Recruitment Red Flags: What to Look Out for when Hiring New Talent

If this hasn’t happened to you yet, it may likely happen at some point in the future - that awkward moment when you realise the person you hired is a bad fit for your company.

You may think it isn’t such a big deal - after all, surely they can just be given training, support, or mentorship to help them gel better with the rest of the team? Sure that could work, but more often than not, bad hires can:

• Create a toxic or negative environment amongst the rest of the team
• Undeliver or underperform when it comes to there job tasks
• Cost the company time and money 

If your company has decided to go the direct hiring route and run the recruitment process without help from an outside agency, it’s important to make sure you’re able to vet your candidates properly - from their CVs, to their in-person interviews.

We’ve put together a list of recruitment red flags you can keep an eye out for the next time you’re looking to hire new talent.

Spotting the red flags on a CV

A candidate's CV speaks volumes about whether or not they would be a good team member or cultural fit, or whether they’re even qualified for the job. They may have an impressively extensive CV, or perhaps a well-designed one, but there are often subtle warning signs that you should look out for.

1) Gaps in their employment history

This could appear in numerous forms, such as:

• Long periods of time where they aren’t employed at all
• Listing dates of employment in years, without specific end and start dates
• Not adding dates to their employment history

At the very least, the candidate should be able to explain in their interview why those gaps exist. If they are unable to, put them on the red flag pile.

2) Not paying attention to detail

Are there spelling errors in their CV? Evidence that the CV has not been proofread in general? Has the candidate filled in the incorrect job title they’re applying for, or worse, referred to the incorrect company name when addressing your company?

If a CV or cover letter shows sloppiness, or a lack of professionalism, this speaks volumes about how the candidate may approach their job responsibilities.

3) A career progressing in the wrong direction

A CV should indicate that a candidate has grown professionally throughout their career - either through descriptions of their responsibilities or through the changing of job titles (for example: “Intern” to “Junior Copywriter”). However if it appears as though a candidate's career has lacked progress, or that they’re now taking on less responsibilities than they previously did, this is something you should examine further. 

There may be a reasonable explanation for it, so don’t jump to conclusions straight away, but prepare yourself to question this candidate about their career progression during the interview process.

4) The length of time they have been in their past positions for

It’s no secret that it’s rare to find someone who wants to stay in the same job for longer than 5 years these days, but you should still be wary if you come across a candidate who displays a series of very short-lived career experiences on their CV (we are talking a few months at a time). Once again, although there may be valid reasons for this, it’s worth flagging up in the interview.

The red flags to look out for during an interview

Signs that a candidate isn’t a good fit may not stand out as clearly during an interview as they would on a CV (where you have time to analyse submissions extensively). A charismatic and friendly candidate, for example, may win you over with their charm, and in the process blind you to some clear warning signs.

1) Body language

This should be a key consideration in the interview process, especially with candidates who say all the right things, and sound very impressive. If you notice that a candidate's body language doesn’t match up to the words coming out of their mouth, you should question their authenticity. For example, a lack of eye contact may indicate they are not telling the truth, or an aloof posture may show that they don’t really want this position.

2) A lack of effort in their presentation

This goes hand in hand with body language. If a candidate is late for an interview, and not able to dress professionally, this is a sign that they may not put that much effort into their job. 

3) No signs of excitement about the role or the company

A candidate who is a good fit should be someone who is passionate about or believes in your brand and your product or service, as well as the role they are hoping to fulfill. If you notice that a candidate is not displaying this passion and excitement in the interview process it could indicate that this job is just a means to an end, and that they’ll likely be a bad fit for your company. You want to hire someone who is there for all the right reasons.

4) They find excuses for their failings

A common question in interviews is to ask candidates what their biggest weakness is, and about a time they have had to overcome failure in their career. A strong candidate will usually own their mistakes, and show how they grew or learned from them. A red-flag candidate will likely try to deflect, find excuses, or place the blame elsewhere for any mistakes they’ve made in their career and this likely means they wouldn’t handle failure very well when working for you.

Some 'honourable' mention red flags to also look out for

• A candidate who speaks negatively about their previous company, team or employer.
• A lack of insightful questions about the job or the company, from the candidate - this shows they have come to the interview unprepared.
• Candidates who show an inability to listen.
• An inability to give insight into their previous career experience.

 Some helpful tactics to remember that will draw out those red flags are to:

• Ensure the interview environment is very comfortable, relaxed and welcoming. This will help candidates feel they can be more open and honest in their interview.
• Have a very specific list of questions that draws on the candidates values, motivations, previous experiences, and feelings towards their past employers. 
• Include other colleagues in the interview, such as the people who would actually end up working with the candidate, to give you a second opinion, or perhaps a different perspective on them.

Hopefully these tips will help you be more cognisant of any red flag candidates in your future hiring decisions and ensure you manage to build up a team of employees who are the best fits for your company.