Warning Signs to Look for When Interviewing a Candidate

So they look great on paper, but do you really knowin ten years, you may have a problem. Why
what’s going to come walking through your door?couldn’t this individual have given you better
Pay attention to these warning signs when interviewingreferences? Why won’t they let you speak to
your next candidate:individuals they worked directly with?
  
Interview Warning Sign #1: AppearanceInterview Warning Sign #5: Your Questions Catch
 Them Off-Guard
This is an easy one. If they arrive at the interview in a 
gym suit, overalls, mini skirt, etc., you may want toNow if you ask a silly question, or an odd question, I
rethink your candidate choice. If they can’t put anywould expect an off-guard reaction. If you ask them
effort into their interview attire what makes you thinkqualifying questions and they can’t understand the
they are going to put any effort into their work?question or articulate a response, I would be alarmed.
  
Interview Warning Sign #2: Knowledge of CompanyInterview Warning Sign #6: They Don’t Know Why
 They Want To Work For You
If a candidate arrives to an interview and know nothing 
about your company, why are they there? TheyBig red flag! If you ask them why they want to work
don’t know who you are, what you sell, who yourfor you and they don’t have a response, what
competition is, nothing! How can you have someonemakes you think they intend on staying at your
represent you if they know nothing about you? Further,company long-term? Chances are, they are looking for
if they haven’t taken an interest in your company,a paycheck until a better opportunity comes along.
they probably won’t take much of an interest in 
their job. To go even deeper, are they unable to thinkInterview Warning Sign #7: They Have No
for themselves? Do they need to be told what to do?Weaknesses
This is an important warning sign! 
 If they don’t have any weaknesses they must be
Interview Warning Sign #3: With-holding Informationperfect, right? Wrong! Everyone has weaknesses,
 some more than others. A person has two options, a)
This is a tricky one. If a candidate won’t tell youunderstand and grow or b) ignore and fall behind. Are
why they left their previous position, who they arethey capable of listening? Do they want to learn? Will
interviewing with, what they did during the gap in theirthey discourage others?
resume, why they never finished school, why they are 
applying for your company, etc., wouldn’t you beInterview Warning Sign #8: Can’t Prove Their
concerned? Never mind the questions they avoiding,Abilities
look into the fact that they are withholding information. 
Do they have something to hide? Are they reallyThey tell you they are a great leader, great problem
qualified? Are they trying to make themselves soundsolver, committed to their employer, whatever it may
better than they really are? If they work for yourbe, but, they can’t back it up. How can you be a
company can you trust them to complete theirgood leader with no leadership experience? How can
requirements?you be a great problem solver with no problem solving
 experience? How can you be committed to your
Interview Warning Sign #4: Referencesemployer when the longest job you have ever stuck
 to was one year? Make sure they can provide you
Ah, references. If their references can’t offerexact situations that demonstrate their “claimed”
specific details on their job performance, you mayabilities.
have a problem; if their references don’t even 
know they are references, you may have a problem; ifFor more of my job search, job interview and career
your references haven’t spoken with the individualarticles visit my blog.