The job interview is a critical part of the hiring process. It’s your first chance to determine whether you’re a good fit for the company, but it’s also an opportunity to find out if it’s a good place for you to work.
When it comes to making this decision, it’s important to do your research and know what signs to look out for.
There are a lot of red flags that can tell you if an employer is going to be good or bad for you —even if they seem like they’re making everything easy and straightforward.
But, how can you identify them? What are the key warning signs of a bad employer?
Well, don’t worry, I’ve got your back!
In this article, I’ve compiled a list of the most common red flags you should look out for during an interview. If you see any of these, you may want to reconsider your job offer.
Read on!
Red Flags In A Job Interview
1. The interviewer asks uncomfortable or inappropriate questions
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The first red flag is when the interviewer asks you questions that aren’t directly related to your qualifications for the job.
This might be an attempt to get you to talk about yourself and get a sense of your personality and work ethic, but it can also be a way of getting under your skin and making you feel uncomfortable.
These kinds of questions are usually related to religion, sexual orientation, marital status, ethnicity, or any other personal information that’s not relevant to the job. They’re inappropriate when dealing with potential employers – they’re invasive, and they can be discriminatory.
If you find yourself in this situation, the best thing to do is to stay calm and professionally steer the conversation back toward your qualifications. You can also ask your interviewer how the question is related to the position.
If you don’t get a good answer, just excuse yourself and leave the interview.
2. The employer only responds with vague answers
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If you ask a question and the interviewer doesn’t seem to be listening or doesn’t have an answer, that’s a warning sign that they may not be the right fit for you. This means that the employer isn’t interested in what you have to say, or they have other plans for the position that involves someone else.
It can also be a sign that they’re trying to hide something. It could be that they have bad reviews or have been sued for workplace discrimination, or it could be that they just don’t feel like talking about what you’re working on in your interview.
If there is something you want to know about in particular that the employer is avoiding answering, ask them about it directly. You’ll want to do this in a friendly tone so that they don’t feel pressured or annoyed by it – but also be clear about what you’re looking for.
In the end, it’s up to you to decide whether the information is worth pursuing further. But if you feel like there’s something fishy going on, then it’s best to move on from the company and find another one that is more transparent.
Check Out: Worst Job Interview Answers & What To Say Instead
3. The hiring manager makes negative comments about the company and its employees
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Hiring managers are supposed to be impartial and objective in their hiring process, and they should not make comments about companies or employees that could be construed as having an ulterior motive. If this happens, it’s a good idea to think twice before taking the role.
This type of behavior shows that they don’t have respect for their employees and will likely treat you poorly if you work for them.
The best way to approach this situation is to keep your cool and ask them why they feel that way. If you’re polite and respectful, you may be able to get a more accurate picture of what’s going on.
Explore: Best Answers To Weaknesses Question
4. The job description doesn’t match what the interviewer says
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If the job description provided by a potential employer doesn’t match up with what they tell you during the interview, it’s a red flag. They might not have been forthcoming about the job requirements, or they might be misleading about how much money you’ll make.
This could be because they were lying or trying to hide something. It could also indicate an issue with organization or communication, both of which are important to working well together in a team setting.
Either way, you can’t risk taking a job with someone who isn’t honest with you – no matter how great their company sounds on paper.
Also Read: How To Answer “Tell Me About Yourself”?
5. There’s an air of pretentiousness to the entire interview process
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If your employer has an air of pretentiousness or arrogance, it could mean that they are only interested in themselves and their own personal gain – which is a sign of a potentially unhealthy and uncooperative work environment.
This can indicate that they don’t respect their employees enough to treat them like equals. It’s also a sign that they may not be very good at reading people or getting them on board with their vision for the company.
If you see this happening in your interviews, it’s important to take a step back and think about whether this is something you want to deal with as an employee.
Also Read: Signs Your Zoom Interview Went Well
6. The hiring manager seems to be in a rush
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If the hiring manager seems like they’re rushing you through the interview and trying to get you out of their office as soon as possible, chances are they aren’t going to be someone who cares about your time or your well-being.
It’s important to note that this isn’t necessarily a sign that the hiring manager is bad at their job; it could just mean that they are under a lot of pressure, or that they have a lot going on at the moment and need to get back on track quickly.
If you feel like this is happening in your job interview, it’s best to not take it personally and instead focus on what you can do for the company.
You also want to consider asking your employer if they would be okay with scheduling another time for the interview or if there is anything else you can do to help them out.
However, if this happens more than once, then the best thing you can do is leave this job and look for others that will match your needs better.
7. The employer makes subtle discriminatory comments
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This is another huge red flag. If the interviewer makes casual or subtle discriminatory comments, it may be a sign that the person holds biases against you based on your race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender.
For example, if someone says they want to hire you because they think you’ll fit in well with their team, but then says something along the lines of “I know you’re a girl, but I’m sure we could make it work,” it might be worth investigating more closely.
When you feel that a comment is discriminatory, it’s still important to address it directly. If the employer has said something that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe (even if it’s unintentional), tell them so – and then ask what they’d like to do instead.
Another way to handle this situation is to simply ask them why they think it’s necessary for their company to make such remarks in the first place – and then listen carefully for an explanation.
If the employer says something like “it’s just how we do things around here,” or seems genuinely unwilling to change their behavior, consider finding another job!
Check Out: How To Answer “Why Do You Want This Job”?
8. The interviewer put a lot of pressure on you to accept their offer
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If an interviewer tries to push you into taking a position before you’ve accepted it, there are a few things that might indicate that this isn’t the best fit for you:
- They don’t seem like they’re even listening to your answers – they just keep interrupting.
- They try to get around any agreements or contracts between you and another company.
- They try to intimidate you with their status or power.
- They want you to commit immediately and aren’t willing to wait until you’ve had time to think about it.
- They make it sound like there’s no other option for you when in reality they’re trying to force you into taking the job on their terms.
This can be a warning sign of an employment scam or an unhealthy work culture.
If any one of the things above happens during an interview, do yourself a favor and move on! Don’t let someone else control your career destiny by making decisions based on false promises and unreasonable expectations.
Also Read: How To Politely Ask For Salary In An Interview?
9. The interview process is more complex and longer than it needs to be
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Another important red flag that should make you wary about the company is if they make the interview process too long, complicated, or confusing. If you have to spend months interviewing for a position, then there’s probably something wrong with their hiring process, culture, or business model.
A company that makes its hiring process unnecessarily difficult will likely have an unprofessional culture and poor hiring practices. This can contribute to high turnover rates and low morale, which will negatively impact your job satisfaction.
Similarly, if you are subjected to excessive background checks or asked to do a significant amount of free work to evaluate your skills, this can be an indication that the company doesn’t value your time at all.
10. The employer offers you a salary that’s considerably lower than what you expected
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The salary negotiation process in a job interview can be tricky. Employers often make you an offer that’s at the lower end of their salary range, expecting you to negotiate.
And while you may be tempted to accept this initial offer on the spot, it’s important to do your research before accepting any job. Companies should generally be interested in attracting and retaining the best talent, so they should pay their employees a fair salary that reflects their skills and qualifications.
So if your salary offer is significantly below the average for the position, or doesn’t reflect your experience and value, that’s another huge red flag.
This could mean one of two things: (1) either the employer is trying to trick you into accepting less than what you deserve to keep their costs down, or (2) they have unrealistic expectations for your skillset and are only willing to pay you as much as it would cost them to train someone new.
When negotiating your salary, try to understand how the company values its employees’ work. You can ask them why they are offering to pay less than what other companies have been offering when you applied for similar positions.
If they refuse to answer your questions or give some kind of vague explanation as to why they’re offering such a low salary, then there’s no way around it: You have to decline their offer. Don’t settle for less than what you deserve!
11. There is a conflict between your values and the values of the company
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When looking for a job, it’s important to consider whether the values of the company you’re applying to align with your own. If during an interview you find out the position requires you to compromise one or more of your core principles, this is a warning sign of a potential bad employer.
This can be emotionally challenging, which means it could make you unhappy at work or even cause you to leave in the future. So don’t be afraid to ask questions and make sure that you understand where they stand before deciding on whether or not to pursue this opportunity further.
For instance, if inclusion is one of your core values, ask specific questions to evaluate the company’s commitment to this principle. You can ask about the measures they take to ensure an inclusive environment and how they measure their success in this area.
Similarly, if you value honesty and don’t want to get involved with unethical work practices, make sure to ask your potential employer what they think about things like lying or deceiving someone for the sake of sales (e.g., tell a customer that their product is better than it actually is).
12. The hiring manager tries to make you doubt your own perceptions
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If the employer is doing this to you in an interview, it could be because they’re trying to make you feel like there’s something wrong with you that’s keeping them from hiring you.
This can happen when a hiring manager thinks they have found someone who fits their company culture better than the candidate they actually interviewed.
For example, imagine you’re interviewing for a position as a marketing director. You have five years of experience under your belt, but the hiring manager says something like “I see your experience has been more in the field of operations than marketing. You might be a better fit for a junior position.”
In this way, the interviewer is trying to manipulate your work history and experience, creating a sense of uncertainty and doubt.
If this happens, it’s important to keep your cool and not let them get under your skin. In this situation, it’s best to stay as factual and confident in your own experience and skills as possible.
Check Out: Answers To “Why Should We Hire You”?
13. The employer doesn’t know how to talk about their company or their products/services
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If the employer doesn’t know anything about the job or how it should be done, then they probably aren’t qualified to hire someone who could do it well.
It’s not that they’re bad at answering questions; it’s that they don’t have a strong enough understanding of their own company or product/service to be able to talk intelligently about them.
If this is the case, then it’ll be hard for them to be able to give you the kind of feedback that will help you grow in your career. You’ll want someone who can talk about the company with you so that when you ask questions about what it’s like working there, they can answer them from a place of knowledge and experience.
But if they can’t tell you why they love working there, or how it makes them feel, then what good does your new job do for you?
Another problem with this kind of behavior is that it makes it hard to find out if the company is legitimate, or if they’re just looking to scam you. They might also be expecting you to do things that are outside your skill set – like come up with new ideas for products or services.
That’s why, if your employer is someone who has no idea what they’re doing, you should walk away immediately!
14. The hiring manager tells you that overtime is compulsory
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Before you accept an offer, it’s important to consider all aspects of the position – including how many hours you’ll have to work. If you’re told outright that you’ll be expected to work overtime frequently, this is a clear red flag.
This type of request indicates that the employer is not trying to keep up with the pace of business and is looking for ways to cut corners.
In addition, it’s likely that the hiring manager doesn’t understand how important it is for employees to have flexibility in their schedules so they can take care of their personal needs as well as their professional ones.
Keep in mind that, while it is important to get a job, it’s also important to be able to do it without having your life or your health compromised by the hours and hours of work that you’ll need to put in. Working overtime can lead to serious health problems.
15. The interviewer asks for compensation before making you an offer
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This is another warning sign of a bad employer. It means they are only interested in the money, and not whether you’re right for the position or want to work with them.
If you’re asked this at an interview, it can be a sign of dishonesty, as well as poor judgment on their part. Think about it: a serious company would not ask for money upfront to hire someone – that’s just not how it works!
Therefore, be careful if after applying for the offer, you are contacted by the employer to pay something like “administrative expenses”.
For example, in the marketing industry, many scam companies ask you for a deposit of between $40 and $50 to “manage the necessary documentation” so that you can start working with them.
Others want you to pay upfront for any training or materials that may be required in order to start work on the job. If you end up in this situation, leave the interview as soon as you can.
Sum Up
When you are interviewing for a position, you want to make sure that the company is a good fit for your skills, experience, and values. But if you’re not careful, the job search can be a minefield of red flags that point to a potentially awful employer.
That’s why it’s important to be able to spot these warning signs early on, so you can do a little research on your own and make sure that you don’t get stuck working for someone who doesn’t have your best interests at heart.
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