Hire Calling
Hire Calling
Interview Red Flags You Can't Ignore
Bad hires are expensive, costing companies upwards of $50,000 each. But beyond the financial hit, they disrupt team morale, stall productivity, and can damage your culture from the inside out. And here's the kicker: 74% of employers admit they've hired the wrong person.
In this episode, we're breaking down 17 red flags every hiring manager should watch for—before it's too late. From candidates who arrive late or dodge tough questions to more subtle signs like vague references or deflecting past mistakes, these warning signals are often easy to overlook but hard to recover from.
You'll learn:
- How to spot signs of deeper issues hiding in plain sight
- When to dig deeper and how to do it without turning the interview into an interrogation
- Why some red flags (like not owning past failures) should instantly put you on alert
- Innovative ways to separate confidence from arrogance
- What to ask instead when something feels "off"
Whether you're hiring for your first role or your fiftieth, these insights will sharpen your instincts, improve your process, and help you build a stronger, more cohesive team.
Additional Resources:
- The Top Interview Red Flags to Watch Out for in Candidates
- The Top Resume Red Flags to Watch Out for When Hiring
- Hiring & Salary Guide
- The Ultimate Guide to Interview Scoring Sheets
🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/
👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/
Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/
Imagine this You've just wrapped up an interview with a candidate who seemed perfect on paper, but during the interview something felt off. Maybe they dodged a question or arrived a little bit late. You brush it off, make the hire anyway, but then months later you're dealing with performance issues or an unexpected resignation. If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. 74% of employers admit to hiring the wrong person for a position. But the cost that's where it really hurts Up to $50,000 or even more if it's an executive role. But here's the good news Many of these costly mistakes can be avoided by recognizing red flags during the interview process. On today's episode of Hire Calling, I'll share 17 red flags that every hiring manager should know and, as a result, you'll be equipped with the insights to make smarter, more informed hiring decisions.
Pete Newsome:The first interview red flag showing up late or disheveled. First impressions matter. If a candidate arrives late without a valid reason or appears unkempt, it signals a lack of professionalism and respect for your time. Number two if they're disorganized or unprepared. Let's be honest a candidate who hasn't researched your company or can't recall the role they're interviewing for is demonstrating a complete lack of preparation or genuine interest. Number three gaps on their resume that they can't explain, employment gaps or inconsistent job titles may be a big red flag. It may not be, but what's important is to probe further to understand the reasons why they exist. So, while there may be a valid reason for those gaps, this is not something you want to be left wondering about. You've got to get into the details and understand exactly why. Number four negative talk about previous employers. Assume that any candidate who speaks poorly of the company or manager they worked for before will do it again. They will bring negativity into your workplace. It's a sign they probably don't take responsibility for their own actions. Number five candidates who make excessive demands, or maybe any demands at all, while they're interviewing with you. While it's acceptable for candidates to have preferences, making demands early in the process indicates entitlement, and that's something you don't want to bring onto your team.
Pete Newsome:Number six a lack of enthusiasm or curiosity. A candidate who shows little interest or fails to ask questions is probably not invested in the role or your company Stay away. Number seven is if a candidate can't take ownership of their mistakes, accountability is key. Candidates who deflect blame or can't acknowledge past mistakes may struggle with personal growth and team dynamics. One of the most powerful interview questions you can ask is tell me about a time you failed at something. What happened and what did you learn? If the candidate can't answer clearly or starts pointing to others as a problem, then you can ask them to tell you. You'll see a maturity issue that you really need to pay attention to. It's a big red flag Act accordingly.
Pete Newsome:Number eight is if they're asking inappropriate questions. If a candidate's asking how much vacation time they get too early in the process, that's cause for concern. Other questions to pay attention to are if they're already thinking about the next role or what happens after the one you're hiring them for, or they're focused too much on compensation before understanding whether they're a fit for the job. That's definitely cause for concern. One thing to keep in mind here is that young professionals may not really be aware of things that are generally considered taboo, so consider giving them a break. But if someone's experienced, you should definitely take it as the bad sign that it is.
Pete Newsome:Number nine is that they act defensive or combative when challenged. Listen, every candidate should be there to impress you as the interviewer, but they have to be willing to defend their previous actions, and so if they're challenged on something and deflect immediately or start to get emotional or upset, that's a really bad sign in an interview and something to avoid at all cost. Number 10 is if they have poor listening skills. Are they making eye contact with you? Are they listening? Are they taking notes? If they seem distracted in an interview when they should be putting their best foot forward, it's probably a sign that they'll do that on a day-to-day basis and probably be a disaster to try to work with.
Pete Newsome:Number 11 is if they're providing vague or evasive responses. Clarity is a form of competence. If they can't articulate things they've done in the past or give easy to understand responses to a straightforward question, that's a sign that there's probably more to worry about with that candidate than you should necessarily have to be concerned with for someone you're considering hiring. One of the things you could do is try reframing the questions that you'd ask to get a better feel for how they would answer. Something like walk me through your exact role in a project they have listed on their resume what decisions did you personally make on this? That you personally make on this? The more you can nail them down, the better you'll get a feel for whether that clarity actually comes out or whether the answers continue to be vague.
Pete Newsome:Number 12, job hopping without a clear story. So, like the gaps on the resume that I mentioned earlier, maybe there's a good reason for job hopping, especially over the last few years where layoffs have been prevalent in certain industries and it may be no fault of the candidates that they find themselves having multiple jobs in what you consider to be a short term. But it's worth drilling down on, because it may be a really bad sign that the candidate can't or is unwilling to stay anywhere very long, and so dig for those answers. So much of what we're talking about here really does come down to that. Don't just assume too much based on what you see on the surface. Identify it, but then drill deeper. Once you do that, you'll understand whether the story is actually a good one or it might get worse as you learn more.
Pete Newsome:Number 13 is explanations that don't support the resume. So if you're speaking to the candidate and they indicate they had a certain skill on their resume or did a certain task at a previous employer, but they're giving you a different story in person, that should catch your attention and you really need to find out where the truth lies. It used to be surprising to me. It's not anymore, because I've seen it so many times. But again, candidates will forget what they put on the resume and that's usually a big sign that they're fabricating something. Because if you've been honest, you don't really have to refer to your resume as a candidate maybe for details, but not for big things like responsibilities or skills that you have. So listen for the words that are used and pay attention to what's on the resume. While you're interviewing, the candidates Match those things up along the way. They won't always jump out at you, so you really need to be paying attention throughout the process or it's easy to miss but explanations that don't support the resume big red flag for sure.
Pete Newsome:Number 14, arrogance or entitlement. Now look, I shouldn't have to say anything else about that. You want a confident candidate. We all do. But when it goes from confidence to arrogance, that's a whole different deal. So really watch out for those candidates who act like you're lucky to have them. If you hire them, it should be mutual and look for candidates who act accordingly.
Pete Newsome:Number 15 is that they don't have clear goals or direction. A lot of candidates will say anything when they're looking for a job. When they're on the market, when they need income, it's natural I get it. I mean they're motivated to pay their bills, but that doesn't necessarily mean there's someone you want to hire. So always ask for candidates to give you a clear picture of what they're looking for in the role, what they're looking for in the role, what they're looking for professionally and where they want to be in their career going forward. And if that doesn't align, even though they may be someone who'd otherwise be attractive as a potential team member, then it's not going to end well. And so just acknowledge that up front and move on quickly when that alignment isn't there.
Pete Newsome:Number 16 is reluctance to provide references. Now, this one is near and dear to my heart. At my staffing firm that I started almost 20 years ago now, we have always placed a high degree of importance on professional references, and I phrase it that way to make the point that it's not about giving the name of someone that you carpooled with or getting a reference from someone that the candidate went to lunch with every day for the past three years. It's getting the reference from the person they reported directly to at their previous job or jobs, and so you need to ask for references that way. That's a little side tip Always ask for former managers when you're asking for the reference. If a candidate is unwilling to give that information, there's no bigger red flag than that. Right, there is a reason, and that's where you have to double down and really insist on getting that reference. A lot of candidates may walk at that point, but that's a win. It's better than making a bad hire.
Pete Newsome:And then number 17 is a lack of questions for the interviewer. We've already mentioned that showing up unprepared is a red flag, and this certainly is a piece of that. If someone is interested in the role, they're going to want to know more about it. They'll have questions, they'll look for details and specifics that they wouldn't be able to find on your website or the job description, and if they don't have those, to me that just means they're not really interested. Right, they're there to check a box. They're there because they have nothing better to do, but that's not the candidate you want to hire, obviously. So make sure that they are prepared, just like you're prepared for the interview. Those are 17 red flags today. If you want to know more about that, visit our website. We have a blog on this subject. If you have any questions or want further detail, reach out to us at highercallingatfourcornerresourcescom. I always like to hear from you. If you've made it this far, please like and subscribe. We definitely would appreciate that too. Thanks for listening.