Selecting a project team can undeniably determine not just the success of a project, but also the potential for new contingent projects that expand on the work that was done. Any online source that regards selecting a project team will state that success is dependent the various functions that the team can carry out with respect to their qualifications. One tactic used to acquire qualified personnel includes integrating a human resources (HR) department into the subject matter of your project in order to convey technical information to them in a way that facilitates the hiring process. This is vital since an HR department usually lacks the background knowledge and expertise for projects that involve revolutionary medical technology, which in turn causes them to simply search for keywords in an applicant’s resume rather than being able to ascertain the true value of their skills. The main downside to this hiring-strategy is that an HR department may have little to no interest in learning new scientific concepts and would rather stick to a more convenient approach to avoid strenuous thinking. This outcome may therefore imply that a good HR team must also be properly selected prior to the initiation of a project.

As learned in lecture, success consists of 30% technical skills and 70% interpersonal skills. Do interpersonal skills count or carry as much weight as technical skills when it comes to reviewing one’s qualifications? If interpersonal skills are taken into consideration, is a simple 30-minute face-to-face interview sufficient enough for an employer/hiring manager to consider the candidate? What specific questions may a manager ask during an interview to gain a better sense of the candidate’s qualifications?