Red Flag Personalities that Hiring Managers Should Avoid

When a job interview doesn’t go perfectly, it does not necessarily mean that the candidate is wrong for the position. However, there are some pivotal warning signs that should not be ignored during the recruitment process. Red flag personality traits that hiring managers should watch out for range from aggressiveness to laziness and many others in between!

When interviewing candidates, watch out for the following personality red flags:

Red Flag #1: Disagreeableness

Of course, everybody disagrees with people from time to time. However, if during the job interview the individual seems to disagree with everything from past employers, co-workers, and everybody in between—this may be a sign that they are simply not a team player. Disagreeable personalities can grate on people after a while. This single trait can totally demolish company morale and impact productivity, employee turnover, and much, much more.

Red Flag #2: Gossiping

Gossip doesn’t belong in the workplace. If the interviewer can’t seem to stop talking about other people negatively, this could be a sign that they like to gossip. This can lead to terrible rumors, negativity, and overall unhappiness between employees.

Red Flag #3: Unorganized

Rambling, arriving late, and looking disheveled all indicate an unorganized personality. Hiring managers should pay special attention to how people present themselves throughout the interview process because it could lend itself to showcasing just how this person operates professionally from the day-to-day.

Red Flag #4: Bad Attitude

You can pick up right away if someone has a bad attitude. Maybe they always point out the negative, always need to sound the smartest, or simply just don’t seem happy to be doing the interview at all. A person’s attitude can make all the difference. A hiring manager should focus on the individual’s general attitude throughout the interview process.

Overview

Personality traits are difficult to hide. Most people can’t help but be exactly who they are. Hiring managers should pay attention to what people say (and sometimes what they don’t!) and then make hiring decisions accordingly. Paying attention to the red flags could make all the difference for the company’s future. 

For more hiring tips, check out Creating a Successful New Hire Orientation Program