You know that making a hiring mistake is costly. But you also know that many bad candidates can disguise themselves as good ones. They’re great at getting jobs, but when it comes to actually doing them, well that’s another story entirely.
So what are some telltale signs of a bad candidate?
As one of Kansas City’s leading staffing agencies, Morgan Hunter has conducted thousands of interviews over the years. As a result, we know the red flags to look out for that signal a candidate isn’t all they’re cracked up to be. To help you during your hiring process, here’s a look at 5 of them:
Sign #1: Short on details.
Their resume looks great – in fact, they seem like the ideal candidate. But when you ask follow-up questions about specific skills, positions, or projects, they offer only vague answers. This could be because they embellished their resume and didn’t actually do the work. Someone who actually did what they said they did on their resume will not have a hard time offering details.
Sign #2: No weaknesses.
When you ask a candidate to tell you about the biggest mistake they made on the job, or a time when they failed on a project, and they have no response, this is yet another red flag. Everyone has made mistakes, had career missteps and full out flops, or done things they wished they hadn’t. The smart candidate will give you a straight answer – and then tell you what they learned from it and why they’re a stronger candidate as a result.
Sign #3: Unprofessional behavior.
Most candidates – good or bad – will be nothing short of professional in your presence. However, in the lobby with the receptionist, a bad candidate may be rude and arrogant. That’s why it’s important to prep your receptionist or assistant ahead of time to watch out for signs of a candidate’s true nature.
Sign #4: An intense focus on money.
It’s important for a candidate to ask questions to get a better sense of whether your opportunity is a good fit for them; a few of these questions may involve compensation. However, if the vast majority of their inquiries revolve around money, then it could be a red flag that “fit” and “genuine interest in your company” aren’t their most important concerns…but money is.
Sign #5: Using the wrong pronouns.
According to Leadership IQ, there’s actually a way to spot high performers and low performers – and it’s through their word choice, specifically pronouns. Low performers tend to use second and third person pronouns (you, your, he, she, it), while high performers tend to speak in the first person (I, we).
The bottom line is that when you want to hire great candidates, you must go well beyond their resume in order to evaluate them. And looking for the signs above can help you avoid the bad candidates – and find a terrific catch.
Need More Help Finding Top Candidates?
Give Morgan Hunter a call. As one of Kansas City’s leading staffing agencies, Morgan Hunter has been in the business of locating and evaluating extraordinarily talented individuals on behalf of some of the Midwest’s most prestigious organizations for over 24 years. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help meet your staffing and hiring needs.