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1week left
“What’s The Biggest Red Flag You’ve Ever Seen In A Job Interview?” (34 Examples)
Article created by: Rūta Zumbrickaitė
Job interviews are often tricky because they’re the first time the candidate and the company learn about each other and size one another up. However, they are also helpful because they reveal the true nature of the organization and its intentions regarding potential recruits.
That’s why folks who’ve gone in for interviews share the warning signs they observed in order to protect other candidates. These kinds of red flags shouldn’t be ignored because they can signal a lot of problems that run deep within the organization.
More info: Reddit
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#1
The person doing the interview asked me what position I applied for. He was shocked to find out it was his position. The interview didn't go well.
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#2
I once had an interview in a restaurant. It was outside of their opening hours and when I arrived the lights were off, the doors were closed (not doors with a doorknob but those automatic sliding ones), no doorbell existing, and there was seemingly nobody inside.
I called them a few times, got only voicemail, and sent them an email. After waiting for an hour without any response I left.
A few hours later I got a rather annoyed sounding email back. They said that it should have been absolutely obvious that the door was not locked. That I should have pried the sliding doors open to enter and walked to the back to find someone and that it was very unprofessional of me to just leave.
I never would have thought that breaking and entering was the obvious way to go.
#3
They stopped the online interview recording to tell me that what they were trying to say in a roundabout way, is that they do not hire fat or lazy people.
I was completely shell shocked. I was incredibly surprised when they offered me the job, but also with a salary less than they were advertising for.
I declined.
#4
Interviewer asked me why I am the way that I am after one of my responses, lol. I answered. They ask “But why?” and it was clear this person was not interested in my skills but examining me like a specimen. Was desperate and ended up taking the job offer I really didn’t think I’d get. Turned out to be a horrifically manipulative, invasive, toxic office. Go figure.
#5
Made me wait in the lobby for 45 minutes.
After I was hired, I was on the team that interviewed prospects. It was our VPs policy to make candidates wait to see how much they really wanted the job.
It was a toxic place to work. I actually saw coworkers crying at their desk.
I was pretty jaded by that point in my career, so I was able to put up with their shenanigans until a plum offer came along.
They had no clue why turnover was so high.
#6
I was in a first interview that had to ask if I would be okay working in a environment that would involve some woman employees. Would I have a problem working with or even being instructed by them.
The fact that they would even have to ask tells me there's a harsh restructuring of the good Ole boy office underway. Dodged that dumpster fire.
#7
A guy excused himself during the interview to get himself a cup of coffee. Didn't offer me one. I surreptitiously followed him out of the room, he turned left, I turned right and walked out the door and into the parking lot.
#8
Being told the company is like a 'family' is always a red flag 🚩—usually code for unpaid overtime and blurred boundaries. Another one is when they dodge questions about career growth or salary. If they can't respect your time during an interview, imagine how it’ll be on the job!
#9
I interviewed with the two doctors whose office I was potentially being hired to run. They were nice, we hit it off, the interview went well. They called the next day to have me come in for a follow-up interview. It was with their wives. (Who had nothing at all to do with the business.) I did NOT get that job. Thankfully.
#10
Had to go in after 6 o clock to interview and most employees were still there. Start time was 8AM. Ended up taking job and worked 70+ hour weeks until I left.
Asked me to go in for interview on a Saturday.
Another place had a piece of trash in the lobby on the floor that only if a candidate picked it up they “acted as an owner” and would move on to next round.
#12
Interviewing for SpaceX. The phrases "work-life balance" and "i love nature" were both extreme trigger words for them. I was told 15 hrs days were to be expected. I got a call 2 days later saying I wasn't being considered, shocker.
#13
I had an interview for a program that had rotating schedules every 3 months that included day shifts(7-4, 9-6), as well as late shifts (12-9, 1-10). When I asked the manager for the role if those late shifts were sporadic or typically allowed for days off, he snarkily replied, “well, like you were explained, the shifts rotate every 3 months. That means you get a day shift, then 3 months later a late shift, then a day shift again, etc. I would hope that’s something you can understand.”
Manager already classifying basic questions as “not understanding”? Thanks but no thanks dude. I left the interview then and there lol.
#15
When i asked the director if she has a work life balance and she said “i do now since i had a baby”.
that basically told me that she didn’t before.
i turned the offer down bc i value my work life balance.
#16
Showed up on-site for an interview. There was a recruiter there that gave me a friendly greeting, then the guy that was supposed to be interviewing me walked right up to the recruiter (not acknowledging my presence AT ALL) and told her "this isn't going to work, we need to reschedule," then turned around and left, leaving the recruiter to apologize to me and do damage control.
#17
The boss/interviewer kept calling me the wrong name…the third time I just didn’t correct him. No one’s ever been thrown off my name either, pretty common name.
#18
For anyone reading this, if any of interviewers make you feel uncomfortable don't come back.
Had the interviewer keep repeating the same question after I answered it, he kept asking it again as if he's not convinced by the answer I provided.
I should have known he's crazy.
#19
Personal questions that have nothing to do with the role, ie if my kids are old enough to care for themselves if I was asked to travel/work ot, etc. They don't need to know how many times I've been married or what my weekend hobbies are...anything that could cause even a hint of discrimination. Work is not your family, but some orgs still try to pitch it that way in an attempt to create one-sided loyalty.
#20
I was told i had a job, phone interviews etc. i relocated 1000 miles, scheduled the official interview. Person interviewing me was off-putting, and eventually asked me why I wanted to work there. It was then that I told them that I just moved 1000 miles because I was told I had the job. Immediately I could see a realization come over their face, and the tone quickly changed. It also defined the next three years of my life while working there.
#21
I did an interview few years ago. It went really well on my end. At the end, I got the opportunity to ask 3 questions. I asked 3 very simple questions about work and team. But the manager for the team I was interviewing for refused outright to answer my questions which was unbelievable. Another manager (higher) stepped and answered my 3 questions very easily. That was a major red flag. I took the job and it turned out the team manager that didn't answer questions proved difficult to work with and a complete control freak.
#22
They called me at 20:00. I missed the call because I had no reception in that parking lot. They left a voicemail saying „Call us back.“
I called them back and they said, „Because you didn’t immediately answer your phone, we’ve decided not to continue with your application. We need people we can rely on.“ lol.
#23
I asked if there would be formal training on their computer system, and the interviewer looked at me like I was an idiot. “Of course there will be training. There’s always training at a new job.” She said it so condescendingly.
The last two jobs I was at had no training. They just sat you next to someone to watch them work. I wanted to correct her assumption but didn’t waste my breath. This was obviously a place I would not want to work.
#24
Went for a lead role and the manager wanted to pay me as a lead but not make official, I was to follow the current lead for a while to pick up all I could then they would fire her and then make me lead.
POS manager, POS company.
#25
Got invited to an interview at a local branch location by the central corporate office. When I showed up there, noone at the branch knew anything about an interview and the manager wasn't even in that day. They told me to come back the next day when the manager would be in. When I arrived at the same time the next day, the manager told me she had just hired someone else for the position.
#26
The whole team was so excited about bringing me on board! I thought that was a good thing until I saw the actual situation. Everyone was extremely overextended. The company has finally agreed to one new low level team member. However, what they needed were five more people, not one. They expected hiring one person would solve all the team's problems, and when I didn't I got s**t for it.
#27
There are just so many red flags in the recruitment process, but one thing I've been noticing lately is particularly concerning for remote positions: when they ask you to complete a test that requires creating a long piece of content. I've experienced this twice, and afterward, the recruiter simply disappeared. I feel that some recruiters may be using this tactic to collect free ideas, so I've decided not to participate in these types of assessments anymore.
Apart from this, other red flags include:
* They make you wait for a long time
* The office doesn't look good and the people don't look happy
* They are unfriendly in the interview
* They ask you stupid questions like "How do you see yourself 5 years from now?".
#28
I had an interview at a coffee shop instead of the office. And they didn’t want to call it an “interview” but just getting to know each other (should’ve been my first clue).
Anyway the first day I saw the office was on my first day, it was over a cigar shop and my office smelt like cigars all day long that it started giving me regular headaches. It looked like they had just moved in with lights not working/nothing hung on the walls.
When I asked if they just moved in, they said no they’ve been there for years. Ended up being one of the most toxic environments I ever worked.
#29
They were bothered I didn't have immediate access to high school transcripts while I pointed out I have a Masters degree.
#30
I had an interview in another time zone so got up early to prepare, have coffee, have breakfast, go for a walk, review my notes, etc.
Show up on the zoom call early, nobody joins. Stay on for maybe 20-30 more minutes hoping that they were just running late. Still nothing. I had to find their HQ number and call in to request to talk to the HR person and they just forgot and had to reschedule.
I got the job and it ended up being disorganized (shocker), but one of the coolest jobs I've ever had, so no regrets.
#31
I was told midway through an on-site (by someone in leadership) that I probably wasn’t getting the job. It seemed rude to just walk out so I figured I’d get some practice and finish out the day. Afterwards they sent me an offer. I think either one guy didn’t want to hire me and was trying to throw me off, or they say this to everyone to gauge their response.
#32
Changing the role I was interviewing for half way through the interview should have been that red flag unfortunately It was right at the start of my career. The job changed every week I was there and they never followed through with any of their contractually agreed requirements including pay (they had a collective agreement that outlined pay scale quite clearly that was changed through union negotiations half way through my employment, they decided not to honour it. I decided to tell them to shove it)
I now work externally as a stakeholder in their business and see them regularly.
#33
I had a supervisor tell people she "rubbed people the wrong way" in an interview. I left shortly after that. We were re-organized and put in her group and I couldn't even stand her for 2 months after being at the company 10 years.
#34
I was doing a mock QBR, and one of the interviewers, who would have been my boss, started yelling objections, literally yelling, and abruptly left the Zoom in the middle of me talking. I was told it was a test because "that's how QBR's go.".
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