Interviewing Mistakes

How to Spot Red Flags Without Talking Yourself Out of Them

Even experienced hiring managers can get it wrong. Interviewing is part art, part discipline—and the cost of a hiring mistake is steep: lost time, culture damage, and wasted salary.

Below are the most common traps we see hiring managers fall into when interviewing technicians, project staff, or service team members. Learn to spot these—and stop them—before a poor hire gets through.

1. Ignoring Gut Feelings (Being Too Reasonable)

Ever finished an interview with a nagging feeling that something was off?

That’s not paranoia—it’s perception. The mistake is talking yourself out of it instead of digging in.

Too many hiring decisions are justified with:

“I had a weird feeling, but everything else looked fine.”

That’s where the trap begins. You start highlighting their positives, discounting red flags, and imagining strengths they didn’t actually show.

Don’t invent positives. If something doesn’t add up, pause the process and clarify—especially if your concern is about attitude, gaps in the story, or unclear outcomes.

2. Filling in the Gaps Yourself

Here’s how a “talker” candidate can steer you off course:

You: “So what happened next?”
Candidate: “I got promoted to Lead Technician.”
You: “Nice—so you must have done really well?”
Candidate: “Yeah, the next year I was assigned to a major hospital upgrade.”
You: “Sounds like a high-trust role.”

Notice what’s missing? Actual results. Verification. The temptation is to fill the gap with your own assumptions:

• “They must’ve been good if they were promoted.”

• “They probably delivered that project well.”

What might actually be happening:

• The "promotion" was a reshuffle because no one else was available.

• The “lead” role was in name only, without any staff reporting or measurable delivery.

• They were later moved out of that project quietly due to underperformance.

Don’t assume. Ask. And verify.

3. Skip the Opinions. Ask About Outcomes.

Instead of asking:

“Were you good at solving faults?”
Try:
“What was your average fault resolution time?”
“How many service calls did you close per day?”
“What systems were you servicing and what KPIs did you hit?”

Strong candidates will have answers—or at least clear examples.

Weak candidates will start storytelling, blaming “the market,” “the client,” or vague factors like “team structure.”

You’re not looking for opinions. You’re looking for proof of consistent output.

4. Don't Fall for Verbal Gymnastics

Some non-performers are very smooth. They’ve had more interview practice than top performers—because they’ve had more jobs.

They’ve read every interview tip online. They mirror your tone. They name-drop. They talk a good game.

But if you can’t pin down their actual results, that’s the tell.

Top performers can usually pull up numbers, timelines, and references.
Non-performers drown you in stories.

Remember: a great talker doesn’t mean a great technician.

5. Look, Don’t Just Listen

This might be the most powerful interview tip you’ll ever use:

Don’t listen for nice answers. Look for things you can prove.

Ask questions that generate verifiable facts. Example:

“Did you lead the commissioning on the Challenger system at the warehouse project?”
“How many Integriti sites have you worked on end-to-end?”
“What size commercial system have you independently installed or programmed?”

You’re listening for answers that can be seen—references, records, scope of works, certifications. Not just stories.

6. Stop “Helping” Candidates

If a candidate fumbles a basic question like:

“What were your key responsibilities in your last job?”

...don’t jump in to guide them:

❌ “So you were probably doing a bit of maintenance, maybe some install too?”

This is how we end up coaching the wrong person into the role.

If they don’t understand the question or can’t explain their own contribution clearly—that’s your signal.

Resist the urge to rescue. If they can’t articulate what they’ve done, they’ll struggle to deliver for you.

Final Word: Trust Yourself, But Ask Better Questions

Interviewing mistakes usually come from one of two things:

1. Overriding your instincts instead of exploring them

2. Asking questions that can’t be verified

The good news? Both are fixable.

Keep your interviews focused on real, repeatable, observable outcomes. Don’t settle for charisma. Don’t interpret vagueness as potential.

Trust your instincts.
Ask better questions.
Follow the proof.

You’ll make stronger hires—and avoid costly setbacks.