Wouldn't you like to know how to recognize a bad workplace from the moment you start your interview process?
The job search is a distracting and busy time. At first, you’re excited about all the possibilities: a name brand company, a higher salary, a more prestigious title. Those perks make you happy for a while, but eventually, the shine wears off—and you start to question the bigger picture.
You're forced to admit the company culture is a bad fit for you. In hindsight, you realize that the warning signs were probably there from the beginning—you just didn’t want to see them.
Think about an interview like a first date. You and your potential new company are evaluating each other to see if there’s a fit. Here’s how to spot the red flags before accepting a job offer (and long before you’re settled at your new desk).
Table of Contents
- Red Flag #1: Communication Is Unclear
- Red Flag #2: The Interviewer Gossips About Current Or Former Employees
- Red Flag #3: The Interview Seems Too Short
- Red Flag #4: The Interviewer Gaslights You
- Red Flag #5: HR is Non-Existent Or Not Respected
- Red Flag #6: The Interviewer Asks You Personal, Illegal, Or Irrelevant Questions
- Red Flag #7: The Interviewer Evades Your Questions
- Red Flag #8: The Interviewer Is Vague About The Job Description
- Red Flag #9: The Hiring Manager Uses Too Much Business Jargon and Buzzwords
- Red Flag #10: You Feel Pressured to Schedule an Interview ASAP
- Red Flag #11: Microaggressions are Thrown Your Way During the Process
- Red Flag #12: The Interviewer Is Not a Good Listener
- Red Flag #13: You're Asked To Do An Unreasonable Amount of Free Work In The Process
- Red Flag #14: The Interview Process Is Unneccesily Long
- Red Flag #15: No One You're Interviewing With Has Been At The Company Very Long
- Red Flag #16: It's Unclear What Exactly They Expect This Role to Do
- Red Flag #17: The Company's Funding Isn't Secure
- Red Flag #18: They Refer to The Team As a "Family" Too Much
- Red Flag #19: They Don't Ask You Questions
- Red Flag #20: The Hiring Timeline is Unclear
- Red Flag #21: They Make You a Low Ball Offer
- Bonus Tip: Trust Your Gut
So, here they are. These are 21 red flags you can look for when in an interview setting. Remember (and if you don't remember, we will tell you a few more times) that the interview is for you, too.
The job is not a prize and an interviewer should do work to impress you. This is a two-way street. Let's dive in.
Red Flag #1: Communication Is Unclear
Communication is foundational to a good (and functional) workplace. In our experience, the way a company handles the beginning stages with a new employee is 100 percent indicative of the company culture. A company with strong values makes sure that those values are reflected in every aspect of the business. If clarity, promptness, and organization are important, they’ll make sure you see that side of them throughout the interview process.
If you’re confused about what time to show up, where to show up, who you’re meeting with, or what the position is, take note. If your point person’s email is poorly written or their email etiquette seems off, it’s okay to use that as a data point.
Red Flag #2: The Interviewer Gossips About Current Or Former Employees
In some cases, you might be interviewing for a position that someone left hastily or unprofessionally, leaving the department scrambling to find a new candidate. While that’s frustrating for the organization, it’s not something the interviewer needs to share with you.
In fact, the interviewer shouldn’t share much about the previous employee during the interview at all, except to explain the details of her role. Hearing your interviewer say things like, “She really wasn’t very detail-oriented,” or “She asked for too much vacation,” means that the workplace culture doesn’t discourage gossip.
It's also a warning sign that the team might compare you to the “old you” frequently. Even if it feels good to hear you’re doing a better job than she did, isn't it better to know that everyone’s performance was evaluated privately and appropriately?
Red Flag #3: The Interview Seems Too Short
When you’re interviewing at a company for the first time, there’s a lot to take in. You’re trying to absorb what the office looks, feels, and even smells like, while also trying to seem both professional and relatable. Plus trying to get some information about the position. So yeah—a lot.
A good interviewer, one who cares about connecting with the candidate and who values being patient and thorough, won’t allow her anxiety about the rest of her day to rush you through the interview. She'll be a direct reflection of the company culture you're looking for.
If you end up getting offered the position, in many cases, you’re going to spend more time with each other during the week than your own families and friends. It’s in everyone’s interest to spend some time making sure it’s a good fit. If you’re not given that opportunity, that’s a red flag.
Red Flag #4: The Interviewer Gaslights You
Let's talk about gaslighting—and how to root it out in an interview setting.
Gaslighting, by definition, is a form of manipulation used to make someone second-guess themselves or what they believe to be true. Seasoned gaslighters can press hard enough to make you doubt all of your instincts. So, what does gaslighting look like in an interview setting? It can be an interviewer downplaying your experience and your achievements. Gaslighting can occur when talking about salary or job titles.
For example, let's say you are a seasoned marketer with 5 years in a Director role. During your interview, the hiring manager might say something like, "I see you in a more junior role. Your experience is with a different kind of company and doesn't really translate."
All of a sudden, the interviewer has rewritten your work history and your hard-won experience. This is what gaslighting can look like in an interview. Remember, nobody knows more about your career and your experience than you. Do not let gaslighting stand.
Red Flag #5: HR is Non-Existent Or Not Respected
The lucky thing about going through an interview process is that you’re immediately confronted with the department that’s in charge of policing personnel issues and culture—human resources.
Right off the bat, how HR interacts with you, and how the employees interact with HR should give you plenty of insight into what the company culture is like.
Some questions to keep in mind: does the company’s HR department consist of one overworked employee who can’t keep the new hires’ names straight? Is it a corporate behemoth that’s so bogged down by business jargon that they’ve failed to connect with the employees at all? Is the department more interested in flashy perks and attracting top talent than communicating in a helpful, human way?
If the people you’d be working with roll their eyes at HR, or if you email with them and get a weird response, chances are that HR won’t be your best ally if tricky situations arise.
Red Flag #6: The Interviewer Asks You Personal, Illegal, Or Irrelevant Questions
Before we get into this, let's talk about rapport in an interview setting. When you find out the hiring manager has the same alma mater as you, of course, you're going to want to bring it up.
All of a sudden, you're chatting about what dining hall was the best, the year you graduated, that your spouse also attended the same school, and that you hope your child will attend. Rapport is important—and it makes everyone feel at ease (hey, interviewers get nervous, too!)
However, innocent rapport sometimes tells the interviewer things that they might discriminate against you for. Gross, we know. There's a reason that interview questions around marital status, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation are actually illegal questions. They have nothing to do with the job at hand.
Sometimes, interviewers use innocent rapport to gather details about you, your socioeconomic status, or your family life. Questions like "What did you do this weekend?" or "How was it commuting to the office today?" can be probing questions to find out whether you have kids, a partner, or whether you have a car.
Keep rapport light. Personal details are personal.
Red Flag #7: The Interviewer Evades Your Questions
So, you came to the interview with your own questions to ask. Good for you. Remember, the interview is also your space to ask questions and to learn. If the interviewer seems to be purposefully evading questions, this might be a red flag.
Sometimes, when you're initially interviewing with a recruiter, they may not have answers to detailed questions and that can be okay. However, if you are interviewing with your future manager and they can't (or won't) answer questions about work culture, management style, or immediate goals, this might be a big red flag.
The interview is for you. It's not a pageant or a contest. There needs to be a mutual buy-in for you and the organization. If you are not learning the things you need to learn to make an informed decision for yourself and your career, then it might not be a fit.
Red Flag #8: The Interviewer Is Vague About The Job Description
By the time you get to the interview, you probably know the job description front and back. But when you start to ask about specific responsibilities that the company is looking for and the interview draws a blank, that's worrisome.
Good companies spend a long time crafting accurate and detailed job descriptions so they can attract the right candidates. It shows you that they know the specific skills they need for this role and there won't be any surprises for you (or them) once you're hired.
When they are unclear about what they are looking for you're pretty much a straight shot into the land of "I was hired to do X, but now they want me to do Y" territory.
Red Flag #9: The Hiring Manager Uses Too Much Business Jargon and Buzzwords
When a hiring team doesn't know what they are looking for or they have something to hide, they are more likely to use buzzwords and corporate jargon to make the role and company sound great. They are giving you a lot of information without really telling you anything.
For example, looking for passionate self-starters could translate to we expect people to be available 24/7 and do the work of multiple people. Bragging about their lean organization could be a coverup for an unstable business model.
If you notice lots of buzzwords being used, ask questions to get them to explain what they mean in further detail.
Red Flag #10: You Feel Pressured to Schedule an Interview ASAP
Anytime you're feeling the pressure of a timeline from the interview team, watch out. For example, when they ask you for a follow-up interview that same day. Or when they ask if you can interview at 7am in your timezone—right after you sent in your application. Just like you don't want to appear desperate during the hiring process, the company shouldn't either.
When a company is desperate to hire so quickly is it because they have high turnover? Do they not respect employee boundaries? Will it mean they will be unrealistic about timelines the whole time you work there? It's good to have a company excited about interviewing you but trust your gut when you feel like it's going past excitement and becoming unhealthy.
Red Flag #11: Microaggressions are Thrown Your Way During the Process
Microaggressions, although most commonly used to describe "micro" assaults on People of Color, are also used to describe slights against all marginalized groups. Groups may experience marginalization and microaggressions due to race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. And we understand that when you're really excited about a company and job, it can be easy to overlook a weird or uncomfortable comment, however, microaggressions are rarely a one-time event.
If you experience microaggressions during the interview process it's a sign of the overall company culture and their acceptance of this behavior. What a company advertises as their values vs. the reality of what the company values matter long-term for your overall satisfaction. Plus, the interviewer is usually showing you the best version of themselves at that time, but what happens once you accept the job?!
Red Flag #12: The Interviewer Is Not a Good Listener
Listening is one of the most important leadership skills and bad bosses are one of the top reasons why people leave jobs. Naturally, if your interviewer is a bad listener then it's not a great sign that they will be great to work with or for either.
Some of the reasons why people don't listen could be they are overworked, don't care about the role you're hiring for, or just don't respect your time for being at the interview. A good interviewer will ask follow-up questions, dig deeper into your past work, and might even take notes. These are all good signs that they are interested in you as a candidate, too.
Red Flag #13: You're Asked To Do An Unreasonable Amount of Free Work In The Process
I once had a friend who was asked to create a pitch presentation, marketing plan, and one other project I can't even remember the name of. It took her about 100 hours in total of unpaid work to create these things. The company loved them and she thought for sure the job was hers. Next thing she knew they were pausing hiring and ghosted her.
Some unpaid work—like 1-2 hours—seems reasonable depending on the job you're interviewing for, but when you're essentially creating work that they can use for free, that's not ok. And a company should either agree to compensate you for the work during the interview process or be willing to sign some paperwork that they can't use your ideas if they don't hire you. It's an abuse of their power.
If you're asked to do work assignments be sure to ask plenty of detailed questions about length, time, compensation, etc. before you agree.
Red Flag #14: The Interview Process Is Unneccesily Long
Another thing that is an abuse of power is drawing out the interview process for months. When you're having non-stop group interviews piled on top of other interviews, it's a sign that the team is unsure about what they are looking for and if they really need this role. It can also be a sign that they have another candidate they are seriously considering.
At a certain point, when the interview process is months long and you're having to put your own life on hold, it's disrespectful to you. To ensure this doesn't happen ask upfront about what the interview process and timeline are and then push them to stick to that.
Red Flag #15: No One You're Interviewing With Has Been At The Company Very Long
Is everyone you're interviewing with a new employee? Unless the company just launched or they are building a new department, this can be a sign of poor retention and toxic work culture.
Try to find people who have been at the company for at least a year or two.
Red Flag #16: It's Unclear What Exactly They Expect This Role to Do
Another skill that is important to a good workplace is feedback and clear expectations. It will be hard to feel good at your job or develop your career in a company that's always shifting direction or give vague answers around feedback.
Be sure to ask lots of questions about the team, role, and company during your interview. Job candidates sometimes feel like they can't ask too many specific questions of a prospective employer, but it's actually important and can be really impressive when you do.
Red Flag #17: The Company's Funding Isn't Secure
Especially if you're interviewing for a startup, ask the founder about their funding and the business model. You would hate to land the job just to learn that they ran out of funding to pay your salary six months later.
If they ignore that question and try to distract you with things like their fun office culture or the number of job candidates pining for this role, you can feel confident that things aren't as great as they seem.
Red Flag #18: They Refer to The Team As a "Family" Too Much
When your potential employer talks about how all their colleagues and coworkers are one big family, that's a red flag. Your work environment is not your home and your boss is not your partner and this can show a lack of boundaries by the company.
In a healthy workplace, they respect that you will carve out time for your real family, take time off without harassing you, etc.
Red Flag #19: They Don't Ask You Questions
Maybe it's just pure sloppiness by the interviewer, but it's a red flag for them to only talk about themselves. Remember that interviewing is. a two-way street and that means they should be equally interested in learning about you and making sure the job is a good fit for you as well.
Red Flag #20: The Hiring Timeline is Unclear
An unclear hiring timeline means you could be going through this process for months only to be ghosted at a certain point. When the timeline is unclear it can be because they don't really know what they are looking for or if they really need to hire. It's like browsing for a car at the car lot vs. going there with the intention to buy. One can be a massive waste of time.
Red Flag #21: They Make You a Low Ball Offer
It's natural for companies to make an offer that leaves room for negotiation, but when it's so low that it shocks you—especially when you've communicated your salary expectations ahead of time—it's not worth it.
Plus, it's a sign that asking for a raise or other perks will be difficult at best in the future.
Bonus Tip: Trust Your Gut
When something doesn't feel right, you sort of know it.
It can be tough to trust your gut in an interview setting—especially when you need a job. Our advice is as follows. Before going into an interview, list out your wants, your needs, your must-haves, and your will-not allows. Think about what has not worked for you in the past. Maybe it's a leadership style, a fast-paced startup culture, or a super collaborative environment.
A job is more than its description. Prepare yourself to see red flags alongside green lights. Pay attention—and trust your gut.
