The search for the most qualified person to fill a job opening is a search for excellence. Hiring managers seek the best person to fill a position; a high-performance individual. "You are looking for the sharpest needle in the haystack," according to Jon Harvill, APICS Placement Coordinator. "Regrettably, the sharp and dull needles are all mixed together-and they are well-hidden in the proverbial haystack."

But has the hiring manager found the truly sharpest needle? "High-performance hiring requires formidable standards of review and evaluation," Harvill advises. "You find the best people by setting the highest possible standards and refusing to compromise on quality. A quest for the sharpest needle demands penetrating questions of each job seeker and unyielding evaluation of their answers."

The answers to these questions are not easy to come by, Harvill warns. "Sometimes the sharpness of the needle is uncovered between the lines of a resume, during a telephone conversation, in the middle of an interview or from a professionally administered test. High performance hiring requires the dogged pursuit of excellence without compromise ."

Are they ready to do the job? This means more than being technically competent. Do they already know the job? Can they "hit the ground running." How fast will they be going when they do?

Are they over-achievers? Is there a track record of success whether in school, sports or work. Does what they touch turn to gold? Are they repeat visitors in the Winner's Circle?

Are they mentally mature? Is the fuel that runs their high-performance engines a special blend of common sense, self-confidence, self-esteem, positive attitude, intuition and intellectual curiosity?

Are they flexible? Can they change direction when given new or sometimes subtle input? Do they take failures and setbacks as opportunities to rebound and succeed?

Are they team players? Do they know their own strengths and limitations and possess the chemistry to work with others? Do they thrive on synergy and never loose sight of the common goal?

Are they focused? Are they impossible to distract. Are they determined and self-disciplined with fine-tuned organizational skills, effective time managers who think logically and present with clarity?

Are they communicators? Do they have both sending and receiving skills? Are they enthusiastic, articulate and outgoing "senders" as well as empathetic "receivers" with advanced listening skills?

From experience, Harvill knows that there's no easy way to find the perfect candidate. "It's a familiar process which begins with a resume and continues through a series of telephone and face-to-face interviews," he explains. "If the candidate survives reference checks, testing and ongoing evaluation at every step, he or she may emerge with an offer."