A candidate might have the skills and the ability to get a clearance, but do you trust them? With recruiting increasingly online, and social sites such as Linked In offering up a growing foreign audience, it’s even more important to be able to spot what’s real – and what’s fake – in an online resume or profile. Even if you use a niche, U.S.-exclusive site such as ClearanceJobs.com, spotting red flags can make the difference between a hire that’s marvelous and one that’s ‘meh’. Dishonesty can lead to other issues; so don’t ignore any red flags. Here are six ways to spot a shady candidate:
1. Lack of References or Inadequate Information
It may seem obvious, but be diligent about checking references and looking for clues in prior employment. Why did the candidate not provide the name of a past supervisor when asked? It is okay to provide other coworkers that can give counter-opinions to a potentially bad reference from a supervisor, but it’s a little fishy to only give a former coworker as a reference in place of a supervisor. The same goes with long, unexplained gaps in employment history.
2. Unexplained foreign employment
In the cleared world, this is a big no-no. Unexplained foreign employment could make it hard or impossible to obtain a clearance, and it should raise questions for you about whether the candidate can be trusted to deal with information or tasks related to the improvement or security of the United States. Any overseas employment should be clearly detailed, including the scope of work and whether or not foreign governments were involved.
3. Big Promotional Leaps
Is it really possible to go from associate to vice president in three years? Maybe. But it seems unlikely. If it seems too good to be true, it usually is.
4. Too Perfect
Grammar mistakes could mean that the candidate does not pay attention to the details. That is true. However, on the flip side, behind some of the glossy and perfect resumes or online profiles are ineffective and dishonest candidates. Don’t be scared of a few dull or unpolished resumes. Great candidates can have bad resumes. It’s easy to pick-apart a perfect resume in the interview process – when a candidate can’t back up details they’ve included. Learning to spot glossy statements in online resumes can help you weed out fluff, and spend more time on substance.
5. Job Hopper
In the contract world this doesn’t always ring true due to short period of performances or option years not being exercised, but a candidate who moves around from job to job could be better at looking for work as opposed to actually doing real work. Question motives for a frequent job searcher.
6. Multiple Personalities
Be wary of the candidate who is rude to you but super nice to the hiring manager. The candidate with multiple personalities is likely to be rude to coworkers but a bit of a kiss-up to the boss.
Determining a candidate’s trustworthiness is part gut instinct, but much of the determination process has more to do with knowing the job market. Networking with hundreds of organizations provides an understanding that candidates won’t all follow the same path. Witnessing diversity in job competency helps you to see past the candidates with the seemingly great resumes and perfect answers. Take the time to speak with lots of candidates for a position, as this can help you start to detect candidate behavioral patterns. And don’t forget to track your results so you can use your market knowledge to direct your gut instinct.
Cleared Network Tip – Get the Cleared Picture
When it comes to online recruiting, you can easily get thousands of applicants for every job. The problem is, you don’t need thousands of applications – you need just one, perfect applicant. Narrow the field by using a niche job board such as ClearanceJobs.com. And go beyond resume search. When you build a talent pipeline on the Cleared Network, you have a group of candidates at the ready who aren’t just online profiles – they’re people you’ve connected with, traded news and phone calls with, and know beyond a profile. And that’s a resume you can trust.
