In a recent survey conducted in January 2024, job seekers shared their experiences regarding red flags encountered during interviews.
Among the findings, it was revealed that 37 percent of respondents had faced negative experiences during job interviews.
To delve deeper into these red flags and offer insights, Moneypenny consulted with recruitment experts Rik Mistry, managing partner at Interval Group, and Ronnie Morris, VP of Data, Software, and AI at GR4.
The survey highlighted the top 10 red flags encountered by job seekers:
- Not disclosing salary – 38%
- Constantly rescheduling the interview – 25%
- Too many personal and/or irrelevant questions – 25%
- Interviewer disrespecting co-workers – 23%
- Job role differing from the initial advertisement – 18%
- Not answering questions correctly – 18%
- Interviewer seeming unprepared – 17%
- High staff turnover within the company – 14%
- Mandatory overtime or expectation of overtime work – 12%
Lack of salary disclosure
The most significant red flag, according to 38 percent of respondents, was the lack of salary disclosure during interviews. Rik Mistry emphasised that while this might be acceptable for executive positions or freelance roles, candidates should not hesitate to inquire about salary and reasons for non-disclosure.
He advised candidates to conduct research and communicate their salary expectations clearly to the employer. Ronnie Morris suggested including a ballpark figure to indicate the desired salary and recommended seeking guidance from recruitment consultants if unsure about market rates.
Regarding rescheduling interviews, with 25 percent of respondents flagging it as a concern, Rik suggested setting a “three-strike limit” and communicating politely with the employer about scheduling issues.
Despite 25 percent of respondents expressing discomfort with personal or irrelevant questions, Rik noted that such concerns might be less prevalent in the UK, where rapport-building is valued. However, he advised redirecting the conversation back to relevant topics professionally.
Ronnie emphasised the importance of clear communication in handling red flag situations, whether through a recruitment agency or directly with the employer’s internal recruiter or HR department.
Overall, while red flags in job interviews may vary, effective communication and proactive approaches are key for job seekers navigating the UK job market.
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
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