More than 40% of U.S. workers have had a negative job interview experience. In today’s competitive job market, there is news of layoffs every day. It might be tempting to jump at every offer. Yet, bypassing the red flags of a bad interview, will only lead to headaches later on. A toxic company culture might be filled with bad bosses, micromanagement, poor communication, or lack of support for staff.
A bad interview is not always the responsibility of the interviewee. Sometimes, it boils down to an untrained or unskilled interviewer or, even worse, a not-so-great or healthy company culture. Here are five red flags that would put off a job seeker after an interview:
Not Sharing Salary
Salary is one of the main factors for job seekers when they apply for jobs. So when a company or interviewer is vague or inconsistent about job salary, it is an instant red flag.
When you are on the job market, be wary of a job that does not disclose salary information. This might indicate issues with transparency within the company or potential money issues.
Irrelevant or Inappropriate Questions
A bad interview is often synonymous with bad interview questions. HR expert and founder of Balangize, Lashaunique Plummer, explained that interviewers who are poorly trained or prepared create bad interviews.
“If an interviewer is untrained or even just plain distracted, they’ll ask terrible questions,” she said.
A properly trained interviewer will avoid asking questions that are overly personal or irrelevant. These types of questions can easily veer into bias or disregard for DEI, which will easily turn-off candidates. This is especially true in today’s job market where an inclusive company culture is a key factor for job seekers.
Frequently Rescheduling the Interview
When a potential employer constantly reschedules an interview, it can easily signal inconsistency. It’s never ideal to work for a boss or at a company that does not follow through on their promises.
It can also signal a lack of structure. Job seekers should heed this red flag. Companies without proper structures will likely not provide support for their employees.
Negative Talk During Interview
Interviews should be professional. No one likes to hear someone talk poorly about their colleagues, especially during a job interview. If you’ve ever had to sit through an hour-long interview and hear someone complain, it is not ideal.
Job seekers should be extra cautious when an interviewer is openly disrespectful of coworkers. This can indicate a toxic work culture where there might be instances of bullying, harassment, toxic leadership, or an “us versus them” mentality. You said goodbye to cliques and mean girls in high school. Pay attention when an interviewer brings the drama to an interview.
False Advertising in Job Posting
Another red flag is when a job sounds different from what was initially advertised. This might include a different salary range or a completely different set of responsibilities. If the list of responsibilities has seemingly expanded on the job interview, this might indicate a lack of boundaries.
While taking initiative in the workplace is good, you’ll likely take on responsibilities that are not within the scope of your role. If you accept a job like this, you might quickly find yourself overworked and burnout.