Where is the Passion?

I have been trying to hire some good talent for my company and have been largely unsuccessful. The experienced folks seem to be bored in what they do and too stuck in their ways, while the passionate fellers are sparkling new and have very little to give besides enthusiasm. One guy stands out, however, I can’t seem to find a happy middle and I would hate to hire the “best” out the mediocre bunch I have seen.

Here is a great excerpt on the subject taken from an article on Om Malik’s newest blog.

“In the technology business, good engineers are vital. And they are not a commodity that you buy from some recruiter. Spotting the ones that will make great team members requires a different approach. The best method is to get them off tech or their explicit work skills, and on to talking about themselves and other things that they are passionate about. Then your job is to listen closely to what they are sharing with you. If you do that, it will be easy to spot the employees who are right for you and great for your startup.”