Risk factors to watch out for that increase the chance a candidate will renege on a job offer or not show up on day one - Part 3: Emotional and Spiritual pulse

How can you spot someone during the interview process who has a higher chance of reneging on the job offer or even not showing up on Day 1?

In Parts 1 and 2 we covered this question - how can you spot someone during the interview process if they will flake on you - from the MENTAL, PHYSICAL and AGILITY pulse point of view in the Five Pulses Model. 

Today, we’ll cover the last two - the emotional and spiritual NEEDS every person has when they are considering working for you. 

Let’s get right to it. Here are the 8 risk factors that someone may renege on your job offer - emotional and spiritual edition.

#1: They don’t appear engaged or excited about the role. Of course, people are different, and an introvert shows excitement differently than an extrovert. But it’s all about congruency. If they’re lively in general, but when it comes to discussing the role, they get quiet and serious, that’s a sign their heart is not in it. 

#2: Inappropriate tone in their communication. If you have reached out to THEM initially, and while they accepted to talk to you, they seem comfortable with where they are. It’s always easier to stay in a rut than to jump into the cold water. 
You need to be emotionally intelligent enough to align to your style. If their emails are too informal, there’s a mismatch in your modes of communication, and they may later decide that you’re not right for them. 

#3: They seem relatively happy in their current job. This is especially important. 

#4: They seem overly keen to get out of their current role fast. It’s ironic given the last point I made, but you do want people who are in the happy medium. If someone who is TOO keen to get out of their job, it may mean they are desperate, and that you are just one of many life lines dangling in front of them. Who knows which one they end up grabbing? 

#5: The role is at odds with their obvious lifelong passion. If someone is pursuing an intense hobby - especially one that CAN be monetised but takes a long time to get there - that’s someone who is likely to reneg (or to quit early). Encourage the dreamers to follow their bliss but beware hiring the carpenter accountant. 

#6: Their hobbies and interests aren’t aligned to the role or what the company can offer. That’s related to my previous point, but in this case, the person is unlikely to ever make money from their hobby. If they would be maxing out their vacation days on whitewater rafting or participating in salsa dancing contests, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hire them, but it may mean that they’re more likely to renege or not show up on their first day. 

#7: They did or said something that is at odds with company values. Of course, nothing so dramatic that you would have ended the interview process, but something that in retrospect may tell you that slightly, this person is not very aligned with your culture and values. 

#8: Are YOU convinced that they are PERFECT for you? Beware too much excitement. Whenever you think that you have found a veritable unicorn, it’s a sign you should pay extra attention. When we are excited, we tune out of negative signs. And so with perfect candidate, it’s best to expect the unexpected. 

This is all very subtle: You wouldn’t be giving a job offer to someone who displays all of those signs. It’s only about one or maybe two of them that should make you perk up and consider: Is this potentially someone who might later flake on me? 

So, what can you do when someone is a high-risk no-show candidate? There’s three things I advise: 

1. Bring up your doubts to the candidate directly and candidly. This is DRAMATICALLY underused in my experience. Say “Hey there Sam, I would love to give you an offer, you’ve been great. There’s just this one thing, I wonder if you really are ok with leaving your current job. You seem really happy there. What do you think?” Not only will they appreciate your candor, they will also be taken aback at the impression they left you, and will very likely be honest with you in return. 
2. Meet them in person, if possible. Asking honest questions over lunch or coffee will give you so many more cues than a phone call could. 
3. And finally, if you can do it ethically, keep other candidates warm, ideally until your chosen person starts their job with you. This may not always be possible, but if you can get your number one candidate to start soon, say within a week of the offer, in that case I personally think it’s ok to let other candidates wait. 

I hope this was useful, please let me know in your comments if I have forgotten a major warning sign. 
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You can also download a free checklist on the topic of no-shows and reneges that covers all the five pulses of the five pulse model by clicking on the first link in the comment section. 

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