By the work one knows the workman.

What someone makes tells you more about them than what they say about themselves. Care shows up in the parts nobody was going to inspect; impatience shows up in the corners. Over a few finished pieces you can read a person’s standards, their honesty, and how they behave when the job gets dull, which is information no interview will give you.

Judge people by what they have actually finished rather than by how they describe themselves. And apply the same test in reverse: look at your last piece of work and ask what it says about you to someone paying attention.