Red Flags Recruiter's Look For In A Candidate

Every recruiter out there is on the look for Red Flags from a candidate.

This happens at all stages of the application process: from the initial screening to the job offer.

You may think it’s biased, unfair, whatever, but we have to do it to protect our reputation with the client.

We can’t risk sending a candidate with seemingly red flags, only for those red flags to come to fruition during an interview with the hiring manager.

As an agency recruiter, this is the easiest way to lose business. As an in-house recruiter, this is an easy to to get reported to your boss.

That being said, this post is there to spread some awareness on what we look for to weed candidates out.

From there, you can stay objective enough to see how many of them you have, as well as think of a professional response when recruiters reach out to you moving forward.

Let’s dive in 👇

1: Can’t speak upon their resume

This is one of the most common reasons why I personally don’t advance candidates.

It doesn’t matter how good your resume is if you can’t speak upon it.

You have to know your resume inside and out. Everything listed on there you should be able to talk about at a moment’s whim.

Not being able to give a simple elevator pitch. If someone asks you “tell me about yourself/your background”, that should be the easiest question to answer. You could even use chatgpt to help you craft one if needed.

If you can’t elaborate on your projects in depth, how are we supposed to know you had any relevant part in them? For all we know you weren’t apart of it, were sitting on the sidelines, or even making it up.

Listing skills they have no experience in (this excludes entry level/juniors). If you list something on your resume, it’s fair game for the recruiter/hiring manager to ask. So don’t list it unless you can speak upon it.

Think about it - if you can’t tell a recruiter about your background where the screening process is much more lenient, why would we trust you’ll be able to do it in front of a hiring manager?

If you can’t speak upon your resume, skills, and accomplishments, recruiters will think you’re way overselling yourself, or your experience is fabricated.

Practice and rehearse questions/answers to a friend, peer, or record yourself doing it to improve this

Bad Example:

You’re a senior ui developer that uses nodejs/react. Also created/consumed restful APIs. Deployed using docker. No SQL DBs. Worked within an AWS environment We schedule a screening & intro call and you have a day in advance to prepare.

I ask a little about your background:

• RR: Can you tell me about your last project and the tech stack you used?

• You: it was an enterprise level app and we used nodejs/react

• RR: Can you elaborate on that?

• You: What do you mean?

• RR: Were those the only two technologies you used?

• You: no well I used APIs, NOSQL, Docker, and AWS

• RR: Ok, great…can you go over your project?

• You: What do you want to know about it

• RR: *this guy isn’t going to pass with my hiring manager

Good Example

• RR: Can you tell me a little about your background and your current project?

• You:

• I have worked on several projects using these technologies, including building a web application that utilized Node.js on the back-end and React.js on the front-end, and deployed it on AWS using Docker. I also have experience with developing and consuming APIs, which I utilized in that project to connect to a database.

• In terms of my project, I work on the team at X Bank that is pretty much responsible for originating and calculating loans to consumers to buy cars. If you ever used a loan from X Bank to buy a car, you used the platform I work on.

2: Resume Gaps

Unfortunately this is still a thing for some clients so it’s a topic I want to cover.

I agree, it shouldn’t matter if you can do the job & you’re qualified. But there are still people who still think it’s a risk so we’ll want to make sure we can address it.

Many people have gaps - whether it’s a break in between jobs, or they were laid off and they were job searching, to personal medical reasons. Many of them are extremely valid.

Some recruiters & hiring managers will hold a gap against you. There’s nothing we can do about those.

But others are open as long as there is a valid reason. Don’t get offended when they ask, just simple answer. All they want to hear is that you weren’t sitting on your couch, watching netflix & eating doritos for six months.

Here are some common responses you can use:

• Took a little mental health break as I was burnt out. Spent the time playing catch up with much needed family time. This way, when I do join my next company, and I can come in, refreshed and recharged, ready to hit the ground running

• Personal Family reasons

• Spent the time upskilling on some other tech/skills such as XYZ

• Was working on a side project/hustle/passion project

• Medical reasons (only if true)

• Maternity/Paternity

If you really want to go above and beyond, you can even include them on your resume like a job.

For example

Maternity Leave 8/2023 - Present

3: Lack of Preparation

It’s one thing if I randomly call you out of the blue from a job board or linkedin that you’re not prepared. You get a pass if you need some time to gather yourself.

But, if you’re not prepared for a scheduled call, then that’s 100% on you.

Chances are when you schedule a call, the recruiter is providing you with information about the role & company in a calendar invite. Use that info to tailor your responses accordingly and to ask questions back to them. If you don’t review the info, you may say something that gets you eliminated.

A few examples:

Sometimes recruiters have specific requirements they’re looking for. So if I were sourcing for a java developer with AWS experience and that was in the description I sent you, you should make sure to be able to go in depth about your experience with AWS.

If you’re not able to, then I would just assume you’re either weak with it or have no legitimate experience.

Another example, I set up a call with you for an initial screening. I’m recruiting for a healthcare company. I sent you the job description, company name, company description, project description etc. You prefer to get a job in the tech industry, but really open to any industry as long as it pays well

•  I ask what you are looking for in your next role

• Bad: I ideally want to get a job in the tech industry

• Good: I saw you sent a job for a prestigious F500. I have exp working large enterprise companies. I’m also interested in working in healthcare for XYZ reasons.

• Hint: Don’t even mention that you’re interested in the tech industry

Poor Communication for your Availability

Especially if you’re working, it can be hard to keep up with all the recruiters you’re speaking to. Searching for a new job is actually a full time job also

But remember what we said earlier. Our job is to look out for the company, not an individual jobseeker

If it’s hard to get you on the phone, you’re taking too long to respond to emails/texts, we’re going to assume you are not that interested in the role.

Even if you are - that’s one of the oldest tell tale signs that the common candidate isn’t interested. Don’t believe me? Ask any recruiter you know.

 So if you’re showing any of these signs, the recruiter may think you’re not interested in the job (even if you are):

• Consistently unresponsive

• Very short responses to the recruiter

• Never available

• No shows on interviews or scheduled calls

• Multiple interview reschedules

• Inconsistent which giving out availability to speak

The best way to combat this:

• Time block your day: for example, 3-5pm is when you can take interviews

• Schedule at least an hour or so throughout your day that you make available for interviews and your job search exclusively

• Consider including trying to take interviews during your lunch break

• Consider texting – this way you don’t have to take calls during work or go in and check your email

Poor Communication about Compensation

There is a ton of bad information out there when it comes to negotiating compensation.

 Negotiation your salary is not like the wolf of wall street or Grant Cardone. It’s actually a compromise of value between you and the employer.  A common act that candidates will do is try to play hardball. Totally fine within reason.

But at the end of the day, remember that no one likes being backed up against the wall. The more you try to play hardball, the more likely the recruiter won’t advance you to the next stages.

That doesn’t mean don’t try to negotiate. Just do it with professionalism & nuance.

Further, you’re giving a salary range, make sure you’re actually ok with the full range. If you say you’re looking for 120-150k, then be ok with an offer at 120k. if you’re not, then move that number up to something that you’ll actually accept.

You’d be surprised, a decent amount of job offers are pulled due to the way a candidate is conducting themselves. Remember not to negotiate unless you’re willing to walk away and/or have leverage in the form of other offers/interviews.

Bad Example

The max salary is 180k. This was discussed up front on the initial screening call. Rightly so, you just want to maximize your salary and don’t want to leave money on the table. You’ll actually take the 180k, but are trying to play hardball.

• RR: Congrats! You got the offer. As we discussed, the offer is at 180k.

•  You: Things have changed, I need 200k minimum to accept.

• RR: Will you decline an offer if I get anything less?

• You: I can’t confirm. But Like I said, I need 200k

Good Example

• RR: Congrats! You got the offer at 180k

• You: Thank you, I’m really interested in this opportunity. But I have to ask, is there any wiggle room?

• RR: I’m not sure. Why do you ask, has anything changed?

• You: Well, the last time we spoke, I have also taken some other interviews, and am potentially receiving 1-2 more offers. Those were at 190-200k.

• RR: The max salary is 180 and that’s what we agreed upon

• You: Sure, I respect that. I’m really interested in this opportunity. I know the 200k is very high, just wanted to inform you what was going on elsewhere. Is there anywhere we can compromise and come up with something fair? Just want to make sure I don’t leave any money on the table.

Note:

• Sometimes the max salary IS 180k aka what they actually mentioned. So don’t play hardball unless you are content potentially getting an offer pulled

• You may be able to squeeze another 10-20%, but you’re only going to get it using outside data/leverage while also playing nice in the sandbox.

Unprofessionalism

You as a candidate are a reflection of the recruiter. So the way you present yourself in front of a hiring manager reflects back on us - positive or negative.

So if there’s any unprofessional you’re exhibiting we’re going to reject you on the spot.

Some examples include:

• Arriving late to a call. Stuff happens, and people show up late every now and then. But at least give a heads up or a valid excuse when it does.

• Using inappropriate language or making offensive comments. I don’t care what the “vibes” are, just don’t do it.

• Talking poorly about your previous boss, company etc. It doesn’t matter if you’re right, no one wants to hear it.

• Failing to follow through on commitments or meet deadlines. For example, if you consistently say you’ll follow up with some info during the interview process but it’s constantly delayed. Or if they give a take home test and it’s past due.