Looking for a new job can feel like a job in itself. You spend so much time sending CVs, cover letters, and preparing for interviews that it eventually starts to feel like a chore.
The whole experience can make you so desperate for a job that you start missing potential warning signs that maybe the job on offer isn’t actually that great. When we’re looking for a new employer, we sometimes forget that we should be interviewing them too. Not everything that glitters is gold, especially when it comes to jobs.
It seems that more Brits are realising this as the search term ‘interview red flags,’ has received a 309.87% increase in the past month, according to Google Trends Data.
Fortunately for us, Tayo Ademolu at Translayte.com has shared the 10 job interview red flags to look out for throughout the interview process with HuffPost UK, so you’ll never wish you said no to an offer again.
They leave you waiting
It’s not unusual for employers to be a few minutes late for an interview, especially if they work in a fast-paced environment.
However, some interviewers can leave candidates waiting in Zooms or physical waiting rooms as an act of power play. If your interviewer leaves you waiting without a form of explanation, this might indicate that they tend to exert power.
Downplaying your experience
It’s natural to feel nervous before or after an interview but if you leave a meeting with a potential employer interview second-guessing yourself you might need to assess that.
If you find that your interviewer is downplaying your experience or is surprised at your salary expectations this may be a sign that they’re attempting to dampen your confidence in a bid to gain an exceptional skillset for a lower-than-average salary.
Having several interview stages
Most job interviews will consist of two to three interview stages. However, if each interview lasts several hours, and includes multiple tasks to the point where it feels that you’re working for them for free, you might need to run.
Ultimately, a workplace that is familiar with your CV and references should not feel the need to put you through several interviews.
If the interview is overly extensive, you should consider if it’s a workplace culture that you really wish to be a part of.
Not being transparent with the salary
If you have entered the interview stages, the workplace should be transparent when discussing salaries. If they are increasingly vague, this could be a red flag as it may be lower than the industry standard.
Getting too personal
Part of the interview process is figuring out if a candidate can fit in with the culture of the company. But, it’s not acceptable for an interviewer to ask personal questions.
Asking if you have children (or plan to), your marital status, your age, or your family background are definite red flags.
A work hard, play hard culture
Does the interviewer frequently talk of after-work drinks, drunken Thursdays, or boozy Friday lunches? After-work drinks are great however if the workplace promotes a ‘work hard, play hard’ culture, there may be an unsaid rule that workplace drinks are mandatory and promote an unhealthy work culture.
Too many perks
Instagrammable offices are cool to look at, but you should be careful of companies that are keen to offer perks that have game rooms and free snacks. Are they offering catering throughout the day because they expect you to consistently work overtime?
These places often use perks in place of pay rises too, so you should be wary of that.
Lack of focus during interviews
If the person interviewing you is looking at their phone or taking part in separate conversations, it could be a sign that they don’t respect you or their colleagues in the workplace.
No feedback after the interview
There’s nothing worse than waiting back on the result of an interview. During the interview, you should ask when you expect to hear from them.
If they leave you waiting several weeks, this is a red flag as it may indicate an unnecessary exertion of power, disorganisation, or lack of respect.
Pressuring you to start straight away
So you’ve managed to get the job, congrats! But, is your potential new place of work pushing you to hand in your notice and start?
Any new workplace should understand that you may take a reasonable amount of time to accept the role. Any pushiness from your potential new workplace may highlight an issue within the company.