Jobhunt

Six red flags to watch out for in a job interview

As a young job seeker, you might not be spoilt for choice when it comes to job offers. Still, you need to know whether the position is a good match for you.

This can be very hard to judge. Watch out for warning signs that tell you that some challenges might lie ahead. Once you noticed a red flag, you are able to make an informed decision whether the job is right for you. It still might be. But this way you avoid unpleasant surprises.

Read about six red flags to watch out for in job interviews.

The text "6 red flags to watch out for in a job interview" in front of cracked earth.

Employees say bad things about their boss

In lots of interviews, you get the chance to speak to your future colleagues without the boss present. During these conversations, the employees sometimes say bad things about their boss.

Surprisingly, some bosses even encourage this. They want their team to tell the candidate that they are demanding, difficult to work with, or that they have a strange sense of humor. This way they hope to weed out the candidates who are too faint-hearted. Consider that your future colleagues only say things they would also say in front of their boss. The truth could be even worse. So do not dismiss what they are saying.

The boss says bad things about the other employees

Sometimes the boss says bad things about other employers during your interview. For example when asked why the position is vacant, he or she rants about your predecessor. Or he or she complains about the other employees’ poor work ethic. You might even be expected to whip them into shape or lead by example.

Do not ignore this red flag. Do not fall into the trap thinking you might be immune to such criticism because you are a hard and dedicated worker. Take it seriously. Understand that one day he or she might be complaining about you.

There are competing teams working on the same problem

A little competition does not hurt. But, within one and the same organization this setup shows a lack of trust and cooperation. Instead of working together, to create the best outcome, people are played off against each other. This is not the best way to run any organization or reach any goal.

Besides, imagine what is going to happen to the members of the loosing team. A company that operated this way was Theranos. You can read how disruptive this practice is in the book Bad Blood.

The concept or the business model of the company is unclear

Sometimes the business model of an organization is not clear and is not made clear in the interview. This is not a good sign. Shady businesses harm your career in the long term.

It might be unclear with what kind of company you are dealing. Sometimes the shiny and cool “consultancy” firm turns out to be just a staffing agency. Also, the “projects” are temporary work assignments. There are pros to working for a staffing agency (read more about the pros and cons here). But not being transparent about this from the start leaves a bad taste. What else might be misrepresented?

Bad reviews on glassdoor match what you experience during the interview

A small number of bad reviews on glassdoor are nothing to worry about. Even the best of employer might have the occasional bad review.

Pay attention to the content of the bad reviews. If the complaints on glassdoor alight with what you notice during the interview, they are probably true. Depending what the issue is, you can decide whether you can live with it or not.

They don’t want you on the job you applied for

Being offered a different job than the one you applied for is not necessarily a bad thing. It happens that the position you applied for has been filled and you still get invited to interview for another job opening. This is not unusual and can be a great opportunity for you.

But be aware if you find yourself in a situation where you are asked to retract your original application. You are forced to defend your decision to apply for a certain job. Or you are pushed towards a job you do not really want. This can even happen without prior notification so that you are forced to act without much time to think about these job openings. All this is not only stressful, but also conveys complete disregard for your preferences and wishes. Do not buy into the illusion this attitude will change after you signed an employment contract.

Tagged