For organisations, job interviews are that key step, capable of filtering the type of talent that will be part of the company. This is why HR departments make sure to include in their KPIs the improvement of recruitment processes.
This means that interviewers have a great responsibility on their hands. They must assess candidates fairly and objectively to make informed decisions but must also be alert to recruitment red flags that may arise during the interview.
Recruitment red flags refer to those behaviours, comments, or signals that should alert the interviewer that the candidate he or she is interviewing may not be the best choice for the position offered. These signals can reveal much about the person and help avoid potentially problematic future hires.
For this reason, knowing them in advance can make it easier to recognise them in the future, and improve the interviewing process. Below we will explore some of the most common recruitment red flags and how to deal with them.
Recruitment red flags
In job interviews, interviewers often look for red flags indicating that a candidate may not be the right choice. Some of these red flags can be identified through interaction with the candidate and their responses, so it is crucial to know the ones that occur most frequently. These include:
- Inconsistencies in the CV: One of the most common recruitment red flags is the presence of inconsistencies in the candidate’s CV. This may include gaps in work experience, mismatches in dates, or exaggerated information. In this situation, ask for clarification of gaps in work history or discrepancies in the information provided. This will, in turn, help to assess the candidate’s honesty.
- Lack of questions: A candidate who does not ask questions about the position, the company, or its culture may show a lack of interest or preparation. This warning sign could indicate that the candidate is not fully engaged. In this case, look to engage the candidate at the end of the interview by encouraging them to ask questions. Their ability to ask thoughtful questions may indicate their level of interest and engagement.
- Avoid taking responsibility for failed projects: Another potential red flag in job interviews is constantly blaming others for inconsistencies in your CV, or not admitting mistakes or failures in previous jobs, as this signals that the person cannot identify areas for improvement or learn from past experiences.
It is, therefore, important to pay attention to this issue during the interview. For example, if you have been fired, you should pay attention to the reasons for the job termination and evaluate how the candidate expresses themselves about their mistakes. In this case, the ideal candidate will not be the one who has not made any mistakes but can admit responsibility for their mistakes and act accordingly to make amends for them.
- Frequent job changes, due to problems with bosses or managers: In line with the previous point, a candidate who presents a pattern of difficulties with superiors, causing the termination of employment contracts, should represent a warning sign. This pattern may indicate difficulty in resolving conflicts and accepting instructions from authority figures, which could jeopardise the dynamics within the company.
- Lack of interpersonal skills: Effective communication and interpersonal skills are essential in almost all work environments because communication is key in any team. Therefore, if a candidate shows communication difficulties, this can be a red flag. To properly assess this skill, observe how the candidate communicates during the interview, paying attention to the clarity of their responses and ability to listen and respond effectively.
- Missing the interview: A candidate who misses an interview that was scheduled in advance without giving prior notice may indicate that they are not serious about the opportunity or about the interviewer’s time. In addition, this indicates difficulties in their time management skills, which in the long run, could represent delays for the company.
Tips for interviewers
Identifying recruitment red flags in job interviews is only part of the process. Human resources departments must also look after their staff’s mental health, so knowing how to deal with these red flags and make informed hiring decisions is essential. Here are some tips to help you deal with recruitment red flags.
1. Ask follow-up questions
When faced with recruitment red flags, it is important to ask follow-up questions to obtain more information. This will help you to better understand the situation and assess whether the concern is justified.
2. Evaluate the clarity of responses
Lack of clarity in answers may indicate evasiveness or lack of preparation. Encouraging candidates to provide specific examples may help to elicit more detailed answers.
3. Keep detailed records
Take notes during the interview to record any red flags identified. This will allow you to compare candidates and decide based on data and evidence.
4. Share your concerns with your team
If you identify significant recruitment red flags, share your concerns with other recruitment team members. This can give you different perspectives and help you make an informed decision.
5. Open up the possibility of dialogue
Addressing recruitment red flags openly and professionally is essential. Talk to the candidate about their concerns and allow them to explain their perspective. In addition, making the candidate feel comfortable speaking freely will allow you to identify their application’s positive and negative features more easily.
Ensuring mental well-being in organisations
At ifeel, we understand that recruitment red flags can help interviewers make more informed hiring decisions. Identifying and handling them properly is key to making effective hiring decisions. This indicates that HR managers have a great responsibility.
To facilitate their work, and that of the whole team, our team of psychologists, experts in well-being at work, has created a mental well-being solution for companies that brings significant benefits to the whole team, including HR managers.
As mentioned above, these managers play a fundamental role in the company’s final results, hence the importance of supporting them to properly guide the relationship between company and employee and to ensure that it is as beneficial as possible for both.
That is why, through our programme, you can receive personalised and data-based advice on improving the psychological well-being of the teams you are in charge of. Are you part of the Human Resources department of your organisation? Try our programme now to see how it could help you.
In addition, this programme offers all employees a complete mental health care service that they can access in different ways depending on their needs: those who wish can access an online therapy service with one of our psychologists, specialised in cases like theirs, or interact with one of our professionals to receive emotional support in a more specific circumstance that worries them.
We hope you found this post about recruitment red flags interesting, and we encourage you to look at our article about artificial intelligence in Human Resources. If you would like more information about our mental well-being solution for companies, simply request it, and we will contact your team as soon as possible.
