10 Ways to Identify a Toxic Employee From the Interview

Toxic employees are those who are never satisfied, constantly complain about something, incite other colleagues to contradictory discussions, and do not channel their energy productively. The toxic employee must be seen as a rotten apple, not only is he not a model employee, but he also pulls down those he works with. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can identify such an employee right from the recruitment stage so that you can avoid them - here they are:

1. Ask smart questions so you can draw conclusions

During the interview, the candidate asks what were the things he liked least about the previous job. This way, you will know whether or not he has a healthy mindset. If the answers are received to make you think, it means that you have to be very careful.

2. Ask him out well if he is no longer absorbed in the connection

The toxic employee always considers himself a victim and never takes the blame for things that go wrong. From the way he tells you about the unpleasant situation in which he was put, you will know if he adopts the position of the victim. People who suffer from persecution mania should be avoided because it only causes problems at work.

3. Ask him questions about the future

Ask the candidate where he sees himself over 5 and 10 years old, respectively, from a professional point of view. If he is seen working in another field or another country, it is clear that you cannot rely on him in the long run. Orient yourself to an employee who sees himself evolving in the company he came to for this interview because it is clear that he wants a long-term collaboration.

4. Ask for recommendations

Use the LinkedIn platform to connect with people who have worked with the candidate you are interviewing. Ask questions about his professional activity. Even if no one says very bad things about a former colleague, you can read between the lines to understand how things were in the past.

5. Organize an interview in several stages

A one-day staged interview will help you get to know the candidate better. This is because when fatigue and stress build-up, it will be much harder for him to filter out all the things he says and he will be more honest.

6. Ask him to tell you in a few minutes, in turn, about all the jobs you have

 History repeats itself, so it's good to know what jobs the candidate had in the past, but also why he gave them up. In this way, you will be able to form an opinion quite close to reality.

7. Use trap questions

Surprise your interviewee with a tricky question. Usually, he prepares a lot of answers for the questions he knows you will ask him. But if you take him out of his comfort zone with an unusual and unexpected question, you will get at least an interesting answer. So, the candidate asks, "Why shouldn't I hire you?" The answer will be very helpful.

8. Ask questions about the team he has worked with in the past and listen carefully to the answer

If he answers such questions with "I" and focuses only on personal success, you may be dealing with an egocentric person who does not have very good results when it comes to teamwork.

9. Pay attention to the things he complains about

The employee who complains constantly is not to the liking of any employer. It is okay for a candidate to complain about the things he disliked, but the way he poses the problem is very important. If you think he is complaining too much, avoid him.

10. Find out about the most beautiful moments from your former job

In general, people tend to remember only the negative things about their former job. Ask the candidate about the good times. If he tells you they didn't exist, you should ask him a question mark. But if it is about lunch with colleagues, office parties, or teambuilding, it means that he is a sociable employee, able to create connections with the people he works with.