1. Overuse of corporate buzzwords
  2. Unprofessional recruiter behavior
  3. Vague description of work profile
  4. Unorganized recruitment process
  5. High turnover rate
  6. Reluctance to answer questions

Job interviews have often made the most confident of candidates nervous in the knees. You have landed the job interview after crossing all the hurdles, and so far everything seems great.

But did you know that many employees start to look out for another job almost within 2-3 months of joining? The reason for it was, they did not do their research on the company, or they overlooked the negative triggers during their job interview.

A job interview requires you to be not only in your A-game but also be extremely attentive to details. It is one of the major reasons why you’ll find everyone advising to research about the company before an interview.

So, apart from preparing for the frequently asked HR interview questions and answers, here are 7 clear red flags to be aware of during a job interview.

Overuse of corporate buzzwords

If a job description or a job advertisement uses too many buzzwords like "Gurus", "rockstars", etc, it could be a signal to steer clear of the situation as it could be a concealing to something less impressive.

Here are a few more buzzwords to be aware of in a job interview.

  • "Hustle/Grind": This could mean that the work-life balance of the place is not that great.

  • "You will have to don a lot of hats": This mostly signifies you are going to be overworked beyond comprehension but paid a minimal salary.

  • "We are looking for a self-starter": Every employee needs to be self-motivated, but if you find the recruiter repeating this statement, it could imply that a training program is not in place for a new joinee.

Do keep in mind that these might not always indicate trouble, but only if they OVERUSE it.

Unprofessional recruiter behavior

You are always told “Never arrive late at an interview”, the same is expected from the interviewer. Surely, emergency situations may arise, and it is alright to let the candidate know about it and reschedule for some other time.

However, if a recruiter is constantly rescheduling and/or appears late or unprepared at the interview, take the hint that they do not respect an employee’s time. Time is of importance to everyone irrespective of roles, so clearly if it is absent in a recruiter, your work-life can go downhill real fast.

Also, take note of the way the interviewer speaks and behaves in the job interview, their previously hired employees, etc. If they speak with disrespect it indicates that the recruiters have no respect for their employees, and do you really want to work in a place where you are not respected?

Vague description of work profile

This is one of the most common and important red flags that you should be aware of as a candidate.

Did you find little to almost nothing about the key responsibilities of the job profile? And despite bringing up the concern, your recruiter is either evading or providing answers like “We’ll figure out the duties as we progress”?

Walk south without a doubt if your recruiter gives you such answers in a job interview!

This is a clear sign of serious dysfunction within the organization and you do not want to get stuck in such a situation as you are bound to be burnt out very soon after joining.

Unorganized recruitment process

Every organization has a structured recruitment process in place. So, if you find yourself getting confused about what is the next step in the recruitment process and there is no proper communication from the other end as well, then maybe it is time to reconsider.

You cannot wait months on an end to hear back from the recruiters. Instead, focus on the other job interviews you have lined up.

High turnover rate

Once more the importance of thorough research about the company comes into foreplay. If people are quitting one after another constantly, it indicates serious toxicity in the organization.

So, always take a few extra measures (read the reviews, check if you can talk to former employees on LinkedIn, etc) to dig up a bit more about the company than just what is being presented. You can also find out more about the company on AmbitionBox.

Reluctance to answer questions

A job interview is a two-way street where both the candidate and the recruiter find out more about each other. One of the primary reasons why recruiters ask “Do you have any questions for me?” is to clear any doubts a candidate has about the company or the job profile or the responsibilities.

So, if you find the recruiter not providing answers or simply providing bad answers to your queries, then clearly there is something off.

However, do keep in mind that this applies to legitimate questions about the responsibilities or something related to the job profile.

Hope these red flags in a job interview help you evade regret and lead you to a better work culture!

Career Advice