"If You Keep Hiring the Wrong People, Look for These Red Flags (Even with Candidates that Look Great) During Your Next Hiring Process" - 08/19/20 Edition
Stephen Says Column

Dear Stephen,


I seem to be able to recruit and hire people, I just find that after they start they are the wrong people. Once someone starts they seem to be a different person than the person I interviewed and hired. It is as simple as that — I'm making too many hiring mistakes, and it's a waste of time and money.

I am mainly speaking of sales people. How do I spot a candidate who looks great on a resume and "gives good interview" but will turn out to be another disaster? I am often influenced by the existing customer relationships they have (at least they "say" they have) and the revenue they may bring with them. Even if the relationships turn out to be real, the incremental business is not worth the disruption to the team caused by bad attitudes and people that just aren't a fit for me and our company.

Bottom line, I am making bad hires. You are a workplace author and an executive recruiter, what are the red flags that tell you to recommend to your client to pass on a candidate?

Signed, Burned in My Hiring
 
 

Dear Burned Manager,


First and foremost, when it comes to hiring sales people, keep in mind the nature of the beast. The very thing that makes a good salesperson is that they can sell products, but they sell themselves best of all. So when you go into an interview with someone trained in sales, be prepared and be aware of that very special talent. Study their resume and their LinkedIn profile, ask about specific sales numbers and clients and drill down if you get an illusive answer.

Avoid the mistake most sales managers make by being lured in by a good personality, a certain "look" or a list of contacts that sounds good. As a sales manager, you are well-versed in sales, and guess what? You are the easiest to sell. So always have an HR professional interview the person as well, compare notes, and get a second opinion.

As a recruiter I learn first about my client's company and culture and then I measure the candidate against that, which is what you need to do. Will they fit into your company? As you alluded to, if you make the wrong hire there are many repercussions: You have to go through the painful process of firing the person, you have wasted company resources and exposed it to legal action, you have affected the new hire by putting them in a situation where they are predetermined to fail, and you have made yourself look bad to the other employees and managers.

I have very few red flags which make me pass on even the most credentialed candidates. Even as a recruiter, I know it's hard to resist if someone is great on paper, came recommended by a friend, has a good personality or even looks the part (although you are making a mistake if that's your hiring criteria). It's very easy to make a wrong decision.

OK, I will share my red flags but remember, good recruiters do not make the hiring decisions for our clients. Every candidate we put in front of a client should be the best, and I assume they should hire them, yet the decision is always the client's.

Viscusi's red flags:

I just do not like the person. Something about them, I may not even be able to articulate it, just doesn't feel right. They can be a top money maker in their current job but if I do not like them, I pass. I really do not need a reason but if I had to think through it, it's that I do not trust them. It could be as simple as a hand shake, the way they laugh, or, and this is very important, they have a negative attitude. Negative attitudes can subtly undermine relationships and business initiatives. I do not like you. I pass. Red flag!
I am suspect of their references. For example, how many times have I read a colleague on LinkedIn extolling the virtues of the unemployed sales person saying they have worked together and call me for a reference ... blah blah blah. Let's face it, good sales people have not lost their jobs, they are the last to go. So who wants a "character" reference from someone who is a friend or former colleague — I need a "business" reference from a former boss or supervisor. Based on no references ... I pass. Red flag!
Thorough review of the resume reveals problems. This sounds mundane, but I really get into the resume with the candidate. Did they take credit for a project that wasn't really theirs? Do they say negative things about former employers and blame former bosses for their own failures? Does the resume say "to present," implying they are presently employed even though they got fired a couple months ago? Do they say they quit a job or it was by "mutual agreement" even though they were fired? People who lie on their resume will lie on their expense account and fib about sales projects and customer meetings. I pass ... red flag!
They seem high maintenance and too needy. I know this will turn out badly, they will drive my client crazy, and they will not fit into the team. The candidate is asking questions about how many sick days they get and how big their work area is rather than what a typical workday will be and what the new bosses expectations are. They ask me questions about the company that are easily discovered on the company's website. I like the candidate to ask plenty of questions, just not dopey questions! All red flags ... I pass.
Self aggrandizing resumes and LinkedIn statement. I avoid candidates who take every opportunity to headline themselves and create billboards of self-promotion. People who call themselves "Culture Gurus" or use gimmicky slogans like "Do Something Great" turn me off. If you are going to promote anything, promote the brand you work for, and talk about the great team you work with, don't launch your version of a TED TALK. LinkedIn profiles should be clean and simple and, of course, have a professional photo (no spouse or kids please!). Immense egos – red flag ... I pass.

That's my list. All of these touchpoints tell me something about the candidate, and determine whether or not I will put them in front of my client for an interview.

Stephen.