The three most important things I do are: 1. Imagine the perfect candidate personality and skillset for the position 2. Design a list or scorecard with questi

The three most important things I do are: 1. Imagine the perfect candidate personality and skillset for the position 2. Design a list or scorecard with questions to ask about those skills and also general background / personality based on their resume 3. Ask for theoretical explanations and more importantly concrete examples of those skills in practice I find that the two biggest mistakes in hiring are confusing theoretical knowledge with practical skill, and hiring somebody who generally seems like a smart or nice person but who doesn't fit the role (and doesn't seem likely to grow into it).