One of the most important tasks we have as managers is to hire the best candidates for the position. Choosing wrongly will cost us time (by us I mean the candidate and the organization) and unpleasantness.

While it is impossible to get to know someone in just one hour, how can we still do our best to ensure the candidate is the best match?

I thought maybe we could do it better if we had some categories to help us get the information we need and don't miss important aspects. And what can be better for us than to use categories we all know too well from our daily work? To be more specific I mean like planning to test a system.

To be sure, a candidate is a human being and should be treated like one. We should also remember that the candidate tests us as well and we need to get a high score whether both sides decide to continue the hiring process or not. This is just a tool to remember to view all aspects.

Sanity:

Is the candidate relevant to us at all? Is he or she nice? Coherent?

We might ask the candidate about how he or she heard about us, did he or she find the office easy?

We might also send the candidate an exam before seeing him or her to verify they have the basic skills they need to succeed in this position.

Functional:

Will he or she do what is expected from them? Does the candidate know about test methodology? Does he or she know about the technical aspect? Ask questions, go deep even into systems you don't know about, and see whether or not they know the bytes and the bits.

Compatibility:

Is the surroundings OK for them? Are the office and the workplace convenient? The organizational Structure? The organization's culture?

Performance:

Is the candidate performing the tasks/questions you gave him or her at a good rate? Can they concentrate and be focused for a reasonable time?

Usability:

Are the candidates clear and eloquent? Know the difference between important and unimportant? Is the candidate pleasant even on complex questions?

Globalization:

Will the candidate need to speak in a foreign language? If you can perform part of the interview in that language. Work in unconventional hours?

Security:

Will the candidate keep your company's propriety secret? Will not rent about you to anyone willing to hear? How do you test it? Simply by asking about their previous companies and managers.

Charisma:

If you need them to lead activities, will they be able to do it? What other characteristics do they have that make them special?

Do you think you can work well with the candidate?

Reliability/data integrity:

Make sure that everything they have on their CV is correct. Talk to their recommender and ask for their diplomas.

Business tests:

Do they understand the company's needs? Will they understand what is value the customer expects to see in the system/application we provide?

API tests:

Will they work well with other people?

Good luck!