Life

People are sharing red flags in interviews that show the job is toxic – 17 high alerts

At the risk of stating the obvious, job interviews aren’t a one-way street.

As well as the opportunity to impress your (potential) future boss, it’s also the chance to find out if it’s a place you really want to work.

Why do we sound like a second-rate careers advisor? Because Denarik just asked this over on Reddit.

‘What are some red flags in an interview that reveals the job is toxic?’

And it prompted lots of interesting (and useful) replies. These 17 should have you on high alert.

1.

‘I interviewed for one once where the manager spent the whole time asking me the usual questions in between rounds of berating some poor tech support employee on the phone about their payroll software.

‘Also any time a hiring manager talks up the company’s bonuses and raises to justify their low salary, you’d better believe you’re not actually getting either.’
ThreeStacksRadio

2.

‘Trying to get you to agree to start before they tell you what you’ll be paid.’
operative87

‘I applied to a position out of state and was offered the position during the phone interview. When asked when I could start I replied two weeks, but stated I couldn’t accept without knowing how much it paid and having that in an official offer letter/email.

‘This dude lost his shit and said all huffy puffy “Well, I mean, I don’t have the numbers right in front of me, but I guess if you have to know I can get that for you.” I said yes, I have to know. He said he’d call back. He never did.’
Krushed_Groove

3.

‘This actually happened to me:

‘Interviewer: Do you have any questions for us?

‘Me: what is a challenge this department has recently faced?

‘Interviewer: Job security.’
Ardyruy

4.

‘When they have nothing good to say about the person whose position they are trying to fill. They aren’t necessarily talking bad about the person- just little digs, almost passive aggressive.’
Laceybabe9669

5.

‘An interviewer tried to convince me to lowball myself after I said what I’d accept as a minimum salary which was in their offer range from the posting. “If we pay you more you wouldn’t get a bonus at the end of the year, and you’d be really upset when everyone else got one.”

‘What he was “able” to offer salary wise was $10k below their posted range.’
-Apocalypse-Cow-

6.

“We expect our employees to be flexible regarding work schedules:

‘Would you be available to work evenings, weekends, and occasionally on holidays with short notice according to our needs?”
Back2Bach

7.

‘The interviewer keeps telling you how fortunate you are to be there like they are doing you a favor by giving you the job.’
SuvenPan

8.

‘Once you realize that all upper management is family.’
fshnow

9.

“What did you earn at your previous occupation”

“We are not looking for someone with a 9 to 5 mentality”

“Here you will truly be a part of the (corporation) family”
BabyBabaBofski