the individual that you are interviewing. This problem with the set list of questions is that everyone is using them and the prospective employee knows it. He’ll have his answer down solid, whether he means it or not. Therefore, you may not be getting what you think you’re getting if you hire this person. The best way to hire the right people is to give the job to a good listener.
People who listen deeply can tell you a whole lot more about an individual than people who go through a check list of correct answers for set questions. You can still use your list of questions, but don’t interrupt the answer. Let the person you’re interviewing keep talking. Ask questions about what they’re saying in a casual interested manner. Be open and friendly, so that the individual will feel at ease. Here’s the secret. If you let people talk, they’ll tell you everything you want to know. You’ll make the right hiring decision.
The real expertise in interviewing and hiring the right people is knowing how to read body language. This is almost a subliminal art, but the way a person sits, and expresses himself through his physical self will be one of the biggest clues to his ability to work for your company. Most people don’t pay enough attention to others to consciously pick up on body language. In fact, you may finish an interview and say, “there’s just something about that guy.” If he didn’t answer the questions on your list with the acceptable answers, you may not consider him. He was probably the right choice, but you didn’t recognize his body language to know that.