You are excited about the interview. You have conducted your research and know about the company, interviewer, and how you can be of value. You are ready.

But now that you are in the interview, something is not right.

Sometimes we dismiss what we see and feel because we want the job so much. Doing this can be a big mistake. The people in the hiring process should be on their best behavior during the hiring process.

After all, unless there are many more applicants than jobs, they should want to impress you so that you choose their organization from the other options available. And even if it is not a candidate's market, employers should still want to create a positive impression about the company as part of their brand image.

So if something seems off, it could be a potential red flag. 

Please don't dismiss it. 

Possible Red Flags

If something doesn't seem right, it is good to note it and how it might impact your ability to do your job, have good relationships with your manager and peers, and feel good about the organization's culture. 

Don't assume this is a one-off situation. Often, it is a symptom of more significant issues within the organization. Only you can decide if it is significant enough for you to want to back out of the hiring process.

1. A DISTRACTED INTERVIEWER

Whether a virtual interview or in-person, it is always challenging when your interviewer seems distracted. It could be turning away from you when you are speaking, looking at their phone, or even taking a phone call during your interview. 

Why is this a problem?

• You deserve the interviewer's full attention during an interview. If this is how this individual operates, will you routinely not get their full attention?

• The behavior is rude. The person is signaling that your time is not valuable.

• What does this say about the company culture? Are rudeness and disrespect tolerated at this organization?

2. VAGUE OR EVASIVE RESPONSES TO YOUR QUESTIONS

You have important questions about culture or management style, and you get a non-response response. You may even ask follow-up questions, but the answer does not provide insight into the question you specifically posed.

Why is this a problem?

• The person does not want to answer the question. Why won't they answer it, and what are they hiding?

• Perhaps the person doesn't know the answer. Is it something they should know? And if they don't know the answer, why don't they say so.

3. AGGRESSIVE INTERVIEWERS

You may have experienced an aggressive interviewer. All the questions are tough ones (tough questions are certainly fair game in an interview), but asked with a direct and even accusatory tone that puts you on the defensive. Same as the "interrupting interviewer," this can be used as a strategy to see how you behave under pressure.

Why is this a problem?

• What is this job like that they need to see how I react in this type of situation? If this will be typical of my interactions, do I want to work in this environment?

• If not purposeful, it could be symptomatic of the personality of this particular interviewer. If this is how this individual conducts themselves when they don't know me, will they act the same way (or worse) when I have to work with them?

4. A HIRING MANAGER WHO TALKS A LOT DURING THE INTERVIEW

A good rule of thumb is that the interviewer should be talking 20% of the time and the candidate around 80%. The point of the interview is to have a conversation that helps the interviewer assess whether you are a fit for the job and organization. Therefore, you should be speaking the majority of your time together.

Why is this a problem?

• You are being given a "courtesy interview," and you will not be considered for the role. This can be for political reasons (you are a referral), or the interviewer has changed their mind about your fit for the position. You are scheduled for an interview for appearance's sake.

• The hiring manager is a talker and wants to hear themselves talk rather than what you have to say. Some individuals love to talk. You can expect this same behavior in meetings and one-on-one situations. Does that work for you and the type of relationship you want to have?

• The interviewer is not trained and doesn't know what to ask. This can indicate that managers are not given much support to do their job. It could suggest that the expectation is for employees to be very self-sufficient. Are you okay with this level of support?



5. A HIRING MANAGER THAT INTERRUPTS YOU OFTEN

You are answering a question, and the interviewer interrupts you to interject a thought or ask other questions. While this can be a technique that an interviewer uses to redirect you or stop you from rambling, this can be very troublesome if this often happens during an interview.

Why is this a problem?

When an interviewer interrupts you often, it can be a sign of the following:

• A too talkative manager (see above).

• They want to put you through a stress interview, where you are made uncomfortable so that the interviewer can see how you respond. Are constant interruptions the norm for communications, both internally and externally? If so, are you comfortable with this?

• The manager may not realize they are doing this. Some people are very excited about the topic that they want to share their thoughts. While this excitement can be good, the constant interruption and lack of awareness about the impact on you can be problematic. Are you willing to put up with this communication style, especially from a boss?

Note: This can also be a red flag when you are in a panel interview (more than one interviewer is present), and your interviewers interrupt each other. Take note of the dynamics between these two individuals. How might this dynamic impact you?

6. INTERVIEWS STARTING LATE (10-15 MINUTES OR MORE)

Anyone can run late, but it is especially important when trying to make a good impression on a candidate to start your meeting, especially a virtual one, on time. This can be a red flag if you find your interviewer running late, especially if it happens more than once or with no apology.

Why is this a problem?

• Running late can be a sign of disrespect for your time. If the interviewer doesn't care about your time now, will they care about your time when employed?

• Running late can be a sign of poor planning or too many meetings. Did this individual not appropriately plan their calendar or were unable to leave a meeting when it was supposed to end? Does this individual not have much control over their calendar, and how might that impact you?

7. INTERVIEWERS WHO DO NOT READ YOUR RESUME

Have you ever been to an interview when it is apparent that the interviewer knows nothing about you, that they hadn't read your resume, or only did a glance five minutes before the start of the interview? This can be a red flag.

Why is this a problem?

• Your potential job and relationship may be unimportant to this individual. If hiring you was very important to this individual, they would have taken the time to prepare for the interview.

• If, when employed, you would need to have a productive relationship with the individual, but they did not have time to prepare for the interview, it could be a sign that there is too much work and not enough support to get it done. Perhaps there is a lot of "fire fighting" going on in the organization, and this individual had to prioritize what is urgent over what is important.

8. THE INTERVIEWER USES CLICHE STATEMENTS THAT MIGHT MEAN SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT

Some interviewers use cliched statements that they think will impress you and make you want to join the organization. If you hear any of these, probe further because the reality could be incompatible with what you need in an organization to thrive.

Why is this a problem?

• "Wearing a lot of hats." It could mean that they do not have enough resources for you to get the job done, or you will find you are constantly multi-tasking.

• "We want people to be self-starters." This could indicate a lack of sufficient onboarding and training for new people and a general lack of support.

• "We are like a family." This could indicate that, like a family, there can be a lack of boundaries and a lot of personal drama.

• "We want everyone to put in 110%." This could indicate there is little work-life balance.

9. VAGUENESS ABOUT THE ROLE

When you ask for specifics about the role, you may find that what you hear is not concrete examples of the type of activities you will be involved in but generalizations or vagueness about the position.

Why is this a problem?

• If the manager can't describe the job, does the manager know what they need and want? You need to ask yourself how you can be successful if the manager doesn't have a clear idea of what needs to get done.

• Is the organization more about action and less on planning? The organization may have a culture of figuring it out as you go. Is that something that makes you comfortable?

• Is the job a scam? Some unscrupulous organizations post positions with vague requirements to get personal information from applicants.

10. YOU ARE ASKED INAPPROPRIATE QUESTIONS

During the interview, you get questions about subjects such as childcare arrangements, the religious institution you attend, or when you graduated from high school. Questions should be work-related and not about anything highly personal.

Why is this a problem?

• Some questions are straight-up illegal to ask in the US and other countries. Does the interviewer know that the question is illegal and asks anyway, or do they simply not know?

• Is there potential bias in the questioning? How is the question relevant in determining your ability to do the job? Why would it be asked?

11. THE INTERVIEW IS SHORT

You are expecting a 60-minute interview, but instead, at about the 35-minute mark, the interviewer appears to be wrapping things up.

Why is this a problem?

• Shorter than expected interviews are not a good sign for the candidate. If the interview uses less time than allotted, this could indicate that they are not interested in hiring you. An interview has quickly decided you are not the right fit and doesn't want to waste time by continuing with the interview.

12. VAGUENESS ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS IN THE HIRING PROCESS

If you hear something like, "we'll get back to you" or "wait to hear from us on how we will proceed," this may indicate the interview might not have gone well.

Why is this a problem?

• Vague responses could mean that they are undecided about you or have ruled you out. Usually, if the interviewer is favorably impressed, you will get a more definitive response about possible next steps since they want to keep you excited about the role and organization.

• A vague response could also mean that the interviewer does not know the next steps in the hiring process. This could mean that interviewers have not been briefed about the process. This could indicate possible communication issues or a disorganized talent acquisition team.

Note: Sometimes, the interviewer is not the decision-maker about whether you move forward in the process (such as with peer interviews). Therefore, there may be some discussion afterward to determine how each interviewer felt about the candidates to see who moves forward. Hence, their response to you is a bit of hedging before they know if others want to move you forward.

13. TAKE-HOME ASSIGNMENTS THAT REQUIRE MANY HOURS OR DAYS

Take-home assignments can be an excellent way to demonstrate your skills and abilities. They can be helpful, especially for those who may not interview well. But exceeding long take-home assignments can be a problem.

Why is this a problem?

• Are they trying to get free work from you that they would typically have to pay a consultant or someone in the company to do? Some organizations have been known to use the work that a candidate has completed as part of a pre-hiring assignment and use it for commercial purposes.

• Is this the best use of your time? Time doing this work is time away from other job search activities that could have a higher ROI.

14. ALL THE PEOPLE WHO INTERVIEW YOU HAVE A SHORT TENURE WITH THE ORGANIZATION

Except in a recently founded company, where everyone would be new, interviewing with people who only have had a short tenure with the company could be a red flag.

Why is this a problem?

• High turnover can indicate bad things are happening within the organization that could impact your success. If the team is all new, is it because the manager has poor skills and is causing people to leave? Is the organization under-resourced?

• With high turnover comes a loss of institutional knowledge. Do people you will work with know your potential clients, how to use the technology, or the backstory with problem employees. You can overcome this lack of knowledge, but it does make things harder.

Conclusion

Everyone wants to have a positive interview experience. Sometimes, though, things will be said or done during an interview that you should not ignore. It may mean nothing, or it may mean something significant. Many people are so excited about an opportunity that they do not pick up on actions happening in front of them. Don't be that person. Be aware, and if you see anything that doesn't look or feel right, don't dismiss it. Think long and hard about what you saw and what it might mean. It could save you from making a big career mistake.

Shelley Piedmont is a job search coach. She wants to help job seekers put their best foot forward by providing the tools for a successful job search. If you need career coaching, resume preparation, interview skills assessment, or LinkedIn profile assistance, she can help. Schedule a 15-minute no-obligation consultation.