It’s important to check references.
Teddy’s resume looked impressive. He had the education and the experience to get through the first round of cuts. And he was open and personable in the interview.
However, when I called one of his references, her translator said “Good luck getting Teddy to work for you!”
I flagged the translation as ambiguous, and the translator dug a bit deeper for me.
Her tone wasn’t “Teddy will never accept the job” or “I hope Teddy accepts the job.”
Instead, the reference suggested it’s hard to motivate Teddy to do any work.
I shredded his file.