Red Flags to Avoid When Hiring a Tech SEO

Hiring the right Tech SEO professional is crucial for the success of your clients’ websites and, ultimately, for your agency’s reputation and growth. 

The best Tech SEOs are able to balance and consistently exercise their skillsets in both hard and soft skills, with the correct mindset and approach to their work. 

However, not all candidates will have the skills, flexibility, and insight required to navigate the rapidly changing SEO landscape. 

This, naturally, can hinder your agency’s growth, affect client relationships, your brand reputation, and so much more. 

With this in mind, being able to identify a few red flags or ‘no-go zones’ when hiring your next Tech SEO is important to establish, in order to find the best. 

Here are a few key red flags to watch out for when hiring a Tech SEO.

• Over-reliance on Outdated Tactics
  The SEO world is dynamic, with algorithms and best practices constantly evolving.A successful Tech SEO should stay on top of these changes and abandon outdated practices that can harm a site’s performance.

  Red flag:
  Candidates who reference old-school tactics, such as:

  • • keyword stuffing
    • link farms
    • reliance on tactics that no longer align with search engine guidelines 

All may lack current industry knowledge. 

• Inability to Demonstrate Measurable Success
  A good Tech SEO should be able to showcase specific outcomes from previous roles.Whether it’s traffic growth, improved page speed metrics, or reduced crawl errors, measurable achievements are key indicators of technical expertise and effective problem-solving.

  Red flag:
  If candidates can’t provide case studies, data, or specific examples to back up their claims they may be lacking experience or results-driven focus.

• Poor Communication Skills
  Tech SEOs must be able to translate complex technical insights into understandable terms for clients and non-technical teams.Whether they’re explaining the need for a specific site structure or justifying changes to Core Web Vitals, strong communication is essential for Tech SEOs.

  Red flag:
  Candidates who struggle to:

  • simplify technical language 
  • seem unable to explain concepts clearly during the interview 

May face challenges in conveying their work’s value to other stakeholders. 

• Resistance to Collaboration
  SEO doesn’t operate in isolation; it requires a cooperative approach, especially with teams like content, development, and design.A Tech SEO who actively collaborates can help ensure that technical recommendations align with broader digital strategies and are implemented smoothly.

  Red flag:
  Candidates who have an overly isolated approach may not work well within your agency’s workflow.

  This can lead to bottlenecks or misalignment between SEO and other departments.

• Lack of Adaptability and Willingness to Learn
  A good Tech SEO should be open to learning new tools and techniques and be willing to pivot strategies as needed.Red flag:
  Candidates who appear:
  • Overly rigid 
  • Resistant to new approaches 
  • Show no interest or curiosity in new developments

Might struggle to keep up with industry changes.

Questions to Ask to Identify Red Flags

1. Can you describe a time when you had to pivot your SEO strategy due to an algorithm update?”
   
   Look for answers that demonstrate adaptability and a proactive approach to learning and implementing new strategies. 
2. How do you approach collaboration with the content and development teams?
   
   Look for answers that will highlight collaborative workflows, clear communication, and respect for the expertise of other departments. 
3. What’s a recent SEO trend or tool you’ve integrated into your strategy? 

   This question reveals if the candidate is staying updated on industry trends and actively applying new insights to their work.

4. Could you share an example of a measurable success from a previous role? 

   A strong candidate should confidently discuss quantifiable achievements, demonstrating both expertise and results-driven focus.

5. How would you explain Core Web Vitals to a non-technical client? 

   This question assesses the candidate’s communication skills and ability to simplify technical concepts for non-technical audiences.

When hiring a Tech SEO, it’s important to find someone who is not only technically skilled but also adaptable, collaborative, and results-driven. 

By watching for red flags like outdated tactics, poor communication skills, or resistance to collaboration, you can avoid hiring mistakes that could impact your agency’s success.

If you are looking to save yourself the time of attracting, vetting and hiring a Tech SEO, all while ensuring quality candidates are at your door, SEO for Hire have partnered with and helped hundreds of SEO teams find their next quality teammate. 

If you’re interested in finding out more about how we can assist you in looking for your next Tech SEO, get in touch with the team today.