You might use Joel's test (<a href="http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000043.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000043.html</a>) in reverse, e.g. if setting up software configuration management <i>isn't</i> one of their first priorities you probably don't want them as your first programmer.  If they don't care about having a quiet place to work, they probably don't care very much about their productivity or the quality of their work.  And so on.<p>Before the interview, ask them to bring in code and documentation (e.g. design) samples.  This too might be inconclusive (I had to arrange with some companies that I worked for to allow this, in other cases the company had died and I got the rights from who they devolved to), but it's a good sign if they have a polished portfolio.<p>Ask them to attack a design problem in a domain you both have some experience with and look for good design and problem solving skills.