In an interview, there are obvious warning signs that a candidate may not be a good fit -- such as taking a call during the interview. And then there are less-obvious warning signs.
As the interviewer, your role is to identify areas of concern and discover whether these red flags may be indicative of future poor performance.
When assessing a serial job hopper, keep in mind that some candidates make rookie mistakes like including all their college internships on their resume. It’s also possible they worked in an industry heavily impacted by the global pandemic, which led to multiple jobs in a short span of time. (Quick tip for applicants: to avoid unnecessary clutter, use an AI Resume Builder to help streamline your experience and highlight relevant roles.)
To assess whether their work history may be a red flag, ask the candidate these two questions:
Most recruiters would say bad grammar is an instant dealbreaker, but weeding out every misspelled resume may severely limit your options. Consider the position they’re applying for before giving them the axe; an auto mechanic should definitely get more slack than a blog writer.
Nearly every position requires the ability to follow instructions, regardless of it being a highly independent job. If a candidate is unable to follow application instructions, we quote comedian Bill Engvall: “Here’s your sign.”
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“I don’t know” is one of the most cringe-worthy responses, although you’ve already learned from our body language tips to hold your reaction until after the interview. Before tossing out the applicant, consider rewording the question and asking again to rule out any confusion.
Candidates that badmouth a former or current employer are typically a sign of a toxic person. Steer clear.
In today’s digital world, researching a company is easier than ever. However, a candidate who doesn’t know much about your company should be a lesser concern on the requirement scale than others. It’s possible they’ve been applying for multiple jobs and flying from work to interviews, knowing their current company is going out of business in a month. On the other hand, candidates that have researched your company deserve to stand out from others.
While nobody loves a canned response, this should be more of an indicator that you’re asking a terrible question than a lack of the candidate’s creativity. For example, “What is your greatest weakness?” is an old-school question begging for a rehearsed response. Consider asking more thought-provoking questions.
Need additional interviewing tips? Contact your certified HR expert for customized, expert advice. If you’re not a Stratus HR client, book a consultation and our team will be in touch with you shortly.