Never hire people with these 5 red flags

You can be the best chiropractor in the world, but if you don’t have top notch staff working on your behalf, your business will likely suffer.

That’s why it’s so important to choose employees who treat your patients the way you’d like, are efficient with their work processes, and have the drive to do what it takes to get the job done, even if that means occasionally helping with duties above and beyond the ones listed within their job descriptions.

While finding employees of this caliber generally involves looking for people with a specific set of traits, skills and abilities, it is equally as important to know what you don’t want in the personnel you hire. This requires paying attention to some of the most common red flags that a potential applicant may not be a good fit for your practice. Here are five to consider.

1. An unprofessional email address

Even if you never plan on corresponding with your staff via email, receiving an application from someone with an unprofessional email address should cause you to pause and think about what it says about them. For instance, if the email is partygirlforever@email.com, what kind of employee do you think she’d be? Would she likely show up on time? What are her priorities?

eCampusTours.com suggests that an email address with some variation of the person’s name—whether first and last, last only, initials, or some combination of these—is more professional in nature. It also shows that the applicant takes themselves seriously as a prospective employee; that they care enough to create a positive impression.

2. Not dressing for the position

If you’re hiring someone who is going to be visible to the public, such as a receptionist or other office staff, it’s important to know what type of image they’re going to project to your patients and prospective patients on your behalf. One way to ascertain this is related to the clothing they choose to wear.

When someone shows up for an interview in sweats, holey jeans or a dirty shirt, it’s not out of line to think that they’d wear the same type of clothing if hired for the job. However, if they’re neatly put together and have obviously put some thought into their attire, they’ll likely do the same if offered the position.

3. Being unprepared for the interview

The well-known job search site Monster shares that, “If someone approaches a job interview by the seat of her pants, it’s a pretty sure bet that she will approach her job the same way.” On the flip side, someone who took the time to research you and your chiropractic business will likely put the same amount of effort into their work product.

A person who is prepared for the interview will already know a little bit about your experience and techniques, the services and products you offer, and how you interact with the world based on the information you have on your website, social media pages or LinkedIn profile.

Being adequately prepared also involves having their resume, pen, paper, and anything else they need to get through the interview process handy and at their immediate disposal.

4. Talking down about previous employers and/or co-workers

During the interview, when you ask about past work experiences, does the job candidate talk down about previous employers or co-workers? If so, this should be a red flag that, if hired and it doesn’t work out, your business will likely get the same type of negative press with potential future employers.

Thus, pay attention to how the applicant portrays the experiences he or she has had. If something didn’t go well, is blame placed on everyone else but themselves? Additionally, are achievements stated in an “I” manner, or does the individual credit the entire team?

5. Can’t provide details

“Nothing is as telling as a candidate who cannot provide a detailed answer or an example when the interviewer requests details,” says Susan Heathfield, a human resources expert who also writes for The Balance. So, if you ask about a particular experience or inquire about how the person handled a specific situation and they’re not able to tell you what they did or what exactly happened, you might want to pass on them.

Not providing adequate details also encompasses being able to share specific answers about their education or training history. If they’re vague or can’t give you people to contact to verify the information they’ve provided, it should raise your internal alarms enough to question whether what they’re telling you is true.

When conducting an interview, paying attention to red flags like these can help you move past the applicants that could be problematic in nature, taking you straight to the individuals who can potentially take your practice to the next level.