By Dave Millhouser

Im reading a book.

Stop laughing.

Its called The Gift of Fear and it was written by Gavin de Becker. He makes the point that we should trust our instincts; that the folks around us are giving us all kinds of signals that we need to take seriously.

Frequently, we ignore them to avoid appearing rude, or out of a misguided sense of political correctness sometimes with disastrous results.

Often we cant articulate what makes us uncomfortable but the signals are real and meaningful.

The way our legal system is set up, if an employee messes up at work, your company is often considered at least partially responsible. If you hadnt hired them in the first place, they wouldnt have broken things.

At the same time, "discrimination" has become a dirty word. On the one hand, youre responsible for the things your employees do, while on the other you arent allowed to be too picky in your employment practices.

Often information necessary to make a good hiring decision is withheld out of concern for the candidates right to privacy.

In many European countries, regulations make it difficult to discharge an employee. As a result, companies tend to hire fewer folks, working them overtime when necessary, rather than take on personnel who cant be let go when conditions warrant. Laws designed to protect workers sometimes keep them from being hired in the first place.

It stands to reason that, if youre responsible for an employees behavior and it is difficult to let them go, you want to be as discerning as possible when hiring.

The law, and decency, is pretty clear on what traits should not be part of your decision. Race, religion, age and the like are never legitimate basis for discrimination. But hiring the right people is a critical task in an industry where employees make life-and-death decisions far from managements control.

Check references and do it carefully.

For legal reasons, previous employers may be reluctant to be blunt, but read between the lines. Lengthy gaps in employment may be indicative of work ethic or something more benign -- like attending school. Ask the question.

Mr. de Becker would probably tell you that, in addition to the normal boilerplate of an interview, take note of what your gut tells you.

Some of this is obvious. If a candidate cant show up on time, dressed appropriately when he or she is looking for a job imagine what they might do, after being hired, when theyre out of your sight.

Its more than that. There are all sorts of little behaviors that are difficult to articulate but leave us feeling ill at ease.

Mr. de Becker does define many of them, but my point is that if youre not comfortable be very wary of hiring an individual.

This is different than "liking" someone. There are a ton of folks who dont leave me feeling warm and fuzzy, who are honest and real.

And, at the same time, there are lots of charming people who cant be trusted. This is far more subtle and serious than "liking."

Someone who says all the right things may not mean any of them.

At the risk of sounding sexist, women seem to be far more attuned to these kinds of signals, perhaps because historically theyve been more at risk.

Men often discount the signs, or feel its silly to pay attention to them. (Remember, were the same gender that refuses to ask for directions.)

Having a woman involved in the hiring process, and giving credence to her judgment, might save heartache in the future.

If an otherwise qualified candidate creeps you out, it puts you in a tough spot. You cant very well turn them down based on your observation that their left ear twitches when they answer a question.

On the other hand, you really dont want to hire them because its a lot harder to fire a nut case than a slacker, if it becomes necessary.

As usual, Im far better at raising the questions than providing answers.

Clearly, you cant say "Im not hiring you because the theme to Psycho runs through my head when were together." So, say nothing.

My wife, Susan, who is way smarter than me, has often pointed out people are consistent. If someone, in a subliminal way, doesnt seem "right" poor behavior has probably showed up somewhere in their past. Find it (before it finds you).

Ive long believed (and Ill bet Mr. de Becker would agree) that "cowards live 40 percent longer."

Trust your intuition; use your subtle fears as a tool.

Betcha you already knew all of this. But doesnt it feel good to know youre not alone?

Dave Millhouser is a bus industry marketing consultant and freelance writer. Contact him by email at Davemillhouser@gmail.com.