I prefer that the initial interviews be about knowing what the candidate wants out of the job he's applying for, how it fits into his master plan etc. Then I wa

I prefer that the initial interviews be about knowing what the candidate wants out of the job he's applying for, how it fits into his master plan etc. Then I want to try and figure out if I really want to spend a third of my waking life working with this person. Only towards the end of the process, and only if I'm not too sure about the candidate ability to do his job (eg: did not demonstrate interest in keeping himself up to date; was not able to articulate how X adds value over Y; etc) will I go into full-on technical interview. Sounds weird right? But the thing is, I'm not hiring rocket scientists so I don't need the best of the best, just someone who knows his stuff and isn't afraid of saying "I don't know (but I will find out)" when that's the case. I also take great care in planning work and defining deliverables so as to reduce the pressure on my colleagues' workday and there is hardly ever a situation where we need to rush to meet a deadline. If or when that does happen, I find that the culture of trust and a certain amount of friendship does wonders for the team's spirit.