in reply to (OT) Finding the Ideal Employees

How do you hire the best people? ...

I count 33 questions. Allowing that a few are rhetorical, and a few are run-ons, that still leaves over a dozen. And of those, I'm hard-pressed to find one whose answer isn't "it depends". And you're asking for several hours, if not days, worth of answers, and you're doing it anonymously.

Here's a suggestion: Register (it's free), and ask a few related questions at a time. I think you'll get more (and better) answers if you asking a few targetted questions at a time, instead of a "teach me everything you know, thanks, bye" flood.

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Re: (OT) Finding the Ideal Employees
by Anonymous Monk on Oct 02, 2003 at 05:05 UTC

    Greetings and salutations :)

    I think you'll get more (and better) answers if you asking a few targetted questions at a time, instead of a "teach me everything you know, thanks, bye" flood.

    There's really only one question, it's the first line of the post - "How do you hire the best people?" Now, that's a very broad question so I tried to elaborate by throwing out a large number of sub-questions. These were not meant to be answered individually, rather they were placed there to further display my train of thought and a very little bit of the complexity of the question.

    of those, I'm hard-pressed to find one whose answer isn't "it depends

    Virtually every question can only be answered with "it depends." The level of detail required to give a definitive answer to a question almost makes such a question not worth asking. By the time you've formulated the question, you will have had the answer! My question was left open-ended to encourage discussion. How do you attract potential employees? What have you found to be the most effective method of measuring their abilities? The more specific the questions, the more they get blinded by the details. Soon the question turns into one of those "what's a good interview questions" of which the answer is "none of the ones posted here anymore."

    instead of a "teach me everything you know, thanks, bye" flood.

    This isn't a private, protected forum. Currently anyone can view the discussion and learn from it. Contributions are not required but will provide you with others analysis of your advice which you may learn from.

[reply]

      Question. If someone who:

      1. knows what they are talking about, and
      2. is well respected (around here and elsewhere)
      3. offers you some good free advice

      How do you respond?

      Question. Are you:

      1. Open and receptive to that advice?
      2. Do you take it on board?
      3. Act on it even?

      Or do you totally ignore it and try to justify your current position?

      Just perhaps there could there be a moral in there for you?

      cheers

      tachyon

      s&&rsenoyhcatreve&&&s&n.+t&"$'$`$\"$\&"&ee&&y&srve&&d&&print

[reply]
        What the hell kind response is that? dws Brought up what he felt was a valid point. The annonymous monk replied with his own valid, reasoned points. This is called "A Discussion" and is something we generally like to encourage around the monastery. I saw no sign on the front gates that said "any time a higher level monk chooses to take umbrage with you, you must immeadiately bow to his demands and completely change everything he doesn't like". This monastery is built around the very principles of free expression and any attempts to curtail such is anathema to the very spirt of this monastery.

        While I agree that in the abstract sense that it would be better if the annonymous monk had registered, in the practical sense it makes absolutely no difference whether or not he does. The thread is still here for anyone to see and profit from the collective knowledge contained, the identity of who contributes what to the discussion is irrelevant.

        Perhaps you should reconsider what you are talking about before handing out any more such high-handed and stupid advice.
[reply]

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