I remind myself before every interview that we are here to know what the candidate knows and not what the candidate does not know. This advice from my lead a few years ago has completely changed the way I conduct myself, probe their background and ask questions. By letting the candidate speak about a topic, you will learn an awful lot about their depth in the subject. This will help you make your assessment about their ability to handle the current challenges.
How do you handle bullshit? A candidate (most) might be great at talking like he has experience, but in reality have some pretty huge lapses in basic knowledge. So many under qualified people apply 'just to see if they hire me'.
What do you consider a huge lapse in basic knowledge?
Knowledge is usually the easiest problem to fix. It’s a google search away. All the bad hires I’ve seen have had masters or phds and the problem has been poor work ethic, focus, and practical application of knowledge towards solving business problems. Interviews, in my opinion, can easily test for basic dev knowledge but should focus more on the way the candidate will conduct themself as an employee.
