From Adam Bryant‘s interview of Bitly CEO Mark Josephson:
Q. How do you hire?
A. I will start with: “Tell me your story. Where are you from? Tell me about your mom and dad. What did they do? Tell me about your brothers and sisters.” I love to hear how they tell their stories. And have they given any thought to how they tell their stories? I don’t like taking anything for granted in my personal life or my professional life, and I’m drawn to people with plans. People who make plans are much more likely to achieve them and set goals.
I like to hear about what was hard for them and where they won or lost. People with a history of success and hard work are more likely to be successful and work hard in the future. I’ll ask them, “What’s the hardest you’ve ever worked?”
A Founder's Notebook 