Tools: how to hire / how to interview well

We are always assessing potential team members, or we are being assessed ourselves..... in relation to the work-world and personal-world.

Interviews are done formally and informally all the time.  If you have a key set of questions to ask, or a key set of responses to provide, then you will have a higher probability of a strong "fit" (always go for a win-win).

Often we think that when we have an internal work related project, we are forced to take the resources available. However based on the project priority, do not be afraid to fight for the top resources and select the best team for the project.

When hiring or interviewing or putting teams together, at a minimum, two basic categories must be addressed:

1) Technical Strengths

2) Personal Strengths

The first part is generally quite easy, and ideally you have a very knowledgeable person or have a set of process-workflow/mind-map questions.  Examples include:

1) what methodologies do you follow

2) what templates and tools have you created since you first started to work, how has it evolved

3) what systems do you follow for project work vs operational work

4) what framework have you worked with or support when integrating people, process and technology

5) what organizational design concepts have you worked with and which do you like most

6) what resources do you leverage for support in project work

7) what type of project offices have you worked with and explain a typical project approach 

8) describe the product/technology from your perspective

The second part is much more difficult and will have a much higher level of variance based on the culture and environment.  This is becoming more important for managing work and/or projects and essentially must have a formal approach in order to ensure success.

Below is a sample of key questions related to an article by Dr. Vicki Holmes.  These are items that you may want to talk to and emphasize how they are managed: 

1) Resilience

2) Rational Thinking

3) Seeking Support (personal & work)

4) Cultivate Diversity

5) Personal Fitness

6) Continual Development of Gratitude

7) Identification and Communication of Feelings

8) Practicing Mindfulness

The 8 points above were discussed in a different context for the article that Dr. Homes discussed.  However, these 8 points can also be an invaluable road map for interviewers, interviewees or basically for a personal professional career/development plan (how can you track growth and what areas can you conduct a personal "check-point" on in order to a) map, b) track, c) analyze, d) optimize/adapt and e) trend/forecast.

PS:  A growing movement of project management is to learn how to take more "subjective tools" and put them into a structured approach with more formality, whereby you can treat them with as more "tangible" items.