Welcome to The Hero 🗞️. This is approximately a 4-minute read.

You had a great interview.

The candidate has a perfect resume.

And you have a good “gut” feeling…

Three months later:

You’re dealing with missed deadlines, excuses, and drama.

The signs were there. 

You just weren't looking in the right places.

Here's how to keep your eyes peeled - so you avoid bad hires.

The full breakdown is just below - don’t miss it! 😉

Here are some of the best links I’ve found since last time I emailed you: 

7 HR Email Templates Every Hiring Team Needs (link)

13 Cold Recruiting Email Templates That Get Answers (link)

7 Sourcing Techniques on LinkedIn Recruiter Pro and Lite in 2026 (link)

3 Tactics to Nail Sourcing and Outreach (link) 

1000+ Job Description Templates (link)

Job Description Guide & Templates (link)

2026 Talent Acquisition Predictions Lean Into an AI-Human Partnership (link)

"My manager didn't set me up for success."

Translation: nothing is ever my fault.

Meaning - you'll be the next person they blame when things go wrong.

The question that exposes it: "Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently?"

Strong candidates own their part - they'll identify what they could have controlled or done better.

Weak ones keep deflecting. It's always external factors, bad luck, or someone else's failure.

If they won't own mistakes in the past, they won't own them on your team.

"That's just how we did it."

Translation: They didn't think - they followed.

Meaning - your process better be tight!

Strong candidates walk you through tradeoffs.

Weak ones say, "That's what my manager wanted."

If they can't go deeper, they weren't driving decisions - they were along for the ride.

Resume: "Led product launch that increased revenue by 30%."

Interview: "I helped support the launch...”

Translation: They inflated their resume. Those small words make a huge difference.

Strong candidates stay consistent. Weak ones backpedal - "led" becomes "helped," "drove" becomes "supported."

If their story shrinks under scrutiny, they oversold their role.

First-round questions: "What are the benefits?" "How much PTO?"

They care more about the paycheck then the problems you’re looking for them to solve.

They'll also more than likely move on the moment a better offer comes along.

Ask the question: "What excites you about this role - beyond the compensation?"

Strong candidates light up.

They'll talk about the problem(s) they want to solve, the team they want to be apart of, and the impact they want to make.

"I'm exploring options."

Translation: They're hunting for an offer.

Meaning: You're just another application in their pipeline. They'll take the first yes.

The question to ask: "What draws you to this role vs. others you're considering?"

Strong candidates get specific. They'll explain how this role aligns with their skills, interests, or career goals - and why it stands out.

Weak ones stay vague: "It seems like a good fit." "The company looks great."

Generic answers that could apply anywhere.

If they can't explain why they want this role, they don't actually want it…

Red flags aren't verdicts. They're hints.

The goal isn't to catch liars. It's to see what's underneath the rehearsed answers.

The first answer is the performance.

The follow-up is where the real story lives.

You want candidates who can clarify.

The problem is, some dig deeper holes...

Both tell you something.

Good interviews aren't about finding reasons to say yes.

They're about catching the signals that predict regret - before you're three months in dealing with a bad hire.

The best hire you'll ever make is the one you didn't 👀

Stop interviewing for yeses.

And start interviewing for the truth.

There are a few ways:

Or you can just reply to this email.

I reply to absolutely everyone who writes me back 🙂