Building a Team from Scratch

You've done it — you've pulled the trigger on adding a new member to your team. Every business wants to make sure that the people they hire are the best, but exceptions are going to happen. How do you minimize the possibility that your shooting star isn't a falling star? Here are ten signs you may need to re-evaluate a new hire's employment.

1. Their Appearance
   The way a person tends to their personal grooming says a lot about their habits. If they pay attention to the way they look, their grooming, and their cleanliness, it is very likely they will pay the same attention to detail in their work.
2. Unverified Abilities
   This person doesn't have the skill set they claimed! They are unable to competently display the talents necessary for the job they landed. This results in a massive waste of resources.
3. The Complainer
   Nothing is ever good with these people, and they have no problem sharing that feeling with whoever is within earshot. A dark cloud seems to form if they stand in one place too long, and the area around them seems to become chilly.
4. The Subject of Complaint
   "Water-Cooler" chat between employees will reveal a problem quickly. These are voices that will chorus if there is a discordant note in the harmony of the office, and it will not take very long to become apparent. Friction caused by a rough individual will only cause morale to decline.
5. The Social Media Minion
   The new hire has ALL the trending social media accounts and loves to share the intimate details of their life, work included, on the internet. This is not bad if they can refrain from putting sensitive company information online, or can avoid doing this while being paid to work on company time.
6. Tardy/Absent
   If this person cannot be where needed, when needed, they are certainly no longer needed.
7. The "I" in Team
   Many issues will arise that require adaptability and necessitate working together in a coordinated fashion. This person is likely to respond to tasks by saying something to the effect of "That's not my job." If this person is not willing to make an effort to cooperate and assist, it shows what a manager can expect when it is a critical time.
8. Evasive and Vague
   This person cannot provide clear and direct answers to questions. They change the subject or deflect the inquiry to avoid having to answer. This behavior smacks of dishonesty.
9. No Follow-up/through
   The proof is in the details. This person is not able to keep track of small details, and that keeps the bigger picture out of focus. They do not meet goals or deadlines and create more disruptions. They repeatedly ask the same questions and make the same mistakes again and again. This person requires a lot of hand-holding for tasks they should already be familiar with.
10. Gut Feeling
    You can call it intuition or a sixth sense, but everyone, at one time or another, has gotten that feeling in "the pit of their stomach." It is usually when a decision you made later proved bad. That is the voice that usually warns you that something is amiss and you should probably leave it alone. Listening to that voice has prevented more than one problem.

Bottom Line:  Businesses rely on managers to find good people to deliver the daily output. Many managers are so pressed for time that they must compromise and settle for whatever comes through the door. Being able to recognize the signs that a problem is developing after you have already brought a new hire on board will help keep your workspace operating with excellence.