I am a human resources professional with 15 years of industry experience. I interview people for a living, and I'm paid by large corporations for my expertise in assessing talent, determining candidates' motivations and uncovering their hidden agendas. Yet when it came to hiring my own stepson, I let a family relationship cloud my professional judgment.
Five years later, my stepson Jeff is no longer my employee; he's my competitor. Had I simply used my own professional knowledge from the start, and applied the interviewing guidelines I routinely follow on behalf of my clients when I interviewed him, the results might have been different.