A great way to decrease your turnover rate is to be more meticulous during the hiring process. If you take some extra time to notice red flags when hiring, then you’ll end up with not only better quality employees, but also ones that fit the company culture much better.
In this article, I’ll discuss some key red flags that you should keep an eye out for.
1. Their Resume Is Sparse
The resume is basically the first impression you’ll get about a candidate. This means they should pour their heart and soul into making their resume stand out.
If at first glance, there’s almost nothing on there, then that’s not a good sign. In addition, take a closer look at what they’ve put down, such as the length of employment and any gaps in between. If they don’t explain any lapses in employment, that could be a red flag.
If they don’t have any references either, then this can also be a bad sign. This means either they don’t have much experience or don’t trust past employers to give them a good review as they aren’t stellar employees.
On the other hand, be wary of resumes that seem too good to be true. Many people lie on their resumes so they can get a leg up on their more honest competition.
Take note of what they claim on their resume and do some digging on social media to see if that information matches. You can also remember to inquire about these points during the interview to see if they can back up their claim or just clam up and/or get shifty-eyed.
2. Bad Punctuality
Everybody knows how the saying goes: early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable. A job interview should be extremely important to a candidate, so they’ll show how much it means to them by arriving punctually.
Of course, there are always rare incidences where something extraordinary happens, such as a car accident, flat tire, or sick child. But even if those things happen, the candidate should be responsible enough to call when these things happen so you get a heads up as soon as possible.
If a candidate doesn’t show up on time for their interview, this is just a sign of things to come. They’ll most likely clock in late or won’t even bother to turn up at all.
Bad punctuality is a sign that this person isn’t respectful, responsible, nor dependable.
3. They Don’t Know Anything About Your Company
If they really desire to work somewhere, candidates need to do their own research on the company they’re interviewing for. Not only will this be more impressive for their interview, but it’ll also give them a better idea of whether or not they’re a good fit.
Candidates should know who you are, what your company philosophy is like, and other vital details. If you ask them questions and they give answers that just barely scratch the surface, this can show that they’ve done little to no research on your business.
Again, this can tell you a lot about a candidate’s character. It has heavy implications that they’re not dedicated or passionate about the position they’ve applied for.
4. They’re Vague With Their Answers
On that note, another red flag is when a candidate is vague with interview answers. Of course, they could just be very nervous. But even so, they should’ve prepared for the interview thoroughly by practicing until they’re confident.
A huge giveaway that they haven’t prepared for the interview is if they start blanking on the more complicated questions, such as “If there was a customer conflict, what would you do?”
Another red flag is if they don’t give you solid answers on what they’re capable of. They might try to skirt a question about competency by saying they’re quick learners. While that may be true, you don’t want to waste your time with candidates that need extra training when you want to fill a position quickly with someone who’s adept.
5. They Have a Bad Attitude
The most obvious red flag will be if the candidate has a bad attitude for the entire interview. The most obvious type of bad attitude is if they act exasperated and/or uninterested about being at the interview. If they’re going to act that way during an interview, what are they going to be like if you actually hire them?
A subtler way that a candidate might have a bad attitude is if they badmouth their previous employer and/or coworkers. While it may be true that their last work environment might be a less than ideal one, a potential employee should have enough tact to voice what they were unhappy with, all without badmouthing people they’ve worked with before in the past.
They should also be able to describe negative situations in a neutral manner, without placing all the blame on others. A good candidate will be able to recognize what they did wrong in certain situations and acknowledge how they could’ve handled it better.
Avoid These Red Flags When Hiring
By knowing how to identify the right red flags when hiring, you’ll have a much easier time weeding out those who aren’t a good fit for your company.
Of course, a candidate can seem like the perfect employee for your company but turn out to be a bad fit. But by following my above advice, you’ll know how to hire in a much efficient fashion.
Want more great advice? Then check out these other blog posts on running a business.
