RED FLAGS IN AN INTERVIEW

We always seem to hear about the things that an interviewer should look out for when interviewing a candidate, but what are the red flags that a candidate should be looking out for? These are things that a candidate should pick up on that may suggest to them that maybe this job isn’t right for them.

Firstly, the job description was very ambiguous and during the course of the interview, the interviewer continuously deflects or avoids talking about a specific job role. You want to be entering this job with a clear picture of what is to be expected of you, and you don’t want any nasty surprises down the line when your job role acquires lots of extra tasks. If they can’t explain the job role clearly, speak up and ask your own questions regarding the role.

The job doesn’t yet have a fixed/defined salary. This could be a lie, or they want to interview other candidates to see who they can hire for the lowest salary. No company will begin the recruitment process without having some idea of what they want to pay the candidate. Maybe the company has hired a recruiter so that they can get a range of candidates to see what they are expecting as a base salary. Or, the interviewer is hoping that the candidates are keen and will underbid themselves if they don’t know what the salary is.

Maybe they have admitted that the salary is at the low end of the scale, but they keep telling you that there are some fantastic benefits. Maybe they are good benefits, but is that why your salary is low, because the company is shelling out for those ‘fantastic benefits’. You have to ask yourself if the benefits are what you need. Do the benefits suit the needs of people who are parents, for example, flexitime. If this isn’t something that you necessarily need, then are you missing out on a larger pay?

The interview process may be either far too long, or far too short. These should both come up as red flags. If the interview is too short, it shows that the interviewer hasn’t taken the time to ask you enough questions to see if you are the right fit for the job. Maybe they have been looking for someone to fill this position for a while and they just want to get it over and done with. You don’t want to settle with a company that will hire anyone and isn’t recognising you for your skills. If the interview feels a little short, try asking your own questions. Maybe the interviewer hasn’t even taken the time to look at your CV, this is probably a sign of things to come. On the other hand, if the interview process is far too long and rigorous, this could be a glimpse of what working life at this company could be like.

They interviewer may be giving too much information, or are asking inappropriate questions. You don’t need to know the reason why they are hiring a replacement for Sharon from HR. If the interviewer is gossiping during the interview, imagine what the working environment could be like! If they ask any inappropriate questions, you don’t have to answer them. The may be asking them to provoke emotion and see how you react, but this is an interview about your employability, not your personal life.

If you notice that everyone in the office is relatively new, this is another red flag. Usually happy people don’t leave their job, so a large turnover in the office could suggest that there is widespread discontent. Assess the others in the office and see how long they’ve been there, or how long they stay for.

Stay alert for these red flags and make sure that the company you get a job with is the right one for you.