10 Interview Red Flags That Mean 'Don't Take The Job'

Are you looking for a career change? Or want to get out of your current position? Before accepting a job offer from a new employer, looking out for “red flags” during the interview process that hints that you should move on is essential. A person asked an online community what red flags people should look out for in a job interview that shows that that company isn’t the best place to be. Here are the responses from other users.

1. Offer Generous Severance Packages

Companies typically offer severance packages to those who are let go. However, this one user shared that they told him about their generous severance packages during his initial interview, which only implied the company had a high turnover rate. Another person shared that their interview had a presentation “showing the duration of payout vs. time working [at the company].”

2. Weren’t Expecting You To Show Up

It begins getting sad when the hiring managers give up hope on candidates. For example, a person shared that the hiring managers showed up 30 minutes late because “they weren’t expecting me to show up after the first three hires never came to work.” In addition, they tried to hire him on the spot and convince him to work in a different department he didn’t apply for.

3. Asking How Many Family and Friends You Can Bring In

A user was asked during the interview to “provide a contact list of no fewer than a hundred friends and family.” And, No. This company wasn’t an MLM. Instead, it was an insurance company. However, another user said that “a lot of supplemental insurances are set up like MLMs.”

4. Overtime Is Implied

Setting limits and knowing when to call it a day is always good. However, even though working overtime isn’t mandatory, some companies expect this “professional time.” For example, a person shared that the hiring manager informed him, “Overtime isn’t mandatory, BUT most folks stick around after hours most days.”

Another person added that sometimes it isn’t the managers expecting you to work overtime, but your co-workers. This person said, “Your co-workers will shame you for “leaving early” if you leave right when your working time is over.”

5. Work Weekends For Free

People tend to save their weekends for their personal time. But, on the other hand, some can’t help but work on the weekend. And, if they work on the weekend, they expect to get paid. However, this user shared that their interviewer asked if he would have trouble working for free on weekends. But, when he said he wanted to be paid to work on the weekend, the interviewer “got really mad…and ended the interviewer right away.”

6. Over Promising

Perks are a way for companies to make an offer more attractive on top of the base pay. And, yet, when a company is overly eager to agree to any of your requests, that might be a red flag. For instance, one user said, “No job will have everything you want, and if your gut is telling you they seem to be promising a bit more than they can offer, they likely are.”

Another user said, “If they overpromise to you, they will overpromise to clients, and then you get overworked.”

7. You’ll Be Wearing Many Hats

New hires want to show they can handle new challenges and responsibilities. However, a red flag another user wished they had paid attention to was the phrase, “You’ll be wearing many hats.” Over time, he realized they would give him the work of four positions and the wage of one.

8. Required to Buy Clothes With Company Logo

Some companies expect their employees to look united by wearing the same uniform. However, this user said he was required to wear clothing with the company logo. In addition, the employee was responsible for paying for the company clothes themselves.

9. Someone Quits While You’re Interviewing

It’s not motivating when someone walks in and resigns during your interview. A user shared that during their interview, “One of the lower managers comes in and hands in their keys.” They did say they weren’t surprised because the company already had a reputation for mistreating their employees.

10. You’re Applying For The Interviewers Job

Interviews are a great opportunity to ask your hiring manager questions to get to know them better. But it’s awkward when you learn you’re applying for a job to replace the interviewer. Unfortunately, that happened to this user when he bumped into the hiring manager months later to find out the company was looking for the manager’s replacement.