The hard part about hiring ...

… is in not knowing if the people are able to do what you need them to do. So far, I can say I have found (and kept) one great person. I haven’t been too successful at finding good HPC people otherwise.

I was saddened to hear that a friend had been let go of his employer. I suggested considering us. And up until yestereday, I was under the impression I had my next great person. I know this person’s talents, I know his ability. What I didn’t know was that he wanted the same sort of job he had before. Which I couldn’t give him. I wish him luck … this is not an easy economy to look for a job in. It is hard to find good people. Yeah, there are lots of people out there. Figuring out which ones can take their own initiative, go beyond what you need done … thats special. Thats rare. Thats what I lost. Certifications, degrees, letters of recommendation don’t tell you much. Its working side by side with people day after day that you get a sense of what they are capable of. Where their strengths and weaknesses are. And you understand how far they will go to get the job done. And you learn who has issues with wearing more than one hat, and who excels at this. Important to us is who understands what urgency is, and can figure out how to solve problems. I’ve seen mixed advice on hiring friends. I wish we could have worked together again. Would have been great, and had he stayed, he would have been successful. But you can’t force someone to like a job. And you don’t always get to do what you want.