Avoid Costly Hiring Mistakes by Spotting These Employee Warning Signs

I’m not going to lie: I’ve had some tough experiences lately with people I brought on board with my growing public relations firm. I’ve been disappointed by performance results, misinformed about qualifications, and even felt betrayed by unexpected blasts of disloyalty.

All of this has led me to be much more careful in my hiring processes now, not with the unrealistic goal of a “guaranteed” ideal choice (I’ve learned firsthand that there are no guarantees), but with a more informed, objective perspective that will hopefully lead to really good fits, fulfilled expectations, and, in turn, the strongest team I can assemble.

Related: Gen Z Talent Will Walk Away — Unless You Try These 6 Strategies

Don’t let the same mistakes that tripped me up trip you up. Here are some flags to watch out for.

Pink flags in the hiring process

1. Wonky social media (or none at all). In my industry, social media takes center stage, so it’s important for me to discover whether job applicants seem to know how to present themselves professionally online, how to be literate and intentional in doing so, and how to leverage the influence and reach of their chosen platforms.

I’m not saying to hire someone who isn’t a social media pro; I’m saying that if you can’t find any online presence these days, it can indicate that this individual isn’t very tech-savvy or current. And if what you do find is quite silly, sloppy, or bordering on inappropriate, it’s a good bet that this person won’t know how to represent you appropriately either.

2. Too many “experiences.” Today’s workforce has different priorities than that of decades past. They’re seeking flexibility, autonomy, rewards-based output, and opportunities for remote work. All of that is well and good … to a point.

When a candidate seems to have all kinds of life, travel, and cultural experiences but a scarcity of actual job experience in their portfolio, it can signal that they’re really not going to be a “nose to the grindstone” kind of worker who can stay focused and stay put for a while. Significant gaps in employment and detail discrepancies during the interview are clues to me that someone may be experience-seeking more than job-hunting.

3. Delayed response time. If the candidate doesn’t reply within 24 hours of receiving notification from my firm that we’re interested in learning more about them based on what they submitted for consideration, sorry, but they’ve already got one strike against them. I get that people have lives, families, and commitments, so if it’s a weekend or the applicant is on vacation or adequately explains their tardiness when they reply, I allow some wiggle room here. But when someone’s serious about a job, they hurry to the door that’s just been opened on it. I’m only looking for serious candidates.

4. AI-generated résumé. This is a pretty new flag on my list because, of course, it’s a new addition to the world of work. And although AI isn’t going anywhere, there’s a time and a place for it. I’m iffy on whether or not a résumé is that time and place.

A nice template, pre-named headers, strategically placed icons — online résumé builders can certainly be a help for people who aren’t desktop designers. But when it comes to the actual personal profile contained in the résumé, I seem to be able to spot AI-generated text from a mile away. It’s stiff, it’s overly formal, it lacks any personality at all, and thus, it doesn’t contain the applicant’s personal stamp at all. So, if I suspect AI has created the applicant’s calling card, it won’t necessarily knock them out of the running, but it will lead me to test their writing and information organization skills in another way (see next flag).

Related: Watch Out for This Major Red Flag When Hiring

Red flags in the hiring process

1. AI-generated writing samples. If the position you’re filling calls for any type of writing, you’d be wise to assess the candidate’s proficiency before hiring them. As mentioned above, AI is simply a reality of the workplace now (and an often-helpful reality at that), but when you’re applying for a job? When writing — especially promotional or creative writing — will be part of that job? That’s not the time to turn to AI because it does not reflect the person’s skill.

So I’ve taken to running submitted writing samples through both an AI and a plagiarism checker, and I suggest you do the same; the results aren’t iron-clad, but if the percentages are high enough, the candidate drops to the bottom of my list.

2. Lateness or improper attire at the interview. I work from home, you work from home, we all work from home! But you know what? Even when you’re attending a job interview from home, you still need to dress the part. If you come to our Zoom meeting in a tank top or ratty sweatshirt, I have to assume that’s how you’ll come to meetings with my clients, too. That’s just a no-go in my book.

And if I’m sitting in the meeting room waiting for the interviewee to join after our scheduled appointment time? Nope, nuh-uh, ain’t gonna fly. Digital nomads living in converted buses may be all the rage, but punctuality and professionalism will never go out of style.

3. No experience in your industry. I kind of hate to say this because I really love giving people a chance and launching their careers, but when there’s a specific role I need to fill instead of a generalized starter position, I really need that role occupied by someone who’s played it before. They don’t have to be at the top of their field, but they do need to understand the jargon, the mechanics of how it operates, and the results it’s targeting.

A résumé — particularly a computer-generated one — can mislead; it can exaggerate, it can make simple and mundane things sound complex and lofty (e.g., “managed the company’s communications” can mean “sorting the company’s mail”). So now, instead of just hiring people on the subjective basis of “I like them!” or “They’re so great!” (which I’ve done in the past more than I’d like to admit), I run a few “performance checks” on tasks the applicant would actually be fulfilling, and I have a bank of “What would you do?” case-study questions prepared to analyze the applicant’s know-how. Measures like these will reveal if they have a background in your industry or not.

Related: You’re in Trouble if You Ignore These 5 Applicant Red Flags

4. Too much job hopping. We no longer live in a business culture that values 40 years on the same job, followed by a gold watch, a going-away luncheon, and a lifetime pension, it’s true. Although multiple jobs in a handful of years are often touted by HR personnel as evidencing “adaptability,” “openness to learning,” and even “ambition,” these days, switching jobs often doesn’t exactly breed confidence in business owners looking for dependability and stability.

Does the candidate have a justifiable reason for leaving the last job and the one before that? Do they blame or bad-mouth the employers instead of explaining why they chose to move on? Did they get fired? In the situation of a “job hopper,” dig for answers — dig rather deep — for it’s far better to learn that someone runs out on the check before you give them a seat at the table.

The employment market has changed dramatically since the time of the pandemic. Not too long ago, employers could pick and choose among so many qualified candidates, it could make you dizzy. Now? Not so much. Now, employees are in very high demand and thus hold the upper hand.

But that doesn’t mean you’re still not completely in charge of who you want to hire for your business. So notice the flags, heed their warnings, and trust your entrepreneurial instincts. It’s worth the investment of time and effort to man the desk with your next extraordinary team member, not just a seat filler.