Learning how to hire the right candidates is a great skill to have even if one is not an HR director or entrepreneur who needs new team members. To select good friends, you use the same exact principles that you use to recruit new employees, with only small modifications to suit the context and job.
One thing that I find very helpful is to have a check list of red flags for recruiting new team members. If a person has a red flag, it causes me to give a pause and evaluate whether or not I want to hire someone. Some red flags are deal breakers. Others become deal breakers only when a candidate has several non-deal breaking red flags.
I advise people to go through the check list after an interview to see how the candidate did. A lot of people don’t pay enough attention to recruiting the right staff and often pay for it. Hiring just one wrong employee can destroy your entire team to the point of no return. Losing team members often causes emotional pain and puts a drag on other employees. I think there is nothing more important for a leader than to hire the right employees.
Talks bad about previous pastor
Talks bad about previous boss
Talks bad about previous church
Talks bad about previous company
Talks bad about family members
Clashes or fights in the past with pastor?
Other past clashes with authority figures?
Likely running away from something or someone, not running to us because of us.
Any debt?
Significant or worrisome amount of debt?
Student Loans?
Dependent on parents or others for financial support?
Likely emotionally dependent on parents or someone else?
Has never worked a traditional job before?
No significant work experience to show commitment to a job for a significant time?
Has never lived on their own for significant amount of time?
Has never lived away from parents or significant family members except for college?
Very young?
Paying Car Note?
Have Mortgage on house?
Click Here For Red Flags Checklist>>
More red flags
From Jobvite.com
- The candidate is late.
- The candidate is disheveled.
- The candidate is unprepared.
- Candidate complains about previous employers.
- Candidate left previous jobs for bad reasons.
- Candidate can’t provide a supervisor for a reference.
- Candidate can’t share about learning from a mistake.
- Candidate is more interested in personal benefit.
- Candidate is rude and/or dishonest.
- Candidate is too enthusiastic.
From Insperity.com
- Lack of eye contact
- Suspicious work history
- Inconsistent career path
- Lack of specific work examples
- Leaving jobs due to disagreements
- Job “hopping” from one location to another
- Gaps in employment
- Gossiping about former managers or employers
- Missing or outdated email addresses
- Arriving late
- Up-front demands
- Missing home addresses
- Overqualified
- Poor listening skills
- Missing interviews
- Using “like” too much
- Not asking questions
- Background check issues
- Resume errors
- Inappropriate language
- Rambling
- Lack of factual support
- Arrives unprepared
- Bragging
- Inconsistent transportationUnprofessional appearance
From Monster.com
1. Arriving late for the interview.
2. Treating your staff dismissively or disrespectfully.
3. Not wearing appropriate attire for the position.
4. Meet and greet. Did the person extend a confident handshake, look you in the eyes, smile, and greet you?
5. Talking too much.
6. Speaking negatively about past employers and experiences.
7. Asking about money too soon.
8. Showing up unprepared.
9. Using inappropriate language.
10. Being vague in her responses.
11. Exhibiting poor body language.
12. Not asking any questions.
From Forbes.com
1. The Candidate Doesn’t Send A Thank You Note
2. They Don’t Research The Company
3. They Tell You Their Dream Job Is To Do Something Else
4. They Have Had Six Jobs And They Are Only 25
5. They Never Explained Why They Wanted The Role
Check out the following links.
- https://www.jobvite.com/candidate-experience/11-red-flags-to-watch-for-during-an-interview/
- https://www.insperity.com/blog/26-common-red-flags-to-watch-out-for-when-interviewing-candidates/
- https://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr-best-practices/small-business/conducting-an-interview/employer-interviewing-skills.aspx
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/courtneywilliams/2017/01/24/5-recruiting-red-flags-dont-hire-these-candidates/#657d6964436b
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