Have you ever hired a candidate who looked phenomenal on paper, but turned out to be a nightmare on the job?
It happens to the best of us. Even the most perceptive hiring managers can occasionally make bad hiring decisions if they don’t pay attention to the right signs. When someone has relevant experience, up-to-date job skills and an impeccable work history, it’s easy to overlook the sometimes subtle indicators that his personality could be bad for your business.
The way candidates manage stressful situations, interact with co-workers and serve customers has a huge impact on their job success; but unfortunately, assessing these traits is tougher than gauging hard job skills. To help you spot potential problems during the interview process – and keep from hiring the wrong person – review this list of challenging personality types:
- The narcissist. This individual typically performs very well during the interview. He radiates confidence and makes a great first impression. That natural charisma, however, can work against him on the job. He may be manipulative, careless about commitments, and unwilling to admit his mistakes.
How to spot him: Watch for confidence that borders on swagger or cockiness. When you ask about his experience working as part of a team, he may focus exclusively on his own contributions, or make negative remarks about others in order to highlight his own abilities. - The grinch. This type of candidate is particularly dangerous to have on your team. He puts a smile on his face for superiors, but can be surly or downright miserable when interacting with co-workers or customers. He’s the type of employee who’s constantly whining, slamming doors and causing others to walk on eggshells around him.
How to spot him: Ask behavior-based questions that require him to detail service experiences for both internal and external customers. Look for “blame-placing” answers: that other people or situations were the cause of his failures; that certain clients or team mates were “impossible” to deal with; that his work environment was a nightmare. - The over-promiser. This individual’s resume matches your job requirements – exactly. His responses to your questions are precisely what you’d expect from the ideal candidate. According to him, there’s nothing about this job he won’t be able to do.
How to spot him: If a candidate seems too good to be true, start asking some tougher interview questions – and then ask him to provide specific work examples to back up his claims. Honestly, no interviewee is perfect. When pressed, a genuine individual will admit to times when he made mistakes or failed to hit goals. If your candidate shows no signs of weakness in any area, you may have an over-promiser on your hands. - The loafer. This person takes advantage of everyone else’s hard work, by contributing the bare minimum in team situations. Over time, his behavior will create resentment in other employees who have to pick up the slack for him.
How to spot him: Pay attention to the candidate’s energy level during the interview – not just what he says, but how he says it. Ask questions about his team performance, probing to find out exactly how much he contributed and pulled his weight. Ask him to detail a situation where he spearheaded a new initiative, led a team or otherwise went above and beyond his job duties. If he can’t provide at least one solid example, that’s a serious red flag.
Want to make sure you don’t inadvertently hire one of these personality types? Give A.R. Mazzotta a call. Our experts evaluate each candidate’s skills, experience AND personality to create the best matches. With over 40 years of experience, we have the interviewing expertise to source quality talent with the right attitude and behavior for your culture. Contact us today to learn more about our Connecticut recruiting services.