Process of Elimination

A widely known fact in the HR world is that employers look at job candidates as potential assets or liabilities. More than ever before, company officials are concerned about the people they hire for the simple reason that they don't want to cough up the expenses incurred by a hangover which results in the loss of a well-paying client, a sexual harassment scandal, an OSHA fine, or a mishap press release, all while not having accomplished what the new member was hired to do. These are big ticket items to worry yourself about; the normal day-to-day concerns are more along the lines of talking the day away with coworkers without any real production, causing in-group conflict, or swiping petty company property. Of critical concern in the restaurant industry, are the people in the front-of-house, the ones carrying your name; so it's extremely important they be proficient in positive verbal and non-verbal communication. The difficulty with these concerns, is that very few technical ways exist for sniffing the indicators out of a resume. A company actually has to spend the time and money performing interviews, which bear strong resemblance to episodes of The Most Eligible Bachelor, and does very little in fending off bad cases of reputation-itis.
The elements which every company wants of its employees are things like honesty, reliability, commitment (especially when things are tough), and diligence. Technical knowledge can be trained into the right person, but character traits, whether good or bad, are pretty much there to stay. If you were in the market for a house, choosing one based solely on physical specifications, such as size of kitchen, number of bedrooms, how many square feet, etc., would be quite risky. Taking the time to examine the foundation for faults, the roof for damage, or the HVAC for efficiency would not only be a standard approach, but wise and good. To leave those aspects uninvestigated would be to put your capital in jeopardy, and possibly get hit with 'unexpected' losses. Although, if something is left uninvestigated, it can't be genuinely unexpected; you simply didn't do your due diligence. In the case of employees, you must inspect their foundation (moral code), curb appeal (verbal/non-verbal communication), and condition (personal hygiene/capability) before making the final call. What you want is someone that can be trusted when you turn you back, and put as much into their work as you do yours. How will you be able to find such desirable traits unless you thoroughly search?
As an employer, I would rather not hire anyone, and try to meet the demand using an existing workforce, rather than risk hiring a dope-hiding, brown-nosing, domineering slacker, who acts like work is being done while he's watched, but only serves to slows the momentum which everyone else has worked so hard to gain.
The question remains, "Where do you find good employees, and how can you discern them from run-of-the-mill lethargist?" You certainly can't depend on the name of a college or university alone, or even references from a friend or past employer (who may be of the same caliber, or not know the real person). I suggest taking a look at personal areas of a person's life, which reveal volumes, but for whatever reason, are grossly overlooked. These discrete indicators are more visible than you may first believe, but it does take knowing what to look for. Additionally, these are not mere rules, but a way of seeing, thinking, and living; in other words, you must have the integrity of mind to see them for the guiding principles they are. Okay, here's a brief list that worked well for me. This is only to get you started so that you can assemble one of various parts familiar to you -just remember, the following are based on character, integrity, and strong ethics:

1. Cleanliness: It's said that cleanliness is next to godliness. This isn't far from the truth. If you get a chance, take a look at the car of a potential new hire (chances are you won't see the inside of their apartment). Is it clean and well-kept? This will tell what his/her priorities are. If you are unable to determine the original color of the interior because of the coffee residue on the center console, candy wrappers and soda cans on the floor, CD's, papers, iPods and miscellaneous technology strewn across the seats, then it's likely that his office desk, company vehicle, or locker will look the same. What this tells me is that there isn't proper care and attention to detail of quality that I am looking for, and will probably treat company property and clients with similar attention. If you are confident about this candidate, have him meet you at your place of work, and ask him to drive the two of you to a local coffee shop. I'm sure you'll learn about his attitude and courtesy by watching the driving in addition to witnessing the neatness factor.
2. Diet: You are what you eat. For a serious candidate, ask him to meet for lunch for the final interview. Trust me, this is time and money well spent. The considerations are numerous, but here are a few: 1) Reliability: based on what he consumes, could you see him calling in sick every couple weeks, or will he be 'strong like ox'? Also ask if he/she is active, or likes exercise, another contributor to ones health. 2) Sharpness: diet contributes greatly to your mental alertness. Will you get everything you expect out this applicant? 3) Manners: the way a person behaves while lunching opens the shades on numerous other habits, such as patience, listening, and knowing when to quit.
   
3. Personal Composition: What's on the inside can't always be known by the appearance of the outside. A well-respected author and speaker once told me that, "People are like cups or containers; they may look great on the outside, but when they are shaken, what's inside comes out." Before handing over the keys to the front door to your new manager, look for opportunities to test the response and steadfastness of an individual. If you can't find situations, create them. No one says you can't give them a call at 5:30 in the morning (if you find yourself to be coherent at that time of day), and listen to the tone of the response. Are they caught off guard and irritated? If a person drops their new Blackberry in their coffee or introduces their toe to the break room table leg and throws across the room what ever is in reach, while yelling out curses on humanity, then you may not want the headache that person will bring. But if you decide to commence, then anticipate what level of responsibility they will hold.

Keep in mind that these methods aren't bulletproof, but they have offered some valuable insights as I went about recruiting people for my own firm. On the flip side, finding a clean, organized, respectable, and disciplined person who doesn't know the basics of the job may not be your best runner up. The key to making a successful hire is not a rule based examination of education and experience alone; it also requires a hefty amount of intuition and consideration of indicators, which are often misunderstood a being peripheral. If you have owned your own business, you will know better than most that good people are hard to find. This doesn't restrict you from getting the people you need and deserve, it just means you may have to work in unconventional ways to get them.