Jerry Souris is vice president of All Team Staffing in Las Vegas.
Most job applicants arrive for interviews with neat resumes, lots of references, shiny shoes and bright smiles. But employers need to keep an eye out for red flags.
And there are sure to be some.
Weeding out bad job candidates is as important a corporate function as any, but not all companies know how to do it effectively.
The good news is candidates often help by inadvertently sending signals that hiring them would mean trouble down the road.
“Since I’ve been recruiting in Las Vegas for close to 15 years now, I can tell you what I’ve learned about our Las Vegas applicant pool — transients — and how to possibly spot bad apples,” said Lucy V. Gwynn, a staffing consultant for Express Employment Professionals. “I think that because the population in Las Vegas is mostly people from somewhere else, the culture here is a mixed bag. You have younger millennials; older Gen X; and older still baby boomers, of all different races, cultures and creeds. It can be really hard to compare two candidates when they are so inherently different.”
The in-person interview is pivotal.
“It’s when you separate the good hires from the not-so-good hires,” said Damian Garcia, Las Vegas regional vice president for Accountemps.
The task is anything but simple.
“Even the worst candidates can slip by a recruiter because they have trained themselves to misrepresent their skills, ability to perform, and most importantly, their attitude,” said Jerry Souris, vice president of All Team Staffing in Las Vegas. “For example, a candidate may arrive 15 minutes early for an interview, be dressed accordingly, answer all questions articulately and give the general perception that he is well-qualified for the position that he is applying for.”
But that might not be the case.
Gwynn’s “test,” she says, is the question, “‘What brought you to Las Vegas?’ The response tells me a lot about the person, what their motivation is and how long they will potentially stay at the job. If the answer starts with, ‘There was this girl or guy,’ it’s not a good sign. Mostly those people end up back where they came from in six months.”
Another less-than-encouraging answer — I came here on vacation, and I love it! — also is not a good one.
Those people “usually are gone quicker than the boyfriend/girlfriend ones. Vegas is a lot different on vacation than being here and working all day, needless to say,” Gwynn said.
The answers Gwynn is looking for are: “ ‘I have family here’ or ‘I did some research and Vegas’ cost of living is better than where I came from, and there’s less traffic and no state payroll tax.’ That shows they are looking at more than just the Strip and are more likely to hang around and do a good job.”
Examples of past performance accomplishments are key to identifying a candidate’s strength and depth, said Carlos Nieves, branch manager for Chartwell Staffing Solutions. Be sure to ask about the examples when speaking with past employers.
“By doing so, you are likely to open up additional dialogue that could shed further light on that candidate’s strengths and weaknesses,” Nieves said.
Also, key in on the person’s level of professionalism. Does the candidate have strong communication skills? Did he or she wear the appropriate attire to the interview? Were they polite and courteous? Or a good listener? This can be gauged by the person’s ability to grasp the interview questions and provide strong responses.
“Did he or she send you a thank-you email?” Nieves asked. “Look at the quality of that email. Was it well-written?”
The interview can’t tell you everything about a candidate, Gwynn said, “but keep in mind that the entire interview process can give you hints. If the person didn’t completely fill out the application, for example, they aren’t great at following directions or attention to detail. If they are late to the interview, obviously they may have trouble getting to work on time. I think it was Dr. Phil who said, ‘The best predictor of future behavior is past relevant behavior.’ That’s so true with job seekers. If they have impeccable timing and a clean and complete application, they will likely take the same care and concern with their daily tasks.”
Nieves’ red flags
• No longevity with past employers. It could be indicative of a lack of commitment and/or a poor job performance history. “For example, someone who is consistently experiencing layoffs has more than likely been in the bottom 10 percent as it relates to performance.”
• Significant gaps in employment. “Working, even at a lower level, is paramount to keeping skill sets sharp and being able to carve out future opportunities. That individual who chose to stay unemployed for an extended period of time rather than enter the workforce could be a clue that he or she sees the glass as half empty versus half full.”
• Lack of achievements. Avoid a candidate who can’t communicate past accomplishments in contributing to their past employers’ success.
Souris’ red flags
• Too many positions in the past 10 years. “A lot of turnover — that is a red flag.”
• Short employment periods. “Typically, we desire to see two years with any previous or current employers.”
• Lack of eye contact. Does the candidate look away when he or she is answering questions? “If so, red flag. He is being deceitful or dishonest.”
• Poor appearance. “Do they fit the recruiter’s perception of the type of candidate that the recruiter is looking for? Do they look professional?”
• Bad attitude. “How did their tone sound? Excited? Surprised? Energetic? Pleasant? Do they have control issues? For instance, if someone sits down without being invited to do so, this is a red flag for someone who has control issues.”
Garcia’s red flags
• Showing up late. “When a job candidate shows up late for an interview, it usually means one of two things: He doesn’t value the job opportunity enough to be on time, or he isn’t good at planning ahead. You might be dealing with someone who lacks professionalism or good judgment.”
• A demanding attitude. “A what’s-in-it-for-me attitude is a major resume red flag. If you receive application materials that include demands about salary expectations, vacation requirements or specific perks, it might be best to move on. Someone who issues ultimatums before he or she even gets an interview is not likely a team player.”
• Lack of attention. “You can tell whether a candidate is really interested and engaged by their body language, eye contact and overall etiquette during the interview. Do they look at the clock or look bored with your questions? Both things are strong signs that the job might not be a good fit.”
• No pre-interview research. At some point during the interview, “you’ll probably ask a few company-specific questions like ‘What attracted you to this firm?’ If the interviewee stumbles or gives you a generic answer, it may be a sign that he didn’t research your company before the interview. That could mean he is not organized enough to prepare well or that he feels the position isn’t a high priority.”
• No questions. Is the interviewee asking informed questions about your company, or only responding to what you ask? If it’s the latter, Garcia has found, “it could be a sign that the candidate isn’t eager to work for your company specifically but just needs a regular paycheck.”
• Trash talk. If an interviewee readily badmouths former employers and co-workers, you can bet on them doing the same while working for you. Questioning and critical thinking are good traits, Garcia said, “but you don’t want an employee who doesn’t show respect for his colleagues.”
• No follow-up. Professional courtesy calls for a thank-you note or email to a hiring manager after an interview. When candidates don’t follow up, it can indicate a lack of professionalism or a lack of interest in the job.