In case they're of use in your graduate interviewing...

Very much of use, thank you.

Although, my stakes are not too high. I am not paying the employee, at least for the first 6 months, and they only need to be with me for six months. So if I get it wrong, it is not a disaster. But, obviously, I would prefer to get it right for everyone involved!

From - On Interviewing and Interview Questions

So, in addition to being smart and getting things done, I add two more, making my primary hiring criteria:

1. Smart
2. Get things done
3. Adequate relevant experience
4. Personal: Good cultural fit, team player, enthusiastic, motivated, resilient, ...

Which of these do you think most important? What's your list?

I am going to drop 3. This candidate stands head and shoulders above other applicants in that he mentions C, Python and R. Most other candidates talk about JQuery at best. One even called Wordpress a programming language! That's the problem with this scheme, the applicants are limited to who the Job Centre sends my way. The fact that he has a physics degree is icing on the cake.

Tomorrow will be more about sussing out the cultural fit and ability to work remotely. I expect he will be able to work remotely as universities have held lectures and tutorials that way through the Pesky Pandemic, so just a case of will he rather than can he. We have our culture quite well defined by our Four C's - Create, Communicate, Care and Curiosity - so judging that should not be too difficult.