Ask These 3 Interview Questions to Make a Great Hire Every Time The answers reveal whether a candidate has what it takes to thrive at a startup.

I mentor entrepreneurs, I collaborate with entrepreneurs, I have been a successful entrepreneur, and I have worked for entrepreneurs, and the one critical aspect of the entrepreneurial ecosystem that does not get as much attention as it should is the hiring process.

Hiring decisions are largely based on skills, expertise, work experience, and academic background. While these are important factors, it's essential to find out more by asking the right questions and listening during the interview process. All too often, seasoned entrepreneurs make judgment errors because they fail to ask uncommon interview questions, listen carefully to the replies, and cut through rehearsed interviewee responses.

No outstanding leader makes it alone. Entrepreneurs know that extraordinary success comes from building a team that is a good fit. Yet, time and again we hear stories where an employee couldn't cope with the chaos or ambiguity that accompanies startup life and got fired or quit the company. We hear of colleagues who excelled in a startup job interview but couldn't combine raw intelligence with resourcefulness, ingenuity, and experience to get results.