Absolutely Corrupted

For the first time since my career change I find myself in the position of hiring an employee. In my Barnes & Noble days I probably hired over 100 employees. I like to think I had a pretty good track record. Of course you can't count the girl who started working at a cross town bookstore and lied to my face when I asked her why she kept trading shifts. Or the girl who stole three credit cards her first day there to give to her drug dealer boyfriend. They are the exception that proves the rule. Ok, maybe they just provide the contrast to all of the stellar employees I hired who left within a year to work at a real job. The main difference I am feeling this time is I feel that whoever I hire will be getting a worthwhile job and I really need them to be able to perform. There are actual office politics involved. There is an internal applicant who has threatened to look elsewhere if she doesn't get a promotion soon. I like this person and I hope they do well in life, but I am not sure she is right for this job. Also there is "the friend" I have been asked to interview just as a formality. It isn't even a friend of the boss, but a friend of an employee that we told we would call if this position opened up. I have met her before and I know she isn't right. We are a small company and while we are growing at a good pace new positions don't come up all the time. I remember what it was like to look for a job and I am trying to keep that in mind, but I sure am enjoying being on the other side of the process.