HTSS News

Insights and advice about jobs and hiring in the Lehigh Valley.

How to Spot an Applicant Who Might Cause Challenges or Problems in the Future

You need to fill an open position on your team, and you’re trying your hardest to get it right. While you know obvious red flags to watch for, many possible issues fall into a gray area that makes them difficult to interpret.

As one of the leading Lehigh Valley temp agencies, HTSS, Inc. knows just how complicated hiring can be. Actions that might make you immediately eliminate one candidate could be viewed as acceptable in a different context for another person.

Here’s a look at a few common situations that might not necessarily be a deal-breaker but should at least make you give the person a closer look.

Four Signs an Applicant Could Be Problematic in the Future

Having Several Jobs in the Past Few Years

Job hoppers shouldn’t be immediately disqualified, as there’s plenty of good reasons why people try out a variety of jobs in a relatively short period of time — especially younger candidates. However, you do need to ask questions to learn more about their relatively short tenure at their past few jobs, so you can determine whether there’s a good chance this same problem would be repeated at your company.

Being Late to the Interview

Arriving late to a job interview is a major don’t, but it’s not always a reason to give up on a candidate. Sometimes people do have a genuinely good reason why they were unable to be punctual, so take these situations on a case-by-case basis. However, if the explanation sounds suspicious or clearly displays poor planning, it might be best to pass on the person.

Taking Sole Credit for Their Successes

A job interview is a place for a candidate to sell themselves, but be wary of those who sing their own praises a bit too loud. For example, anyone who fails to mention the collaboration with past and present colleagues as a reason for their successes may have trouble working as part of a team.

Failing to Disclose Real Shortcomings

No doubt, you’ll ask the popular interview question, “Tell me about your biggest weakness.” This is a tricky one for candidates, as they don’t want to reveal something that will make you think twice about hiring them.

However, those who try to turn something clearly positive into a negative — i.e., “I’m too much of a perfectionist.” — or claim to have no major job-related weaknesses could be trouble. These candidates might genuinely have difficultly admitting their mistakes, so don’t overlook this when considering their overall candidacy.

Need a little help finding the best person for the job? Allow HTSS, Inc. to guide your search for an honest new hire who will fit right in with your team. Contact us today to get started!

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CEO Letter

As a staffing and recruitment professional for over  30 years, I have seen many changes in the industry. Over that time, I’ve witnessed a transformation in the way organizations view staffing services. Today, we see more and more companies using staffing services as a strategic tool, rather than just for temporary fill-ins.

At HTSS, Inc., our focus is on helping companies create proactive workforce plans. Our goal is to help our clients use staffing strategically to increase capacity, overcome hiring freezes, access specialized talent, better manage increased workloads, and enhance overall productivity.

For our candidates, we help to uncover truly rewarding job opportunities—jobs that are a match to each candidate’s skills, and jobs that offer key experience and growth potential.

We look forward to strengthening our relationships with our current clients and candidates, as well as forming new and exciting partnerships in the future.

Sincerely,

Pat Howells
President
HTSS, Inc.