I got around to emailing some pre-interview questions to a job candidate today, something I’ve been meaning to do for a few years now. And while a simple questionnaire has limited value, I was able to dive into a few of his responses and learn the basics about him quickly.

In my limited sample so far, it’s far more useful than phone screening: it fills in holes in a resumé, uncovers basic preferences and dispositions, and proves if the candidate can write coherently.¹ I’ll have to try this on a few more people, and see if it’s as useful for other personality types.

By the way, if you’re an über-talented PHP developer looking for work around Vancouver, B.C, send me your resumé, CV, or a link to your portfolio site.

1. Or convince someone to write on their behalf ↩