COMMENTS
Al,
That story rings true on so many levels and is important to remember when in the hiring process.
Al, I am on your bus. Hiring the right person has so much to do with not only their skills but their passion. Your guy loved trees...my next hire needs to love selling technology over the phone and have a passion for inbound internet marketing.
It doesn't always take special tools or tricks to figure out if the person you are interviewing is passionate about the job at hand. Sometimes all you have to do is ask the right questions and then sit back and listen.
Fit and passion are important Al. But let's not forget capabilities too. So many companies make mistakes when they only hire based on fit and passion.
I wonder how much that first guy is costing his employer. How many other prospects left and never came back? He spent whatever marketing dollars he spent to get you in the door and his employee sent you to a competitor to spend a lot more dollars. It's not about price.