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>Questions areDo you think I should insist on having someone with more experience,
>and someone who knows the other tools we work with?
This would be the first choice. Or make it clear to your boss that deadlines may be missed and that you are giving him a heads up in advance. This is the price he will have to pay for relying on contractors. And if this is his choice, there you have it.
Speak to the agency concerning the CV. I go into an interview with a resume complete with education background and samples of completed projects. That is not asking for anything unusual. Their candidate needs to provide that.
>How in a short meeting can I best find out whether this person will be
>the right person for the job?
Interviews have become a bit of a joke IMHO. For every interview question you can ask there is a book out there telling job hunters how to answer it. My last interview asked how I resolved conflict, I've been asked that so many times I just responded with "I talk to the person I am having a problem with and I find that I can usually avoid bloodshed."
Everyone had a good laugh. But the point is, did they really think I was going to give any sort of negative answer? And do they really think that the answer to that question was going to give them any deep and insightful information as to how I would perform on the job? They were sitting there reading from a list provided by their HR department and filling in the blanks. It seems we have lost the ability to conduct a simple conversation.
Another suggestion, don't assume this person is not up to the task. It is tough walking into a situation like yours, and it sounds like the Agency is pushing this person into the slot. An awkward position for both of you. Take your frustration out on your boss and the owner of the agency. You don't need to take it out on the contractor.
Putting the contractor in an awkward or embarrassing position by asking them to do things you are pretty sure they don't know serves no purpose.
Joanne
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