1. Late for interview
Being late for an interview might demonstrate a lack of planning and could foreshadow tardiness issues on the job. However, there may be circumstances beyond the candidate's control (such as a family emergency) or when their tardiness is otherwise protected (such as a disability that requires an accommodation for the candidate to access your workplace). If a candidate is late for an interview, listen to their reason why before making an assessment.
2. Evading interview questions
Just because a candidate doesn’t answer a question doesn’t mean they are “evading” your question. For example, a candidate may have just lost track of the question or didn’t understand it.
So, if a candidate fails to answer an important question, rephrase the question, make sure it is precise, emphasize the job-related information you are seeking, and encourage them to let you know if they would like further clarification.
3. Canned interview responses
Some candidates may seem like they are only telling you what they think you want to hear. If a candidate's responses seem overly rehearsed, try presenting the candidate with a hypothetical challenge they'd face in the prospective job and ask them how they would handle it.
4. Overstating accomplishments
Delve into the information the candidate has provided to determine whether it is an accurate representation of their accomplishments. For example, if a candidate were to say "we increased sales by 20 percent," during an interview, you could ask how they specifically contributed to increasing sales. You can also try to verify the information during reference checks.
5. Having no questions for you
During interviews, a lack of questions from a candidate could be a sign that the candidate is unprepared, failed to research your company and industry, or that they have little interest in the job. Let candidates know they can ask questions throughout the interview and give them an additional opportunity to ask any remaining questions toward the end of the interview. To gauge their preparation, you can also ask candidates some open-ended questions about what they know about your company and industry.
6. Unwilling to admit areas in need of improvement
Many employers ask candidates about their biggest "weakness," and the response is often dodged ("My biggest weakness is I am a perfectionist."). To help you get a more reflective response, consider asking the candidate: "What skill do you currently have that you would like to improve over the next year or two?" or "What new skill would you like to develop?"
7. Expressing only negativity about their previous/current job
A job candidate might have had a previous job that they came to dislike. But, being overly negative about the experience can be a red flag. At the very least, it should prompt you to delve into the source of the negativity.
For instance, if the applicant expresses negativity about a former supervisor, you may want to ask the candidate what led them to their opinion. Then, you can assess whether what they dislike about their previous job conflicts with what they might experience at your company.
Conclusion
If you spot any of the above red flags, probe further to determine if the concern is relevant to the job you are hiring for, and whether it can and should be considered when making your hiring decision.