If the person you’re interviewing is ill-prepared and doesn’t seem bothered about the job that’s your answer right there.
Very few people enjoy doing job interviews, from either side of the process. For candidates, job interviews can be nerve-wracking and they may have to field some tricky questions. But however bad it is for candidates, it can be even worse for hiring managers.
Interviewing multiple people for the same role is a time-consuming process, often fraught with difficulties, such as bad candidate etiquette and difficulties in finding qualified applicants to interview.
As a candidate, you can make a decent first impression on a hiring manager simply by making their life easier. All this involves is showing up to the interview on time and being prepared. But for a bad candidate, that’s often too much to ask.
Let’s pivot back to the hiring manager’s perspective. How can they tell if a candidate is badly prepared or isn’t a good fit for the role? These things aren’t arbitrary, after all. Fair-minded managers weigh up everything they find out about a person they are interviewing – including verbal and non-verbal cues – to assess them.
Here are some signs the person you’re interviewing is not the one you want for the job.
Lateness
Lack of punctuality is a black mark straight away, that much is obvious. How can a person turn up to a job on time if they can’t even make a good first impression by being early or on time for the interview?
Of course, there are exceptions – unprecedented weather and personal or road traffic events might delay someone. But if they are going for an interview for a job they really want, they should have the sense to phone ahead and notify whoever is interviewing that they will be delayed. That’s only good manners.
Their stories are off
Lying is another massive red flag. If someone lies about their experience, for example, that means they will more than likely lie again. It’s very hard to trust a liar twice, and, think about it, even if they were lying for the right reasons, do you really need the headache of having someone you can’t trust on your team? Look for a straightforward, honest person instead.
No interest in the role
Interviewers usually know very early on how to spot if a candidate is genuinely interested in the role. Asking candidates questions should not be like getting blood from a stone. An interested applicant will be enthusiastic; they will want to tell you all about their work experience, skills and why they think they would be a good fit for the role.
They haven’t prepared
A few ‘ums’ and ‘ahs’ here and there are natural, but if the person you’re interviewing is fumbling and muttering and obviously underprepared then you know they’re not really capable. It’s really not that difficult to prepare a bit for an interview, so if they didn’t it shows that they are unlikely to be an asset to you or your team.
Poor interpersonal skills
Sometimes people can be a little bit shy or awkward; that’s not what we mean when we say ‘poor interpersonal skills’. Instead, it’s a red flag if the candidate does something during the conversation that either makes you feel uncomfortable or you imagine might make someone on your team uncomfortable.
If they give you a bad feeling during the interview, they are more than likely going to sour the atmosphere in an office.
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