When interviewing candidates, it’s important to see the big picture, rather than simply focusing on their responses to your questions. You can actually learn a lot about their fit for the company and interest in the position by reading between the lines.

Watch Out for These 7 Red Flags

Be cautious about a candidate who exhibits any of these red flags during the interview:

1. Arriving Late. Barring some type of freakish natural disaster, there’s no excuse for a candidate to be late to a job interview. This shows a blatant disrespect for your time and the job itself. If they can’t be prompt for a job interview, there’s a good chance they’ll never be on time for work either.
2. Failing to Dress Professionally. A job interview is your one chance to pull out all the stops and make a great first impression. Any candidate who shows up casually dressed or appearing disheveled is clearly not trying to impress you. If they don’t care what you think at this stage, don’t expect them to ever put in any extra effort if hired.
3. Being Rude to Your Staff. It’s pretty much a given that the candidate will be nice to you, but what’s more telling is how they treat your staff when you’re not looking. A person who is rude to your administrative assistant, intern or anyone else they would be working above is arrogant and has a superiority complex you definitely don’t want on your team.
4. Knowing Very Little About Your Company. A candidate worth your time will have at least basic knowledge about your products and services, competition, company history and etc. If a person doesn’t take the time to learn about your organization, they probably lack the drive needed to excel at the position.
5. Asking Zero Questions. The best candidates have their choice of companies to work for, so they’ll ask a lot of questions to learn more about your organization and make sure the position is a good fit. Steer clear of anyone who is silent at the end of the interview or only wants to discuss topics like salary and dress code.
6. Displaying Poor Body Language. The message a person sends without saying a word can speak volumes. Anyone who slouches, leans back in their chair, crosses their arms or has a weak handshake is sending very bad vibes. These nonverbal cues may indicate a lack of confidence, defensiveness, egotism or even that they’re not listening to you.
7. Speaking Negatively About Former Employers. If a candidate speaks negatively about their current or former employer, you can be sure they’ll do the same to you one day. This is a sign they have a very bad attitude and don’t know how to accept blame for their part in trying situations.

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