A red flag is a term for a warning sign that, although it may seem harmless on its own, can help predict future problems. Of course, you would like to notice such signs before inviting someone to your team.
Red flags can be spotted at various stages of the hiring process: when you receive a candidate’s CV, during an interview (in-person or via the best tools for remote recruitment, like virtual interview software), or in communication. If you’ve noticed any of them, you should pay attention. It doesn’t mean that you should immediately refuse candidates who show them, but you definitely need to go deeper before you invite them to join your company.
Red flags on candidates’ CVs
Job-hopping with decreasing responsibilities
If you see a candidate who changes jobs more often than once a year, you have a valid reason to doubt if he is a good fit for your company. And if every next position takes fewer responsibilities than the previous one, your doubts should double up.
Gaps in employment
There may be various reasons for a gap. A candidate may have been studying, trying to build his own business, relocating, and so on. Every human experience is unique after all. However, if an HR manager notices a gap in a career track, it is his responsibility to find out the reasons and decide whether this experience is suitable for the company.
Unclear job titles and responsibilities
You should be concerned if a candidate describes his previous position in general terms and doesn’t specify any responsibilities. The candidate may need help articulating it, but in the worst case, he may be faking it. Anyway, you should seek clarification.
Candidates’ red flags during communication
Applying for many different roles
Theoretically, candidates with a wide range of expertise can apply for several positions. More often, those ready to slightly change their career path may apply for a few related roles. However, if a candidate applies to plenty of quite different roles, that probably means he has nothing to offer a company, rather than that he is a versatile genius.
Repeated rescheduling
Everyone may have an emergency. It happens. However, a candidate who repeatedly reschedules interviews may have problems with planning and time management.
Regularly delayed or incessant messages
Candidates are expected to understand that you have your own workload and try to make communication as smooth as possible. You would prefer to see a team member who respects others’ time.
Ghosting
First, it’s unpleasant when a person abruptly cuts off communication, but even worse is that this makes planning difficult. If the same person writes you back after a while with no explanation as to why he had disappeared last time, you would decide that he is rather unreliable or lacks basic communication skills.
Overdramatising the job search
Candidates in search of a position often make “looking for a job” posts on their social media. You may pay attention to its style. They may not be a good fit if they highlight how wounded they are and claim they desperately need a job. The same post could have been written with a forward-looking mindset, showing adaptability and experience. This tells you which strategy they tend to use to present themselves.
Candidates’ red flags in an interview
Being late
Being late is not a crime, but an enthusiastic candidate will make an effort to avoid it. Sometimes people may get over-excited before an interview and are late simply because they can’t cope with the stress. In any case, you should consider if a candidate is able to deal with the position duties.
Being unkempt
Even if you don’t care about appearance, you expect candidates to be enthusiastic enough to prepare and present their best during an interview.
Contradicting their CV
It’s always better to clarify when any information in a candidate’s answer contradicts his CV. Some interviewers even invent details, that are not mentioned in the CV, to check whether the candidate is sincere or has provided a fabricated CV. Even if a candidate seems to be capable in terms of professional skills, dishonesty may bring far worse consequences than a lack of qualifications.
Not knowing about your company
Visiting a company’s website or social media takes several minutes. A candidate who doesn’t know any of the company’s projects, or at least its business field, may lack enthusiasm about the job. If he outlines your company in general terms only, you should ask directly whether he has made himself familiar with it.
Denying any failures
Of course, candidates want to put their best foot forward. Nevertheless, there is no career track without failures. People learn from their mistakes. A candidate who claims never to have failed, or worse, blames others for all situations that have gone wrong, is either delusional about himself or just insincere.
Off-topic rumbling
An interview is a stressful situation, and a candidate may find it difficult to concentrate. Acknowledging this, you would still want to get straightforward answers to your questions. If a candidate avoids the subject in every answer, this may be his conscious strategy. If it’s not, then he struggles to organize himself under reasonable pressure. Such a candidate seems not to be a perfect fit in either case.
Vague answers only
This especially applies to answers to behavioral questions, where you expect a candidate to demonstrate their experience and ability to learn from it. If instead of giving you facts and figures, he gives you evasive answers, you can ask follow-up questions or explain directly that it’s important to share something more specific than abstract speculations. If a candidate resists being specific, you have a reason to be suspicious.
Negative attitude towards the previous company
Reasons for a candidate to leave his last job might not be rosy. But you expect that he can keep the conflict an internal matter. If he is eager to blame his ex-colleagues and express resentment, nothing guarantees that he won’t do the same during conflicts in your company. If you see the same pattern in the candidate’s attitude towards every previous position, you may suppose he is not reflective enough.
Unrealistic expectations
It’s perfectly normal if a candidate requires a higher salary than you are ready to offer. Negotiations are a part of the hiring process after all. However, if he insists on conditions that are completely out of the market, he may have misconceptions about the position that signal a lack of experience.
Poor feedback handling
It’s better to avoid being too critical of candidates, as applying for a job is already stressful enough. However, the ability to handle feedback without getting emotional is crucial for productive professional communication.
