A Manager's Guide to Hiring the Best Person for Every Job

"Face-to-face interviews coupled with personal and/or business references are the least accurate predictors of future job performance."

"As an astute interviewer, you must understand completely that the most important skill in interviewing is listening, not cultivating a friendly conversation."

"Most hiring mistakes are made because the interviewer has relied on too many puzzle-type questions and not enough behavioral questions."

"Starting the interview on a non-job-related basis leads the conversation into nonproductive areas and wastes both yours and the candidate's time."

"An unskilled interviewer will spend far too much time selling the candidates on what the interviewer assumes are the most attractive elements of the job."

"With just a little patience and silence you will see many candidates talk themselves right into or right out of a job."

"Candidates' words may lie, but their body language always tells the truth."

"It should also gain you more information than you would glean from a straight question."

"Even when a candidate possesses all the skills, qualifications, experience, and knowledge required for the position, the candidate will likely fail in the position if the personality fit is off."

"The courts have repeatedly demonstrated their dislike for these documents. In fact, the courts are predisposed to interpret these documents in a manner most favorable to the employee."

"The offer letter is a contract and can be enforced verbatim by the courts."

"The courts have come down hard on companies who did not make the proper reference checks before hiring a person who later harmed a third party while in the process of discharging his or her job responsibilities. "