Even though the interview process is a time for the employer to know the right candidate for them. However, it is also the time for the candidate to know whether they will fit well in the company. And whether the interview is in-person or virtual, there are always interview jitters in the candidate. This makes them forget that they are also supposed to gauge the interviewer or employer to know if they are the best for them. A simple thing like the interviewer’s body language can go a long way in helping you know whether the company is the right fit for you. Hence, you must take note of red flags. In this article, we will discuss some red flags you should look out for during the interview to know whether you should accept an offer from them or move on from them.
10 Interview red flags
1. The interviewer seems unprepared.
As you have prepared for the interview, so also the interviewer ought to have prepared. They should have gone through your CV and not looked disorganized when interviewing you. If they are unprepared, it might be because they have loads of applicants, hence, they do not have enough time for each applicant. Besides, the interviewer should not come late for the interview. You as a candidate came early and so they should not delay you further by coming late. Although we all seem to fall behind the time once in a while. But if they came late and do not offer any explanation or apology, that means they do not value your time. And that is a major interview red flag.
2. No Solid job description.
Usually, the interviewer is supposed to give you a full description of what the job entails during the interview. So if there is no solid job description, it is an interview red flag. It could mean that they do not know what they want. And if eventually, you fail to meet their expectations when they hire you, you might be fired. Hence, the interviewer must give you the full job description during the interview. They should be able to tell you who you will be working for/with, what they expect from you, and so on. If they do not tell you, then ask, otherwise you are setting yourself up for failure.
3. Use of corporate buzzwords.
When an interviewer uses corporate jargon or buzzwords, then you should be careful as that is a major red flag. For instance, if they tell you they want a self-starter, that means they are not ready to train you. “Hungry” could mean that you will be underpaid. “All in” could mean they want you every time, not minding the time and day. They use all these words to get you excited as if it is of great quality. However, what they really mean is not exciting. So before you get excited, ask further questions when you hear all these corporate buzzwords.
4. Have no respect for your personal commitment.
If an interviewer has no respect for your personal commitment, they could schedule an interview at odd hours. This might not be an interview red flag when it comes to remote hiring, especially if there is a time difference. But it could be a major red flag for an in-person interview. It could be that the job is fake or they are desperate to fill the position. If they are desperate, it means they are not willing to wait for the right candidate, they just want someone who could do the job. However, when the right candidate shows up, they might dismiss you. So as good as it is that employers are excited to hire you, they should not pressure you into an interview ASAP.
5. Give vague answers to valid questions.
At the end of every interview, job seekers should ask questions from the interviewer. And if you ask a valid question but the interviewer is giving a vague answer then that could be an interview red flag. They should be able to give sound answers to each of your inquiries.
6. The interviewer does not ask you questions.
An interview is not all about “tell us about yourself and why do you think you are a good fit for this position?” There is more to interviews, and the interviewer should be prepared to ask a series of questions that are related to the job you are applying for. For instance, if you are applying for a managerial role, they should be able to ask questions about your managerial skills. If they are not asking questions, then that is one of interview red flags. It could be that they do not have an interest in you.
7. The interview process is too short.
While it is good that interviewers should speed up the hiring process so that they will not lose the right candidate. It does not mean that the interview process should be super short. For instance, two or three rounds of interviews are okay to know the right fit. A super short interview could mean they do not care who they hire as long as they fill the vacant position.
8. Disorganized Hiring Process
No matter how many applicants a company gets, the hiring process must be organized. They may make one mistake or the other (HR managers are human). But that does not mean that your interview invite should carry another person’s name. Hence, if the hiring process is disorganized, it is a major red flag.
9. High turnover rate
Apart from startups, you should meet with employees that have stayed long in a company. If you notice that most of the employees are new (within the last 6 months), it means they do not last long. It is one of the interview red flags you should pay attention to during the interview.
10. Behaves Unprofessionally
Another interview red flag is when the interviewer behaves unprofessionally. For instance, if they say something inappropriate or rude about you or someone else, then you might like to reconsider.
Final Thoughts
Although noticing interview red flags does not mean that you should outrightly reject a job offer. But if you are not comfortable with any red flag you notice during the interview, you might consider moving on in your job search.
