Red flags to look out for when interviewing candidates

Hundreds and millions of new talents flow through your company every year. However, to those with less experience in scouting talent, or are new to it, below are a few basic red flags to look out for in a candidate.

1. Arrogance: Confidence is always a need in a candidate. Their belief in their abilities and capabilities to do great things is a must for all jobs, as it shows their ambition and attitude towards work. However, being arrogant is different – overestimating their abilities can lead to the opposite effect. Arrogance prevents good teamwork, which is integral in any company or job role. A good way to spot arrogance is their manner of speech and tone – do they seem like they believe in themselves, or is it a condescending tone? Another way to spot arrogance is if they mention other job offers they have, pushing or requiring you to do the same.

2. Lack of passion: Passion for their job will help them grow and improve over the duration of their career. Those who are motivated produce more and better quality work in comparison to those who lack passion. Passion also means that they are likely to work for your company for a longer time, and are more willing to put their own time (outside of work) into working on projects, and thus you can count on them for emergencies or the like.

3. Lack of preparation: Lack of research shows if they fail to answer questions like “Why did you choose our company over others?” Their lack of research over your company’s vision and values means that it is probable that they do not have the passion for the job position anyways, or can reflect their behaviour in general towards work. Being unprepared in future situations, can affect the image of your company, as well as producing low quality work.

4. Swearing: Swearing can indicate a variety of factors: they can’t read the mood, they can’t act properly in professional settings, or they have a lack of self-control. Profanities are extremely off-putting in a professional setting.

5. Not asking questions at the end of the interview: Leaving straight away after an interview can indicate that the candidate is not as interested in the position. Trying to keep in contact, as well as being curious, means that they value the company and want to learn more about its culture. It is also a sign that they are prepared – since it is a custom to prepare question beforehand that they want to know about the company.