5 RED FLAGS TO SPOT A TOXIC EMPLOYEE FROM THE INTERVIEW

Jeff Mignault • October 5, 2017

Worried about hiring a toxic employee? You should be. Recent research outlined on Harvard Business Review explains just how impactful a toxic employee can be to an organization:

“One toxic employee wipes out the gains for more than two superstars. In fact, a superstar, defined as the top 1% of workers in terms of productivity, adds about $5,000 per year to the company’s profit, while a toxic worker costs about $12,000 per year. The real difference could even be greater if you factor in other potential costs, such as the spread of the toxicity, litigation fees, lower employee morale, and upset customers.”

As HR consultants, we hear people talk about the importance of hiring the right people all the time. This starts with the interview process. Weeding out potentially toxic employees is vital.

Here are some of the red flags to look for:

1. A toxic employee focuses on drama over insights

Ask candidates about some of the difficult decisions they had to face in their previous job. Their response to how they handled toxic situations will say a lot. Did they focus on strategic differences, or did they focus their efforts on a personal attack or blaming others?

2. They complain

A job interview is not the place to air your grievances. If a candidate complains about a current or former employer, it’s a sign they would do the same at your company.

3. They are a know-it-all

Everyone has room for improvement. Ask them about what they would like to improve or if there is a skill, they would like to learn. If the candidate has a “know-it-all” aura about them, be careful. It may be a sign they are not motivated to grow professionally, and they may only be interested in doing the bare minimum.

4. They lack career direction

Asking candidates about where they see themselves in the future is common. It’s a sign that they know what they want to accomplish and provides you a vision of where you could best utilize their talents. If they lack a future plan, it could be a sign they are only committed for the short term.

5. Their references are questionable

You can learn a lot from a candidate’s references. What they say, and what they don’t say but allude to, can be a sign of potential issues.

More Candidate Job Interview Tips

Jeff Mignault
Effective Talent Acquisition vs Recruitment HR Solutions

WHY EFFECTIVE TALENT ACQUISITION IS VITAL FOR YOUR BUSINESS

By Jeff Mignault, Director of Sales & Customer Service • November 14, 2023
Is talent acquisition just recruiting? Why it isn’t & 4 benefits to your company of talent acquisition by the HR experts at AugmentHR Consulting.
hr outsourcing challenges and solutions

4 Common HR Outsourcing Challenges and Their Solutions

By Jeff Mignault • October 18, 2023
HR Outsourcing: 4 advantages and 4 keys to success from AugmentHR, Toronto HR consulting firm.

4 CREATIVE WAYS TO BOOST EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT & RELATIONS

By Jeff Mignault • October 13, 2017
Every company wants to boost employee engagement. They want to have strong employee relations and get the most out of their team. But most companies don’t do much to encourage engagement.

THE WORST INTERVIEW QUESTION… AND HOW TO ANSWER IT

By Jeff Mignault • October 6, 2017
One can argue that the worst interview question to be asked is the one you didn’t prepare to answer. Obviously, the perception of what is a bad question varies from candidate to candidate. Some people are experts at answering situational questions. Others are great at answering questions that help them sell themselves. And some people are just not great at interviews.

4 WAYS TO TALK ABOUT A BAD FORMER BOSS DURING AN INTERVIEW

By Jeff Mignault • September 21, 2017
Just about anyone you talk to has a story about a bad former boss. You are bound to have at least one from your past. It’s also common for the topic of former bosses to come up during a job interview.

4 TOP RECRUITMENT TOOLS WORTH TRYING

By Jeff Mignault • September 14, 2017
Recruitment tools are more widely used than ever. Everyone wants to make the best hiring decision possible. After all, a hiring mistake can be costly and hurt your company from a financial, talent, and efficiency perspective.

4 MOST COMMON EMPLOYEE RELATIONS ISSUES & HOW TO HANDLE THEM

By Jeff Mignault • September 8, 2017
Employee relations issues are part of work in human resources. All companies have to deal with their fair share of employee relations issues. Some are a product of the work environment and company. Others are a result of the type of work or industry. Some are also more common than others.

5 INGENIOUS WAYS TO BOOST COMPANY MORALE

By Jeff Mignault • August 29, 2017
Keeping up company morale is vital to have a strong, efficient and thriving workplace. Leaders who are engaged in the workplace understand just how much of an impact morale can play in overall company success.

5 MARKETING TACTICS TO IMPROVE YOUR EMPLOYER BRAND IMAGE

By Jeff Mignault • August 18, 2017
Your employer brand image is very important. If you want to attract the best candidates in your industry, having a strong employer brand can go a long way. Top candidates want to work for reputable companies – the ones that provide great employee benefits, have a strong organizational culture, and offer career growth opportunities.

JOB INTERVIEW RED FLAGS – PART 2

By Jeff Mignault • August 15, 2017
The goal of a job interview is to find the best candidate possible. However, amid our best efforts, finding a great candidate who checks off all the boxes is challenging. The recruiting and hiring process is not perfect. There are many variables in play that can impact your hiring decisions.