Hiring: Believe Them – The First Time

Have you ever been scammed by a scammer or taken by a taker? Yes, we all have at some point in our lives. When this happens in business, it’s extremely upsetting because it takes up so much time and wastes thousands of dollars.

Knowing that someone is not a fit for your company is as valuable, if not more valuable, as finding your match. Hiring the “wrong person” costs a lot of money, creates a lot of drama, and is a major headache.

Here are six red flags that might show up in your first interview. If and when any of these red flags appear in the interview process – end the meeting and press the next button.

Red Flags

1. They show up late for the interview and through the interview process, they illustrate places where they don’t follow through, break their promises, or cannot deliver. This is a clear indication of the lack of a relationship with the word – integrity.
2. They are “over the top” excited about you and what you have done, rather than about revealing their own specific skills that are important requirements for the job. They don’t answer the questions straight up, and they redirect the conversation to focus on you or on your organization/company. This can be a sign of dishonesty and is often a diversion tactic.
3. If a person shows an air of arrogance or superiority, it can often be a sign of an inferiority complex. They may cover this up with humor, or they may speak about themselves and show no signs of a team effort. Next!
4. Ask potential employees if they have ever failed at work or made a mistake. If they have never made any mistakes or if they take no responsibility for past failures or mistakes, it’s time to say good-bye. Mistakes are a part of business and growth and owning them is a sign of leadership and a person willing to take responsibility for outcomes and learn from them.
5. The body talks so watch and listen. If your potential employee answers “I don’t know”, or they don’t answer directly, or they start to yawn when you ask them a certain question, these are all signs of avoidance.
6. During the interview if you have a person who complains a lot, gossips or are over the top negative, that’s an issue. Pay special attention if they are upset at their former employers, or if they have sued a previous employer – watch out, you’ll most likely be next. As well, check out how they communicate about their past competition. Do they put down the competition? if so, this is a lack of confidence in their own abilities.

Real Winners

Once you are certain that there are no red flags showing up in the first interview, it’s on to looking for the qualities and competence that fit with your corporate culture.

When designing your interview questions, ensure that you get a range of experience, competency, skills, and personality traits that allow you to discover the depth of your applicant. Use your creativity to design questions that reveal the truth of who people actually are, quickly and easily.

Use your intuition and the guide above during the interview, to reveal the red flags in the FIRST interview, saving you time and money.

Sit back in the interview and ask yourself, would you like to be around this person. Can you work with them day in and day out? Are they interesting? Do they capture your curiosity and have a zest for life? Are they positive, forward thinking, and creative? Your job applicants should always leave you feeling good and excited to know more about them.

The interviewee has to exude the right personality. Ask yourself is this person passionate? Do they have the energy to move projects forward, influence others, and inspire clients and team members along the way? It’s your job to find out what they are emotionally connected to, and that must correspond “directly” to the position you are hiring them for. Ensure that there’s a match.
Is this person upfront, honest, and willing to acknowledge their mistakes? People who are sincere, competent, and reliable automatically gain your trust. When someone is open enough to take responsibility for things when they don’t work, and lead by taking responsibility for all, you have a winner.

Is your applicant a holistic thinker? Can they see the big picture and look at things from a macro perspective rather than from their own little worlds? Do they understand the cause and effect of their actions on the entire organization? Is this person a leader?

Today’s era of business requires that everyone take responsibility and be leaders in their own lives. “No blame” cultures are becoming the norm, and creativity is the foundation for overcoming challenges and architecting new systems. Does your applicant have an interest in all departments in the organization, see things from many perspectives, and have the ability to be in a team member’s shoes? If so, you have a winner!

Happy Hiring!