Work to live or live to work? Do you consider yourself to have a job or a career? The answer to these questions can tell you a lot about a person. Too bad you can't just blurt them out and ask them directly while interviewing someone because it's too easy to see what the interviewer wants to hear and fake it. But as a recruiter, this is a pretty fundamental question.
The software industry is fairly unique in that it is filled with people who love what they do. Hobbyists. These people would build software whether they get paid for it or not. That means, if you're a "work to live" sort of person, in this field you're already below average. People that love what they do are much more likely to go the extra mile to be great at it. Given that it's also a very competitive space, over the years I've come to think of this trait as a filter when hiring. You'll never build great products with a team that "works to live".
Someone that works to live approaches their work with a "fulfill the requirements" sort of attitude and behavior. They may very well work hard while they're at the office and meet many of the "good general employee" criteria, but that's still not quite the same thing as someone that's in it because they love building software.
People who consider building software their vocation, are constantly absorbing what they encounter in their travels (things they liked about a particular product, new/fresh design patterns, tips/tricks/optimizations, etc.) and constantly looking for ways to apply these to the product they're working on at any given moment (mid-project, this accounts for a lot of scope creep - may be best to log them and plan them into the next release for the sake of a predictable schedule - but capture that enthusiasm, it's gold). They consider what they do their "craft" and are constantly looking to improve it for the sake of bettering themselves and their products.
The software business is all about the people. It requires virtually no materials, big iron equipment, even office space these days as the amount of software written in coffee shops is on the rise. One of the biggest differences between an OK product and a great product is the passion, creativity and craftsmanship put into it by the people building it - and all those extra miles they were willing to go to make the product great.
I believe that to build great products you have to start with great people (meaning: enthusiasts). This isn't a field where you can afford to just "get by" by fulfilling the letter of the requirements and moving on. It's too competitive. If you don't go the extra mile, someone else will and they'll eat your lunch.
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